3.3 Changes to Political Systems
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3.3 Case Study: The Haudenosaunee
Indigenous Political Systems in Canada
Before European imperialism arrived, First Nations people in Canada were governed by many different systems. Some groups had highly structured systems, while others chose temporary leaders based on hunting skills or leadership abilities. Still other groups had hereditary leaders, sometimes based on the female side of the family. Frequently, decisions were made through consensus rather than decree, and in many cases, people were free to go their own path if they wanted. Finally, in some First Nations, women played a very large role in the decision-making process.
The Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois Confederacy, is a group of six distinct First Nation tribes who banded together for mutual benefit centuries ago. The Haudenosaunee live in northern United States, Ontario, and Quebec. The Canadian branches include Kahnawake
and Kanesatake in Quebec, the Akwesasne Mohawks of Ontario, the Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario, and the Onyota'a, Tyendinaga, and Wahta of Ontario. Some historians believe that the Haudenosaunee's democratic principles influenced the
writing of the United States constitution.
The Great Law of Peace: The history of the Haudenosaunee is an oral tradition also recounted in the beads of the wampum belt. The historic wampum belts describe all the treaties signed by the confederacy and the colonial governments of France, England, and the Netherlands. They are governed under an oral constitution called the Great Law of Peace.
The Grand Council: Historically, the Haudenosaunee were governed by the Grand Council, which consisted of a male leader from each of the six tribes. Each leader was chosen by the clan mother, who could impeach the male representative at any time if she lost confidence in his leadership. Military leaders were not allowed to serve on the Grand Council. The Grand Council worked together not only for the benefit of their own people, but also for the benefit of the entire Haudenosaunee nation. Their decisions were to work for the benefit of their people into the seventh generation.
The Great Law of Peace: The history of the Haudenosaunee is an oral tradition also recounted in the beads of the wampum belt. The historic wampum belts describe all the treaties signed by the confederacy and the colonial governments of France, England, and the Netherlands. They are governed under an oral constitution called the Great Law of Peace.
The Grand Council: Historically, the Haudenosaunee were governed by the Grand Council, which consisted of a male leader from each of the six tribes. Each leader was chosen by the clan mother, who could impeach the male representative at any time if she lost confidence in his leadership. Military leaders were not allowed to serve on the Grand Council. The Grand Council worked together not only for the benefit of their own people, but also for the benefit of the entire Haudenosaunee nation. Their decisions were to work for the benefit of their people into the seventh generation.