Iroquois Culture and Commentary

Description

This book offers fascinating perspectives on the life, traditions, and current affairs of the peoples of the Iroquois Confederacy. Author Doug George-Kanentiio is a Mohawk now living in Oneida Territory who is actively involved in issues affecting the Confederacy and has been writing about developments in “Indian Country” for the past decade. Informative, provocative, and challenging, this book provides a refreshing insider’s view of Indian peoples whose concerns continue to have major significance for the Northeast and whose future will affect Native Americans throughout the United States.

The author offers a portrait of the Iroquois that touches on a multitude of topics, beginning with Iroquois beliefs concerning their origins as a people and their spiritual, communal, and family traditions. He offers an Iroquois viewpoint on issues that are vital to the Six Nations’ economic and cultural survival, including education, taxation, land-claims, treaty rights, crime, gambling, and relations with state and federal governments. Stories of Iroquois leaders and heroes include historical figures such as Handsome Lake, as well as elders whom the author has known personally.