Iroquois
The Way of The Land
Gender Roles
The Aboriginal group of Iroquois had a strong balance between male and female importance. Woman were not looked down on, and were seen as strong roles in the community. Women and men in this group were not compared. They worked strongly together and didn't let gender become a divider or a clarification of what you could or could not do. They viewed each other strictly and equally as individuals. I enjoyed researching and gathering information on this group for that reason. It's important and beneficial to view times in history where females were completely accepted, and shows kindness of Aboriginals. What were the roles of the men in Iroquois? Men went out and hunted for food and necessities. They were viewed as warriors, and spent most of their working time outdoors. Women stayed home for the children and the state of the home. Although some may see this to be a small act in the group, it was women who actually worked together to build the longhouses and set up the community. Although men were known to help, it was the woman's job. Mothers prepared the food that fathers brought home, making sure it was in healthy state to eat. Women also made all the clothes for the family. Six individuals is the known number to live in the longhouse. Mothers worked hard to sustain a healthy lifestyle for all of them. This does not include what women provided for people in the community. They delivered religion and political views to individuals and made sure that the groups systems and beliefs were kept in tact. Older woman actually selected a Chief for the community. This woman were known as ''Chief Mother'' or "Clan Mothers." They also put together festivals and parties for the group. The roles and importance of women in Iroquois just doesn't end. After a man had been decided as chief by a women, he then took charge of the tribes confederacy and traveled to other tribes to discuss land claims and other issues. Men fought for and protected their tribe.
Food and Clothing
With all the food hunted and prepared and clothes sewn and worn, how were these essentials put together and why? Men hunted moose and moose skin was a huge essential to cover the human body. It was used on shoes, shalls, and warmth. The Iroquois traded many of these resources in order to gain better essentials that were of better quality. Fruit was hugely respected and ate all across the group. These fruits included cherries, blackberries, strawberries, huckleberries. They also ate many nuts. These foods were easy to find and were eaten very often daily. Corn, bean and squash, is the food best known of the group. The three resources go by The Three Sisters and the meats they digested included deer, bear, rabbit, squirrel, raccoon, and fowl, which were all hunted and killed by men and brought home. Elk and moose hides is the clothing source Iroquois is best known for. Woman wore skirts and jewelry and were presented in many feminine appearances. Moccasins was the shoe of the group worn proudly by both genders. The accessorie provided great protection and warmth through all seasons. Fibres were wove from tree plants. Style and health in my opinion, are huge marks of how hard working and creative the Iroquois were.