THE IROQUOIS LANGUAGE.
As the mental faculties of a people are reflected in their speech, we
should naturally expect that the language of a race manifesting such
unusual powers as the Iroquois nations have displayed would be of a
remarkable character. In this expectation we are not disappointed. The
languages of the Huron-Iroquois family belong to what has been termed
the polysynthetic class, and are distinguished, even in that class, by a
more than ordinary endowment of that variety of forms and fullness of
expression for which languages of that type are noted. The
best-qualified judges have been the most struck with this peculiar
excellence. "The variety of compounds," wrote the accomplished
missionary, Brebeuf, concerning the Huron tongue, "is very great; it is
the key to the secret of their language. They have as many genders as
ourselves, as many numbers as the Greeks." Recurring to the same
comparison, he remarks of the Huron verb that it has as many tenses and
numbers as the Greek, with certain discriminations which the latter did
not possess. [Footnote: _Relation_ of 1636, pp 99,100.] A great living
authority has added the weight of his name to these opinions of the
scholarly Jesuit. Professor Max Muller, who took the opportunity
afforded by the presence of a Mohawk undergraduate at Oxford to study
his language, writes of it in emphatic terms: "To my mind the structure
of such a language as the Mohawk is quite sufficient evidence that those
who worked out such a work of art were powerful reasoners and accurate
classifiers." [Footnote: In a letter to the author, dated Feb. 14, 1882.
In a subsequent letter Prof. Muller writes, in regard to the study of
the aboriginal languages of this continent: "It has long been a puzzle
to me why this most tempting and promising field of philological
research has been allowed to lie almost fallow in America,--as if these
languages could not tell us quite as much of the growth of the human
mind as Chinese, or Hebrew, or Sanscrit." I have Prof. Max Miller's
permission to publish these extracts, and gladly do so, in the hope that
they may serve to stimulate that growing interest which the efforts of
scholars like Trumbull, Shea, Cuoq, Brinton, and, more recently, Major
Powell and his able collaborators of the Ethnological Bureau, are at
length beginning to awaken among us, in the investigation of this
important and almost unexplored province of linguistic science.]
It is a fact somewhat surprising, as well as unfortunate, that no
complete grammar of any language of the Huron-Iroquois stock has ever
been published. Many learned and zealous missionaries, Catholic and
Protestant, have labored among the tribes of this stock for more than
two centuries. Portions of the Scriptures, as well as some other works,
have been translated into several of these languages. Some small books,
including biographies and hymn-books, have been composed and printed in
two of them; and the late devoted and indefatigable missionary among the
Senecas, the Rev. Asher Wright, conducted for several years a
periodical, the "Mental Elevator" (_Ne Jaguhnigoageswatha_), in their
language. Several grammars are known to have been composed, but none
have as yet been printed in a complete form. One reason of this
unwillingness to publish was, undoubtedly, the sense which the compilers
felt of the insufficiency of their work; Such is the extraordinary
complexity of the language, such the multiplicity of its forms and the
subtlety of its distinctions, that years of study are required to master
it; and indeed it may be said that the abler the investigator and the
more careful his study, the more likely he is to be dissatisfied with
his success. This dissatisfaction was frankly expressed and practically
exhibited by Mr. Wright himself, certainly one of the best endowed and
most industrious of these inquirers. After residing for several years
among the Senecas, forming an alphabet remarkable for its precise
discrimination of sounds, and even publishing several translations in
their language, he undertook to give some account of its grammatical
forms. A little work printed in 1842, with the modest title of "_A
Spelling-book of the Seneca Language_," comprises the variations of
nouns, adjectives and pronouns, given with much minuteness. Those of the
verbs are promised, but the book closes abruptly without them, for the
reason--as the author afterwards explained to a correspondent--that he
had not as yet been able to obtain such a complete knowledge of them as
he desired. This difficulty is further exemplified by a work purporting
to be a "_Grammar of the Huron Language, by a Missionary of the Village
of Huron Indians, near Quebec, found amongst the papers of the Mission,
and translated from the Latin, by the Rev. John Wilkie_." This
translation is published in the "_Transactions of the Literary and
Historical Society of Quebec_," for 1831, and fills more than a hundred
octavo pages. It is a work evidently of great labor, and is devoted
chiefly to the variations of the verbs; yet its lack of completeness may
be judged from the single fact that the "transitions," or in other
words, the combinations of the double pronouns, nominative and
objective, with the transitive verb, which form such an important
feature of the language, are hardly noticed; and, it may be added,
though the conjugations are mentioned, they are not explained. The work,
indeed, would rather perplex than aid an investigator, and gives no
proper idea of the character and richness of the language. The same may
be said of the grammatical notices comprised in the Latin "Proemium" to
Bruyas' Iroquois dictionary. These notices are apparently modeled to
some extent on this anonymous grammar of the Huron language,--unless,
indeed, the latter may have been copied from Bruyas; the rules which
they give being in several instances couched in the same words.
Some useful grammatical explanations are found in the anonymous Onondaga
dictionary of the seventeenth century, published by Dr. Shea in his
"_Library of American Linguistics_." But by far the most valuable
contribution to our knowledge of the structure of this remarkable group
of languages is found in the works of a distinguished writer of our own
day, the Rev. J. A. Cuoq, of Montreal, eminent both as a missionary and
as a philologist. After twenty years of labor among the Iroquois and
Algonkin tribes in the Province of Quebec, M. Cuoq was led to appear as
an author by his desire to defend his charges against the injurious
effect of a judgment which had been pronounced by a noted authority. M.
Renan had put forth, among the many theories which distinguish his
celebrated work on the Semitic languages, one which seemed to M. Cuoq as
mischievous as it was unfounded. M. Renan held that no races were
capable of civilization except such as have now attained it; and that
these comprised only the Aryan, the Semitic, and the Chinese. This
opinion was enforced by a reference to the languages spoken by the
members of those races. "To imagine a barbarous race speaking a Semitic
or an Indo-European language is," he declares, "an impossible
supposition (_une fiction, conradictoire_), which no person can
entertain who is familiar with the laws of comparative philology, and
with the general theory of the human intellect." To one who remembers
that every nation of the Indo-European race traces its descent from a
barbarous ancestry, and especially that the Germans in the days of
Tacitus were in precisely the same social stage as that of the Iroquois
in the days of Champlain, this opinion of the brilliant French
philologist and historian will seem erratic and unaccountable. M. Cuoq
sought to refute it, not merely by argument, but by the logic of facts.
In two works, published successively in 1864 and 1866, he showed, by
many and various examples, that the Iroquois and Algonkin languages
possessed all the excellences which M. Renan admired in the
Indo-European languages, and surpassed in almost every respect the
Semitic and Chinese tongues. [Footnote: See _Jugement Erroné de M.
Ernest Renan sur les Langues Sauvages:_ (2d edit.) Dawson Brothers,
Montreal: 1870; and _Etudes Philologiques sur quelques Langues Sauvages
de r Amerique. Par N. O., Ancien Missionaire_. Ibid: 1866. Also _Lexique
de la Langue Iroquoise, avec notes et appendices. Par J. A. Cuoq, Prétre
de St. Sulpice_. J. Chapleau & Fils, Montreal: 1882. These are all works
indispensable to the student of Indian languages.] The resemblances of
these Indian languages to the Greek struck him, as it had struck his
illustrious predecessor, the martyred Brebeuf, two hundred years before.
M. Cuoq is also the author of a valuable Iroquois lexicon, with notes
and appendices, in which he discusses some interesting points in the
philology of the language. This lexicon is important, also, for
comparison with that of the Jesuit missionary, Bruyas, as showing how
little the language has varied in the course of two centuries.
[Footnote: _Radices Verborum Iroquaeorum. Auctore R. P. Jacopo Bruyas,
Societatis Jesu_. Published in Shea's "_Library of American
Linguistics_" For the works in this invaluable Library, American
scholars owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Shea's enlightened zeal in the
cause of science and humanity.] The following particulars respecting the
Iroquois tongues are mainly derived from the works of M. Cuoq, of
Bruyas, and of Mr. Wright, supplemented by the researches of the author,
pursued at intervals during several years, among the tribes of Western
Canada and New York. Only a very brief sketch of the subject can here be
given. It is not too much to say that a complete grammar of any Iroquois
language would be at least as extensive as the best Greek or Sanscrit
grammar. For such a work neither the writer, nor perhaps any other
person now living, except M. Cuoq himself, would be competent.
The phonology of the language is at once simple and perplexing.
According to M. Cuoq, twelve letters suffice to represent it: _a, c, f,
h, i, k, n, o, r, s, t, w_. Mr. Wright employs for the Seneca seventeen,
with diacritical marks, which raise the number to twenty-one. The
English missionaries among the Mohawks found sixteen letters sufficient,
_a, d, e, g, h, i, j, k, n, o, r, s, t, u, w, y._ There are no labial
sounds, unless the _f_, which rarely occurs, and appears to be merely an
aspirated _w_, may be considered one. No definite distinction is
maintained between the vowel sounds _o_ and _u_, and one of these
letters may be dispensed with. The distinction between hard and soft (or
surd and sonant) mutes is not preserved. The sounds of _d_ and _t_, and
those of _k_ and _g_, are interchangeable. So also are those of _l_ and
_r_, the former sound being heard more frequently in the Oneida dialect
and the latter in the Canienga. From the Western dialects,--the
Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca,--this _l_ or _r_ sound has, in modern
times, disappeared altogether. The Canienga _konoronkwa_, I esteem him
(in Oneida usually sounded _konolonkwa_), has become _konoenkwa_ in
Onondaga,--and in Cayuga and Seneca is contracted to _kononkwa_.
Aspirates and aspirated gutturals abound, and have been variously
represented by _h, hh, kh_, and _gh_, and sometimes (in the works of the
early French missionaries) by the Greek [Greek: chi] and the _spiritus
asper_. Yet no permanent distinction appears to be maintained among the
sounds thus represented, and M. Cuoq reduces them all to the simple _h_.
The French nasal sound abounds. M. Cuoq and the earlier English
missionaries have expressed it, as in French, simply by the _n_ when
terminating a syllable. When it does not close a syllable, a diaeresis
above the n, or else the Spanish _tilde (n)_ indicates the sound. Mr.
Wright denotes it by a line under the vowel. The later English
missionaries express it by a diphthong: _ken_ becomes _kea; nonwa_
becomes _noewa_; _onghwentsya_ is written _oughweatsya_.
A strict analysis would probably reduce the sounds of the Canienga
language to seven consonants, _h, k, n, r, s, t,_ and _w_, and four
vowels, _a, e, i_, and _o_, of which three, _a, e, and o_, may receive a
nasal sound. This nasalizing makes them, in fact, distinct elements; and
the primary sounds of the language may therefore be reckoned at
fourteen. [Footnote: A dental _t_, which the French missionaries
represent sometimes by the Greek _theta_ and sometimes by _th_, and
which the English have also occasionally expressed by the latter method,
may possibly furnish an additional element. The Greek _theta_ of the
former is simply the English _w_.] The absence of labials and the
frequent aspirated gutturals give to the utterance of the best speakers
a deep and sonorous character which reminds the hearer of the stately
Castilian speech.
The "Book of Rites," or, rather, the Canienga portion of it, is written
in the orthography first employed by the English missionaries. The _d_
is frequently used, and must be regarded merely as a variant of the _t_
sound. The _g_ is sometimes, though rarely, employed as a variant of the
_k_. The digraph _gh_ is common and represents the guttural aspirate,
which in German is indicated by _ch_ and in Spanish by _j_. The French
missionaries write it now simply _h_, and consider it merely a harsh
pronunciation of the aspirate. The _j_ is sounded as in English; it
usually represents a complex sound, which might be analysed into _ts_ or
_tsi_; _jathondek_ is properly _tsiatontek_. The _x_, which occasionally
appears, is to be pronounced _ks_, as in English. _An, en, on_, when not
followed by a vowel, have a nasal sound, as in French. This sound is
heard even when those syllables are followed by another _n_. Thus
_Kanonsionni_ is pronounced as if written _Kanonsionni_ and _yondennase_
as if written _yondennase_. The vowels have usually the same sound as in
German and Italian; but in the nasal _en_ the vowel has an obscure
sound, nearly like that of the short _u_ in _but_. Thus _yondennase_
sounds almost as if written _yondunnase_, and _kanienke_ is pronounced
nearly like _kaniunke_.
The nouns in Iroquois are varied, but with accidence differing from the
Aryan and Semitic variations, some of the distinctions being more
subtle, and, so to speak, metaphysical. The dual is expressed by
prefixing the particle _te_, and suffixing _ke_ to the noun; thus, from
_kanonsa_, house, we have _tekanonsake_, two houses. These syllables, or
at least the first, are supposed to be derived from _tekeni_, two. The
plural, when it follows an adjective expressive of number, is indicated
by the syllable _ni_ prefixed to the noun, and _ke_ suffixed; as, _eso
nikanonsake_, many houses. In other cases the plural is sometimes
expressed by one of the words _okon_ (or _hokon_) _okonha_, _son_ and
_sonha_, following the noun. In general, however, the plural
significance of nouns is left to be inferred from the context, the verb
always and the adjective frequently indicating it.
All beings are divided into two classes, which do not correspond either
with the Aryan genders or with the distinctions of animate and inanimate
which prevail in the Algonkin tongues. These classes have been styled
noble and common. To the noble belong male human beings and deities. The
other class comprises women and all other objects. It seems probable,
however, that the distinction in the first instance was merely that of
sex,--that it was, in fact, a true gender. Deities, being regarded as
male, were included in the masculine gender. There being no neuter form,
the feminine gender was extended, and made to comprise all other beings.
These classes, however, are not indicated by any change in the noun, but
merely by the forms of the pronoun and the verb.
The local relations of nouns are expressed by affixed particles, such as
_ke_, _ne_, _kon_, _akon_, _akta._ Thus, from _onónta_ mountain, we have
_onontáke_, at (or to) the mountain; from _akéhrat_, dish, _akehrátne_,
in (or on) the dish; from _kanónsa_, house, _kanonsákon_, or
_kanónskon_, in the house, _kanonsókon_, under the house, and
_kanonsákta_, near the house. These locative particles, it will be seen,
usually, though not always, draw the accent towards them.
The most peculiar and perplexing variation is that made by what is
termed the "crement," affixed to many (though not all) nouns. This
crement in the Canienga takes various forms, _ta, sera, tsera, kwa._
_Onkwe_, man, becomes _onkwéta_; _otkon_, spirit, _otkónsera_; _akáwe_,
oar, _akawétsera_; _ahta_, shoe, _ahhtákwa_. The crement is employed
when the noun is used with numeral adjectives, when it has adjective or
other affixes, and generally when it enters into composition with other
words. Thus _onkwe_, man, combined with the adjective termination _iyo_
(from the obsolete _wiyo_, good) becomes _onkwetiyo_, good man. _Wenni_,
day, becomes in the plural _niate_ _niwenniserake_, many days, etc. The
change, however, is not grammatical merely, but conveys a peculiar shade
of meaning difficult to define. The noun, according to M. Cuoq, passes
from a general and determinate to a special and restricted sense.
_Onkwe_ means man in general; _asen nionkwetake_, three men (in
particular.) One interpreter rendered _akawétsera_, "the oar itself."
The affix _sera_ or _tsera_ seems to be employed to form what we should
term abstract nouns, though to the Iroquois mind they apparently present
themselves as possessing a restricted or specialized sense. Thus from
_iotarihen_, it is warm, we have _otarihénsera_, heat; from _wakeriat_,
to be brave, _ateriatitsera_, courage. So _kakweniátsera_, authority;
_kanaiésera_, pride; _kanakwénsera_, anger. Words of this class abound
in the Iroquois; so little ground is there for the common opinion that
the language is destitute of abstract nouns. [Footnote: See, on this
point, the remarks of Dr Brinton to the same effect, in regard to the
Aztec, Qquichua, and other languages, with interesting illustrations, in
his _"American Hero Myths"_, p. 25]
The adjective, when employed in an isolated form, follows the
substantive; as _kanonsa kowa_, large house; _onkwe honwe_ (or _onwe_) a
real man. But, in general, the substantive and the adjective coalesce in
one word. _Ase_ signifies new, and added to _kanonsa_ gives us
_kanonsáse_, new house. Karonta, tree, and _kowa_, or _kowanen_, great,
make together _karontowánen_, great tree. Frequently the affixed
adjective is never employed as an isolated word. The termination _iyo_
(or _iio_) expresses good or beautiful, and _aksen_, bad or ugly; thus
_kanonsiyo_, fine house, _kanonsasken_, ugly house. These compound forms
frequently make their plural by adding _s_, as _kanonsiyos_,
_kanonsaksens_.
The pronouns are more numerous than in any European language, and show
clearer distinctions in meaning. Thus, in the singular, besides the
ordinary pronouns, I, thou, he and she, the language possesses an
indeterminate form, which answers very nearly to the French _on_. The
first person of the dual has two forms, the one including, the other
excluding, the person addressed, and signifying, therefore,
respectively, "thou and I," and "he and I." The first person plural has
the same twofold form. The third persons dual and plural have masculine
and feminine forms. Thus the language has fifteen personal pronouns, all
in common use, and all, it may be added, useful in expressing
distinctions which the English can only indicate by circumlocutions.
These pronouns are best shown in the form in which they are prefixed to
a verb. The following are examples of the verb _katkahtos_, I see (root
_atkahto_) and _kenonwes_, I love (root _nonwe_), as conjugated in the
present tense:--
_katkahtos_, I see.
_satkahtos_, thou seest.
_ratkahtos_, he sees.
_watkahtos_, she sees,
_iontkahtos_, one sees.
_tiatkahtos_, we two see (thou and I.)
_iakiatkahtos_, we two see (he and I.)
_tsiatkahtos_, ye two see.
_hiatkahtos_, they two see (masc.)
_kiatkahtos_, they two see (fem.)
_tewatkahtos_, we see (ye and I.)
_iakwatkahtos_, we see (they and I.)
_sewatkahtos_, ye see.
_rontkahtos_, they see (masc.)
_kontkahtos_, they see (fem.)
_kenonwes_, I love.
_senonwes_, thou lovest.
_rononwes_, he loves.
_kanonwes_, she loves.
_icnonwes_, one loves.
_teninonwes_, we two love (thou and I)
_iakeninonwes_, we two love (he and I)
_seninonwes_, ye two love.
_hninonwes_, they two love (masc.)
_keninonwes_, they two love (fem.)
_tewanonwes_, we love (ye and I.)
_iakwanonwes_, we love (they and I.)
_sewanonwes_, ye love.
_ratinonwes_, they love (masc.)
_kontinonwes_, they love (fem.)
It will be observed that in these examples the prefixed pronouns differ
considerably in some cases. These differences determine (or are
determined by) the conjugation of the verbs. _Katkahtos_ belongs to the
first conjugation, and _kenonwes_ to the second. There are three other
conjugations, each of which shows some peculiarity in the prefixed
pronouns, though, in the main, a general resemblance runs through them
all. There are other variations of the pronouns, according to the
"paradigm," as it is called, to which the verb belongs. Of these
paradigms there are two, named in the modern Iroquois grammars paradigms
K and A, from the first or characteristic letter of the first personal
pronoun. The particular conjugation and paradigm to which any verb
belongs can only be learned by practice, or from the dictionaries.
The same prefixed pronouns are used, with some slight variations, as
possessives, when prefixed to a substantive; as, from _sita_, foot, we
have (in Paradigm A) _akasita_, my foot, _sasita_, thy foot, _raosita_,
his foot. Thus nouns, like verbs, have the five conjugations and the two
paradigms.
Iroquois verbs have three moods, indicative, imperative, and
subjunctive; and they have, in the indicative, seven tenses, the
present, imperfect, perfect, pluperfect, aorist, future, and paulo-post
future. These moods and tenses are indicated either by changes of
termination, or by prefixed particles, or by both conjoined. One
authority makes six other tenses, but M. Cuoq prefers to include them
among the special forms of the verb, of which mention will presently be
made.
To give examples of these tenses, and the rules for their formation,
would require more space than can be devoted to the subject in the
present volume. The reader who desires to pursue the study is referred
to the works of M. Cuoq already mentioned.
The verb takes a passive form by inserting the syllable _at_ between the
prefixed pronoun and the verb; and a reciprocal sense by inserting
_atat_. Thus, _kiatatas_, I put in; _katiatatas_, I am put in;
_katatiatatas_, I put myself in; _konnis_, I make; _katonnis_, I am
made; _katatonnis_, I make myself. This syllable _at_ is probably
derived from the word _oyala_, body, which is used in the sense of
"self," like the corresponding word _hakty_ in the Delaware language.
The "transitions," or the pronominal forms which indicate the passage of
the action of a transitive verb from the agent to the object, play an
important part in the Iroquois language. In the Algonkin tongues these
transitions are indicated partly by prefixed pronouns, and partly by
terminal inflections. In the Iroquois the subjective and objective
pronouns are both prefixed, as in French. In that language "_il me
voit_" corresponds precisely with RAKAthatos, "he-me-sees." Here the
pronouns, _ra_, of the third person, and _ka_ of the first, are evident
enough. In other cases the two pronouns have been combined in a form
which shows no clear trace of either of the simple pronouns; as in
_helsenonwes_, thou lovest him, and _hianonwes_, he loves thee. These
combined pronouns are very numerous, and vary, like the simple pronouns,
in the five conjugations.
The peculiar forms of the verb, analogous to the Semitic conjugations
are very numerous. Much of the force and richness of the language
depends on them. M. Caoq enumerates--
1. The diminutive form, which affixes _ha_; as _knekirhaHA_, I drink a
little; _konkweHA_ (from _onkwe_, man), I am a man, but hardly one
(_i.e._, I am a little of a man).
2. The augmentative, of which _tsi_ is the affixed sign; as,
_knekirhaTSI_, I drink much. This is sometimes lengthened to _tsihon_;
as _wakatonteTSIHON_, I understand perfectly.
3 and 4. The cislocative, expressing motion towards the speaker, and the
translocative, indicating motion tending from him. The former has _t_,
the latter _ie_ or _ia_, before the verb, as _tasataweiat_, come in;
_iasataweiat_, go in.
5. The duplicative, which prefixes _te_, expresses an action which
affects two or more agents or objects, as in betting, marrying, joining,
separating. Thus, from _ikiaks_, I cut, we have _tekiaks_, I cut in two,
where the prefix _te_ corresponds to the Latin bi in "bisect". The same
form is used in speaking of acts done by those organs of the body, such
as the eyes and the hands, which nature has made double. Thus
_tekasenthos_, I weep, is never used except in this form.
6 The reiterative is expressed by the sound of _s_ prefixed to the verb.
It sometimes replaces the cislocative sign; thus, _tkahtenties_, I come
from yonder; _skahtenties_, I come again.
7. The motional is a form which by some is considered a special future
tense. Thus, from _khiatons_, I write, we have _khiatonnes_, I am going
to write; from _katerios_, I fight, _katerioseres_, I am going to the
war; from _kesaks_, I seek, _kesakhes_, I am going to seek. These forms
are irregular, and can only be learned by practice.
8. The causative suffix is _tha_; as from _k'kowanen_, I am great, we
have _k'kowanaTHA_, I make great, I aggrandize. With _at_ inserted we
have a simulative or pretentious form, as _katkowanaTHA_, I make myself
great, I pretend to be great. The same affix is used to give an
instrumental sense; as from _keriios_, I kill, we have _keriiohTHA_, I
kill him with such a weapon or instrument.
9. The progressive, which ends in _tie_ (sometimes taking the forms
_atie_, _hatie_, _tatie_), is much used to give the sense of becoming,
proceeding, continuing, and the like; as _wakhiatontie_, I go on
writing; _wakatrorihatie_, I keep on talking; _wakeriwaientatie_, I am
attending to the business. The addition of an _s_ to this form adds the
idea of plurality or diversity of acts; thus, _wakhiatonties_, I go on
writing at different times and places; _wakatrorihaties_, I keep on
telling the thing, _i. e._, going from house to house.
10. The attributive has various forms, which can only be learned by
practice or from the dictionaries. It expresses an action done for some
other person; as, from _wakiote_, I work, we have _kiotense_, I work for
some one; from _katatis_, I speak, _katatiase_, I speak in favor of some
one.
11. The habitual ends in _kon_. From _katontats_, I hear, I consent, we
have _wakatontatskon_, I am docile; from _katatis_, I speak,
_wakatatiatskon_, I am talkative.
12. The frequentative has many forms, but usually ends in _on_, or
_ons_. From _khiatons_, I write, we have in this form _khiatonnions_, I
write many things; from _katkahtos_, I look, _katkahtonnions_, I look on
all sides.
These are not all the forms of the Iroquois verb; but enough have been
enumerated to give some idea of the wealth of the language in such
derivatives, and the power of varied expression which it derives from
this source.
The Iroquois has many particles which, like those of the Greek and
French languages, help to give clearness to the style, though their
precise meaning cannot always be gathered by one not perfectly familiar
with the language. _Ne_ and _nene_ are frequently used as substitutes
for the article and the relative pronouns. _Onenh_, now; _kati_, then,
therefore; _ok_, _nok_, and _neok_, and; _oni_ and _neoni_, also; _toka_
and _tokat_, if, perhaps; _tsi_, when; _kento_, here; _akwah_, indeed,
very; _etho_, thus, so; _are_, sometimes, again; _ken_, an interrogative
particle, like the Latin _ne_--these and some others will be found in
the Book of Rites, employed in the manner in which they are still used
by the best speakers.
It must be understood that the foregoing sketch affords only the barest
outline of the formation of the Iroquois language. As has been before
remarked, a complete grammar of this speech, as full and minute as the
best Sanscrit or Greek grammars, would probably equal and perhaps
surpass those grammars in extent. The unconscious forces of memory and
of discrimination required to maintain this complicated intellectual
machine, and to preserve it constantly exact and in good working order,
must be prodigious. Yet a comparison of Bruyas' work with the language
of the present day shows that this purpose has been accomplished; and,
what is still more remarkable, a comparison of the Iroquois with the
Huron grammar shows that after a separation which must have exceeded
five hundred years, and has probably covered twice that term, the two
languages differ less from one another than the French of the twelfth
century differed from the Italian, or than the Anglo-Saxon of King
Alfred differed from the contemporary Low German speech. The forms of
the Huron-Iroquois languages, numerous and complicated as they are,
appear to be certainly not less persistent, and probably better
maintained, than those of the written Aryan tongues.
ANCIENT RITES OF THE CONDOLING COUNCIL.
[Originally presented as one page Iroquois, followed by one page English
translation. This is confusing in electronic texts, so have changed it
here to be the complete Iroquois text followed by the complete English
translation.]
OKAYONDONGHSERA YONDENNASE.
OGHENTONH KARIGHWATEGHKWENH:
DEYUGHNYOXKWARAKTA, RATIYATS.
1. Onenh weghniserade wakatyerenkowa desawennawenrate ne kenteyurhoton.
Desahahishonne donwenghratstanyonne ne kentekaghronghwanyon.
Tesatkaghtoghserontye ronatennossendonghkwe yonkwanikonghtaghkwenne,
konyennetaghkwen. Ne katykcnh nayoyaneratye ne sanikonra?
Daghsatkaghthoghseronne ratiyanarenyon onkwaghsotsherashonkenhha; neok
detkanoron ne shekonh ayuyenkwaroghthake jiratighrotonghkwakwe. Ne
katykenh nayuyaneratye ne sanikonra desakaghserentonyonne?
2. Niyawehkowa katy nonwa onenh skennenji thisayatirhehon. Onenh nonwa
oghseronnih denighroghkwayen. Hasekenh thiwakwekonh deyunennyatenyon
nene konnerhonyon, "Ie henskerighwaghfonte." Kenyutnyonkwaratonnyon,
neony kenyotdakarahon, neony kenkontifaghsoton. Nedens
aesayatyenenghdon, konyennedaghkwen, neony kenkaghnekdnyon nedens
aesayatyenenghdon, konyennethaghkwen, neony kenwaseraketotanese
kentewaghsatayenha kanonghsakdatye. Niyateweghniserakeh yonkwakaronny;
onidatkon yaghdekakonghsonde oghsonteraghkowa nedens aesayatyenenghdon,
konyennethaghkwen.
3. Niyawenhkowa kady nonwa onenh skennenjy thadesarhadiyakonh. Hasekenh
kanoron jinayawenhon nene aesahhahiyenenhon, nene ayakotyerenhon
ayakawen, "Issy tyeyadakeron, akwah deyakonakorondon!" Ayakaweron
oghnonnekenh niyuiterenhhatye, ne konyennedaghkwen.
4. Rotirighwison onkwaghsotshera, ne ronenh,
"Kenhenyondatsjistayenhaghse. Kendeyughnyonkwarakda
eghtenyontatitenranyon orighokonha." Kensane yeshotiriwayen
orighwakwekonh yatenkarighwentaseron, nene akwah denyontatyadoghseronko.
Neony ne ronenh, "Ethononweh yenyontatenonshine, kanakdakwenniyukeh
yenyontatideron."
5. Onenh kady iese seweryenghskwe sathaghyonnighshon:
Karhatyonni.
Oghskawaserenhon.
Gentiyo.
Onenyute.
Deserokenh.
Deghhodijinharakwenh.
Oghrekyonny.
Deyuyewenton.
Etho ne niwa ne akotthaghyonnishon.
6. Onenh nene shehhawah deyakodarakeh ranyaghdenghshon:
Kaneghsadakeh.
Onkwehieyede.
Waghkerhon.
Kahhendohhon.
Dhogvvenyoh.
Kayyhekwarakeh.
Etho ne niwa ne ranyaghdenshon.
7. Onenh nene jadadeken roskerewake:
Deyaokenh.
Jonondese.
Otskwirakeron.
Onaweron.
8. Onenh nene onghwa kehaghshonha:
Karhawenghradongh.
Karakenh.
Deyuhhero.
Deyughsweken.
Oxdenkeh.
Etho ne niwa roghskerewake. Eghnikatarakeghne orighwakayongh.
9. Ne kaghyaton jinikawennakeh ne dewadadenonweronh, "ohhendonh
karighwadeghkwenh" radiyats. Doka enyairon, "Konyennedaghkwen; onenh
weghniserade yonkwatkennison. Rawenniyo raweghniseronnyh. Ne onwa
konwende yonkwatkennison nene jiniyuneghrakwah jinisayadawen. Onenh
oaghwenjakonh niyonsakahhawe jinonweh nadekakaghneronnyonghkwe. Akwah
kady okaghserakonh thadetyatroghkwanekenh."
10. "Onenh kady yakwenronh, wakwennyonkoghde okaghsery, akwah kady ok
skennen thadenseghsatkaghthonnyonhheke."
11. "Nok ony kanekhere deyughsihharaonh ne sahondakon. Onenh kady
watyakwaghsiharako waahkwadeweyendonh tsisaronkatah, kady nayawenh ne
skennen thensathondeke enhtyewenninekenneh."
12. "Nok ony kanekhere deyughsihharaonh desanyatokenh. Onenh kady hone
yakwenronh watyakwaghsihharanko, akwah kady ok skennen
deghsewenninekenne dendewadatenonghweradon."
13. Onenh are oya, konyennethaghkwen. Nene kadon yuneghrakwah
jinesadawen. Niyadeweghniserakeh sanekherenhonh ratikowanenghskwe.
Onghwenjakonh niyeskahhaghs; ken-ony rodighskenrakeghdethaghkwe, ken-ony
sanheghtyensera, ken-ony saderesera. Akwagh kady ok onekwenghdarihengh
thisennekwakenry.
14. Onenh kady yakwenronh wakwanekwenghdarokewanyon jisanakdade, ogh
kady nenyawenne seweghniserathagh ne akwah ok skennen then kanakdiyuhake
ji enghsitskodake denghsatkaghdonnyonheke.
15. Onenh nene Karenna,
Yondonghs "Aihaigh."
Kayanerenh dcskenonghweronne;
Kheyadawenh deskenonghweronne;
Oyenkondonh deskenonghweronne;
Wakonnyh deskenonghweronne.
Ronkeghsotah rotirighwane,--
Ronkeghsota jiyathondek.
16. Enskat ok enjerennokden nakwah oghnaken nyare enyonghdentyonko
kanonghsakonghshon, enyairon.
17. "A-i Raxhottahyh! Onenh kajatthondek onenh enyontsdaren ne
yetshiyadare! Ne ji onenh wakarighwakayonne ne sewarighwisahnonghkwe ne
kayarenghkowah. Ayawenhenstokenghske daondayakotthondeke."
18. "Na-i Raxhottahyh! Ne kenne iesewenh enyakodenghthe nene noghnaken
enyakaonkodaghkwe."
19. "Na-i Raxhottahyh! Onenh nonwa kathonghnonweh dhatkonkoghdaghkwanyon
jidenghnonhon nitthatirighwayerathaghkwe."
20. "Na-i Raxbottahyh! Nene ji onenh wakarighwakayonne ne
sewarighwisahnonghkwe, ne Kayarenghkowa. Yejisewatkonseraghkwanyon
onghwenjakonshon yejisewayadakeron, sewarighwisahnhonkwe ne
Kayanerenhkowah. Ne sanekenh ne seweghne aerengh niyenghhenwe
enyurighwadatye Kayanerenghkowah."
* * * * *
21. Eghnikonh enyerighwawetharho kenthoh, are enjonderennoden enskat
enjerenokden, onenh ethone enyakohetsde onenh are enjondentyonko
kanonghsakonghshon, enyairon wahhy:
22. "A-i Raxhotthahyh! Onenh jatthondek kady nonwa
jinihhotiyerenh,--orighwakwekonh natehaotiya-doreghtonh, nene roneronh
ne enyononghsaghniratston. A-i Raxhotthahyh! nene ronenh: 'Onen nonwa
wetewayennendane; wetewennakeraghdanyon; watidewenna-karondonnyon.'"
23. "Onenh are oya eghdeshotiyadoreghdonh, nene ronenh: 'Kenkisenh
nenyawenne. Aghsonh thiyenjide-watyenghsaeke, onok enjonkwanckheren.'
Nene ronenh: 'Kenkine nenyawenne. Aghsonh denyakokwanentonghsaeke, onok
denjontadenakarondako. Nene doka ok yadayakonakarondatye onghwenjakonh
niyaonsakahawe, A-i Raxhottahyh,' none ronenh, 'da-edewenhheye onghteh,
neok yadayakonakarondatye onghwenjakonh niyaonsakahawe.'"
24. "Onenh are oya eghdeshodiyadoreghtonh, nai Raxhottahyh! Nene ronenh
ne enyononghsaghniratston. Nene ronengh: 'Doka onwa
kenenyondatyadawenghdate, ne kenkarenyakeghrondonhah ne nayakoghstonde
ne nayeghnyasakenradake, ne kenh ne iesewenh, kenkine nenyawenne.
Kendenyethirentyonnite kanhonghdakde dewaghsadayenhah."
25. "Onenh are oya eghdejisewayudoreghdonh, nene isewenh:
'Yahhonghdehdeyoyanere nene kenwedewayen, onwa enyeken nonkwaderesera;
kadykenh niyakoghswathah, akwekonh nityakawenonhtonh ne
kenyoteranentenyonhah. Enyonterenjiok kendonsayedane akwah
enyakonewarontye, onok enyerighwanendon oghnikawenhonh ne
kendeyerentyonny; katykenh nenyakorane nenyerighwanendon akare onenh
enyakodokenghse. Onok na entkaghwadasehhon nakonikonra, onenh are ne eh
enjonkwakaronny.'"
26. "Onenh are oya eghdeshotiyadoreghdonh, nene ronenh: 'Kenkine
nenyawenne. Endewaghneghdotako skarenhhesekowah, enwadonghwenjadethare
eghyendewasenghte tyoghnawatenghjihonh kathonghdeh thienkahhawe; onenh
denghnon dentidewaghneghdoten, onenh denghnon yaghnonwendonh
thiyaensayeken nonkwateresera.'"
27. "Onenh are oya eghdeshotiyadoreghdonh, nene roneronh ne
enyononghsaghniratston. Nene ronenh: 'Onenh wedewaweyennendane;
wedewennakeraghdanyon. Doka nonkenh onghwajok onok enjonkwanekheren. Ken
kady ne nenyawenne. Kenhendewaghnatatsherodarho ken kanakaryonniha
deyunhonghdoyenghdongh yendewanaghsenghde, kennikanaghseshah, ne
enyehharako ne kaneka akonikonghkahdeh. Enwadon ok jiyudakenrokde
thadenyedane doghkara nentyewenninekenne enjondatenikonghketsko ne
enyenikonghkwenghdarake. Onokna enjeyewendane yenjonthahida ne
kayanerenghkowa.'"
28. "Onenh kady ise jadakweniyu ken Kanonghsyonny, Dekanawidah, ne
deghniwenniyu ne rohhawah Odadsheghte; onenh nene yeshodonnyh
Wathadodarho; onenh nene yeshohowah akahenyonh; onare nene yeshodonnyh
Kanyadariyu; onenh nene yeshonarase Shadekaronyes; onenh nene onghwa
kehhaghsaonhah yejodenaghstahhere kanaghsdajikowah."
* * * * *
29. Onenh jatthondek sewarihwisaanonghkwe Kayarenhkowah. Onenh
wakarighwakayonne. Onenh ne oknejoskawayendon. Yetsisewanenyadanyon ne
sewariwisaanonghkweh. Yejisewahhawihtonh, yetsisewennitskarahgwanyon;
agwah neok ne skaendayendon. Etho yetsisewanonwadaryon.
Sewarihwisaanonghkwe yetsisewahhawitonh. Yetsisewatgonseraghkwanyon
sewarihwisaanonghkwe, Kayanerenhkowah.
30. Onenh kady jatthondek jadakweniyosaon sewarihwisaanonghkwe:
DEKARIHAOKESH!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatagweniyosaon,
AYONHWAHTHA!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatagweniyosaon,
SHATEKARIWATE!
Etho natejonhne!
Sewaterihwakhaonghkwe,
Sewarihwisaanonghkwe.
Kayanerenhkowah.
31. Jatthontenyonk!
Jatagweniyosaon,
SHARENHAOWANE!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatagweniyosaon,
DEYONNHEHGONH!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatagweniyosaon,
OGHRENREGOWAH!
Etho natejonhne!
Sewaterihwakhaonghkwe,
Sewarihwisaanonghkwe,
Kayanerenhkowah.
32. Jatthontenyonk!
Jatagweniyosaon,
DEHENNAKARINE!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatagweniyosaon,
AGHSTAWENSERONTHA!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatagweniyosaon,
SHOSGOHAROWANE!
Etho natejonhne,
Sewatarihwakhaonghkwe,
Sewarihwisaanonghkwe,
Kayanerenhkowah.
33. Ise seniyatagweniyohkwe,
Jatathawhak.
Senirighwisaanonghkwe,
Kayanerenghkowah.
Ne deseniyenah;
Seninonsyonnitonh.
Onenh katy jatthontenyonk
Jatakweniyosaon,
ODATSEGHTE!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatakweniyosaon,
KANONHGWENYODON!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatakweniyosaon,
DEYOHHAGWENTE!
Etho natejonhne!
Sewaterihwakhaonghkwe.
Sewarihwisaanonghkwe,
Kayanerenhkowah.
34. Jatthontenyonk!
Jatakweniyosaon,
SHONONSESE!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatakweniyosaon,
DAONAHROKENAGH!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatakweniyosaon.
ATYATONNENHTHA!
Etho natejonhne!
Sewaterihwakhaonghkwe,
Sewarihwisaanonghkwe,
Kayanerenhkowah.
35. Jatthontenyonk!
Jatakweniyosaon,
DEWATAHONHTENYONK!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatakweniyosaon,
KANIYATAHSHAYONK!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatakweniyosaon,
ONWATSATONHONH!
Etho natejonhne!
Sewaterihwakhaonghkwe,
Sewarihwisaanonghkwe,
Kayanerenhkowah.
36. Eghyesaotonnihsen:
Onenh jatthontenyonk!
Jatakweniyosaon,
THATOTARHO!
Jatthontenyonk!
Etho ronarasehsen:
Jatakweniyosaon,
ENNESERARENH!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatakweniyosaon,
DEHATKAHTHOS!
Jatthontenyonk!
Waghontenhnonterontye.
Jatakweniyosaon,
ONYATAJIWAK!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatakweniyosaon,
AWEKENYADE!
Jatthontenyonk!
Jatakweniyosaon,
DEHAYADKWARAYEN!
Etho natejonhne!
37. Yeshohawak:
Rokwahhokowah.
Etho kakeghrondakwe
Ne kanikonghrashon,
RONONGHWIREGHTONH!
Etho natejonhne!
38. Etho yeshotonnyh,
Tekadarakehne.
KAWENENSERONDON!
HAGHRIRON!
Etho nadehhadihne!
39. Wahhondennonterontye,
RONYENNYENNIH!
SHODAKWARASHONH!
SHAKOKENGHNE!
Etho nadejonhne!
40. Etho niyawenonh,
Karihwakayonh.
Shihonadewiraratye,
Tehhodidarakeh.
Rakowanenh,
RASERHAGHRHONK!
Etho wahhoronghyaronnyon:
Roghskenrakeghdekowah,
Rakowanenh,
Tehhotyatakarorenh,
SKANAWADYH!
Etho natejonhne!
41. Yeshohhawak,
TEKAHENYONK:
Yeshonadadekenah:
JINONTAWERAON!
Etho natejonhne!
42. KADAKWARASONH!
SHOYONWESE!
ATYASERONNE!
Etho natejonhneh!
43. Yeshondadekenah,
TEYORONGHYONKEH!
TEYODHOREGHKONH!
WATHYAWENHETHON!
Etho natejonhne!
44. ATONTARAHERHA!
TESKAHE!
Etho natejonhneh!
45. Yeshotonnyh,
SKANYADARIYO!
Yeshonaraseshen,
SHADEKARONYES!
Etho natejonhneh!
46. SATYENAWAT!
Yeshonaraseshen,
SHAKENJOWANE!
Etho natejonhneh!
47. KANOKARIH!
Yeshonarase,--onwa
NISHARYENEN!
Etho natejonhneh!
48. Onghwa keghaghshonah
Yodenaghstahhere
Kanaghstajikowah.
Yatehhotihohhataghkwen.
Etho ronaraseshen,
Yadehninhohhanonghne:
KANONGHKERIDAWYH!
Yeshonaraseshen,
TEYONINHOKARAWENH!
Etho natejonhneh!
49. Onenh watyonkwentendane
Kanikonrakeh.
ANCIENT RITES OF THE CONDOLING COUNCIL
[English Translation]
THE PRELIMINARY CEREMONY:
CALLED, "AT THE WOOD'S EDGE."
1. Now [Footnote: The paragraphs are not numbered in the original text.
The numbers are prefixed in this work merely for convenience of
reference.] to-day I have been greatly startled by your voice coming
through the forest to this opening. You have come with troubled mind
through all obstacles. You kept seeing the places where they met on whom
we depended, my offspring. How then can your mind be at ease? You kept
seeing the footmarks of our forefathers; and all but perceptible is the
smoke where they used to smoke the pipe together. Can then your mind be
at ease when you are weeping on your way?
2. Great thanks now, therefore, that you have safely arrived. Now, then,
let us smoke the pipe together. Because all around are hostile agencies
which are each thinking, "I will frustrate their purpose." Here thorny
ways, and here falling trees, and here wild beasts lying in ambush.
Either by these you might have perished, my offspring, or, here by
floods you might have been destroyed, my offspring, or by the uplifted
hatchet in the dark outside the house. Every day these are wasting us;
or deadly invisible disease might have destroyed you, my offspring.
3. Great thanks now, therefore, that in safety you have come through the
forest. Because lamentable would have been the consequences had you
perished by the way, and the startling word had come, "Yonder are lying
bodies, yea, and of chiefs!" And they would have thought in dismay, what
had happened, my offspring.
4. Our forefathers made the rule, and said, "Here they are to kindle a
fire; here, at the edge of the woods, they are to condole with each
other in few words." But they have referred thither [Footnote: That is,
to the Council House.] all business to be duly completed, as well as for
the mutual embrace of condolence. And they said, "Thither shall they be
led by the hand, and shall be placed on the principal seat."
5. Now, therefore, you who are our friends of the Wolf clan:
_In John Buck's MS._ _Supposed Meaning._
Ka rhe tyon ni. The broad woods.
Ogh ska wa se ron hon. Grown up to bushes again.
Gea di yo. Beautiful plain.
O nen yo deh. Protruding stone.
De se ro ken. Between two lines.
Te ho di jen ha ra kwen. Two families in a long-house,
Ogh re kyon ny. (Doubtful.) [one at each end.]
Te yo we yen don. Drooping wings.
Such is the extent of the Wolf clan.
6. Now, then, thy children of the two clans of the Tortoise:
Ka ne sa da keh. On the hill side.
Onkwi i ye de. A person standing there.
Weg'h ke rhon. (Doubtful.)
Kah ken doh hon. "
Tho gwen yoh. "
Kah he kwa ke. "
Such is the extent of the Tortoise clan.
7. Now these thy brothers of the Bear clan:
De ya oken. The Forks.
Jo non de seh. It is a high hill.
Ots kwe ra ke ron. Dry branches fallen to the ground.
Ogh na we ron. The springs.
8. Now these have been added lately:
Ka rho wengh ra don. Taken over the woods.
Ka ra ken. White.
De yo he ro. The place of flags (rushes).
De yo swe ken. Outlet of the river.
Ox den ke. To the old place.
Such is the extent of the Bear clan.
These were the clans in ancient times.
9. Thus are written the words of mutual greeting, called "the opening
ceremony." Then one will say, "My offspring, now this day we are met
together. God has appointed this day. Now, to-day, we are met together,
on account of the solemn event which has befallen you. Now into the
earth he has been conveyed to whom we have been wont to look. Yea,
therefore, in tears let us smoke together."
10. "Now, then, we say, we wipe away the tears, so that in peace you may
look about you."
11. "And, further, we suppose there is an obstruction in your ears. Now,
then, we remove the obstruction carefully from your hearing, so that we
trust you will easily hear the words spoken."
12. "And also we imagine there is an obstruction in your throat. Now,
therefore, we say, we remove the obstruction, so that you may speak
freely in our mutual greetings."
13. "Now again another thing, my offspring. I have spoken of the solemn
event which has befallen you. Every day you are losing your great men.
They are being borne into the earth; also the warriors, and also your
women, and also your grandchildren; so that in the midst of blood you
are sitting."
14. "Now, therefore, we say, we wash off the bloodmarks from your seat,
so that it may be for a time that happily the place will be clean where
you are seated and looking around you."
* * * * *
15. Now the Hymn,
CALLED "HAIL."
I come again to greet and thank the League;
I come again to greet and thank the kindred;
I come again to greet and thank the warriors;
I come again to greet and thank the women.
My forefathers,--what they established,--
My forefathers,--hearken to them!
16. The last verse is sung yet again, while he walks to and fro in the
house, and says:
17. "Hail, my grandsires! Now hearken while your grandchildren cry
mournfully to you,--because the Great League which you established has
grown old. We hope that they may hear."
18. "Hail, my grandsires! You have said that sad will be the fate of
those who come in the latter times."
19. "Oh, my grandsires! Even now I may have failed to perform this
ceremony in the order in which they were wont to perform it." "Oh, my
grandsires! Even now that has become old which you established,--the
Great League. You have it as a pillow under your heads in the ground
where you are lying,--this Great League which you established; although
you said that far away in the future the Great League would endure."
* * * * *
So much is to be said here, and the Hymn is to be sung again, and then
he is to go on and walk about in the house again, saying as follows:
"Hail, my grandsires! Now hear, therefore, what they did--all the rules
they decided on, which they thought would strengthen the House. Hail, my
grandsires! this they said: 'Now we have finished; we have performed the
rites; we have put on the horns.'
"Now again another thing they considered, and this they said: 'Perhaps
this will happen. Scarcely shall we have arrived at home when a loss
will occur again.' They said, 'This, then, shall be done. As soon as he
is dead, even then the horns shall be taken off. For if invested with
horns he should be borne into the grave,' oh, my grandsires, they said,
'we should perhaps all perish if invested with horns he is conveyed to
the grave.'
"Then again another thing they determined, oh my grandsires! 'This,'
they said, 'will strengthen the House.' They said, if any one should be
murdered and [the body] be hidden away among fallen trees by reason of
the neck being white, then you have said, this shall be done. We will
place it by the wall in the shade."
25. "Now again you considered and you said: 'It is perhaps not well that
we leave this here, lest it should be seen by our grandchildren; for
they are troublesome, prying into every crevice. People will be startled
at their returning in consternation, and will ask what has happened that
this (corpse) is lying here; because they will keep on asking until they
find it out. And they will at once be disturbed in mind, and that again
will cause us trouble.'"
26. "Now again they decided, and said: 'This shall be done. We will pull
up a pine tree--a lofty tree--and will make a hole through the
earth-crust, and will drop this thing into a swift current which will
carry it out of sight, and then never will our grandchildren see it
again.'"
27. "Now again another thing they decided, and thought, this will
strengthen the House. They said: 'Now we have finished; we have
performed the rites. Perhaps presently it will happen that a loss will
occur amongst us. Then this shall be done. We will suspend a pouch upon
a pole, and will place in it some mourning wampum--some short
strings--to be taken to the place where the loss was suffered. The
bearer will enter, and will stand by the hearth, and will speak a few
words to comfort those who will be mourning; and then they will be
comforted, and will conform to the great law.'"
28. "Now, then, thou wert the principal of this Confederacy,
Dekanawidah, with the joint principal, his son, Odadsheghte; and then
again _his_ uncle, Wathadodarho; and also again _his_ son, Akahenyonh;
and again _his_ uncle, Kanyadariyu; and then again _his_ cousin,
Shadekaronyes; and then in later times additions were made to the great
edifice."
* * * * *
29. Now listen, ye who established the Great League. Now it has become
old. Now there is nothing but wilderness. Ye are in your graves who
established it. Ye have taken it with you, and have placed it under you,
and there is nothing left but a desert. There ye have taken your
intellects with you. What ye established ye have taken with you. Ye have
placed under your heads what ye established--the Great League.
30. Now, then, hearken, ye who were rulers and founders: [Footnote: The
names in this version are in the orthography of John Buck's MS.]
TEHKARIHHOKEN!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
HAYENWATHA!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
SHADEKARIHWADE!
That was the roll of you,
You who were joined in the work,
You who completed the work,
The Great League.
31. Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
SHARENHHOWANE!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
TEHYONHEGHKWEN!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
OWENHEGHKOHNA!
That was the roll of you,
You who were joined in the work,
You who completed the work,
The Great League.
32. Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
TEHHENNAGHKARIHNE!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
AGHSTAWENSERONTTHA!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
SHAGHSKOHAROWANE!
That was the roll of you,
You who were joined in the work,
You who completed the work,
The Great League.
33. Ye two were principals,
Father and son,
Ye two completed the work,
The Great League.
Ye two aided each other,
Ye two founded the House.
Now, therefore, hearken!
Thou who wert ruler,
ODATSEGHDEH!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
KAHNONKWENYAH!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
TEHYOHHAKWENDEH!
That was the roll of you,
You who were joined in the work,
You who completed the work,
The Great League.
34. Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
SHONONGHSESEH!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
THONAEGHKENAH!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
HAHTYADONNENTHA!
That was the roll of you,
You who were joined in the work,
You who completed the work,
The Great League.
35. Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
TEHWAHTAHONTENYONK!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
KAHNYADAGHSHAYEN!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
HONWATSHADONNEH!
That was the roll of you,
You who were joined in the work,
You who completed the work,
The Great League.
36. These were his uncles:
Now hearken!
Thou who wert ruler,
WATHADOTARHO:
Continue to listen!
These were the cousins:
Thou who wert ruler,
ONEHSEAGHHEN!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
TEHHATKAHDONS!
Continue to listen!
These were as brothers thenceforth:
Thou who wert ruler,
SKANIADAJIWAK:
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
AWEAKENYAT!
Continue to listen!
Thou who wert ruler,
TEHAYATKWAYEN!
That was the roll of you!
37. Then his son:
He is the great Wolf.
There were combined
The many minds!
HONONWIREHDONH!
That was the roll of you.
38. These were his uncles,
Of the two clans:
KAWENENSEAGHTONH!
HAHHIHHONH!
That was the roll of them!
39. These were as brothers thenceforth:
HOHYUNHNYENNIH!
SHOTEHGWASEH!
SHAHKOHKENNEH!
This was the roll of you.
40. This befell
In ancient times.
They had their children,
Those the two clans.
He the high chief,
SAHHAHWIH!
This put away the clouds:
He was a war chief;
He was a high chief--
Acting in either office:
SKAHNAHWAHTIH!
This was the roll of you!
41. Then his son,
TAHKAHENHYUNH!
With his brother,
JIHNONTAHWEHHEH.
This was the roll of you!
42. KAHTAHGWAHJIH!
SHONYUNHWESH!
HAHTYAHSENHNEH!
This was the roll of you!
43. Then they who are brothers:
TEHYUHENHYUNHKOH!
TEHYUHTOHWEHGWIH!
TYAWENHHEHTHONH!
This was the roll of you.
44. HAHTONHTAHHEHHAH!
TESHKAHHEA!
This was the roll of you!
45. Then his uncle,
SKAHNYAHTEIHYUH!
With his cousin,
SHAHTEHKAHENHYESH.
This was the roll of you!
46. SAHTYEHNAHWAHT!
With his cousin,
SHAKENHJOHNAH!
This was the roll of you!
47. KAHNOHKAIH!
With his cousin,--then
NISHAHYEHNENHHAH
This was the roll of you!
48. Then, in later times,
They made additions
To the great mansion.
These were at the doorway,
They who were cousins,
These two guarded the doorway:
KANONHKEHIHTAWIH!
With his cousin,
TYUHNINHOHKAWENH
This was the roll of you!
49. Now we are dejected
In our minds.
THE BOOK OF THE YOUNGER NATIONS.
(ONONDAGA DIALECT.)
[Originally presented as one page Onandaga, followed by one page
English translation. This is confusing in electronic texts, so have
changed it here to be the complete Onandaga text followed by the
complete English translation.]
[*** Original used ' ' for syllable breaks and ' ' (two spaces) for word
breaks. Changed to '-' for syllable breaks and a single space for word
breaks.]
1. a. Yo o-nen o-nen wen-ni-sr-te o-nen wa-ge-ho-gar-a-nyat
ne-tha-non-ni-sr-son-tar-yen na-ya-ne o-shon-tar-gon-go-nar
nen-tis-no-war-yen na-ye-ti-na gar-weear-har-tye ne swih-ar-gen-ahr
ne-tho-se hen-ga-ho-gar-a-nyat nen-tha-o-ta-gen-he-tak
ne-tho-har-ten-gar-ton-ji-yar-hon-on nar-ye-en-gwa-wen-ne-kentar
ne-ten-gon-nen-tar-hen na-a-yen-tar.
1. b. Tar onon na-on-gen shis-gis-war-tha-en-ton-tye na
on-gwr-non-sen-shen-tar-qua nar-te-har-yar-ar-qui-nar
nan-gar-wen-ne-srh-ha-yo-ton-har-ye nen-gar-nen-ar-ta
ho-ti-sgen-ar-ga-tar nen-o-ne gar-nen-ar-ti kon-hon-wi-sats nen-o-ni
tar-ga-non-tye na on-quar-sat-har nen-o hon-tar-gen-hi-se-non-tye nen-o
wen-gr-ge go-yar-da-nen-tar-hon nen-tho nr-ta-war ta-har-yar-ar-qui-nar
nen-gar-wen-ne-sar han-yo-ton-hr-tye tar o-nen-ti
tya-quar-wen-ne-gen-har nen-a-shen ne-yar-quar-tar-ta-gen.
1. c. O-nen-ti-a-wen-hen nar-ya-he-yr-genh thar-ne-ho-ti-e-quar-te
nen-on-quar-noh-shen-ta-qua nen-o on-qua-jas-harn-ta-qua
nar-ye-gen-na-ho-nen nar-ye-na te-was-hen nen-ne-gon-hi-war na-tho
na-ho-te-yen-nen-tar-e tar-day-was-shen nen-ne-yo-e-wa
na-ar-wen-ha-yo-dar-ge nen-on-quar-twen-non-ty o-nen en-hen-wa-yar-shon
nen-nat-ho-on-ne-yar-quar-ya-ar nen-a-shen ne-yar-quar-tar-te-ken.
1. d. O-nen-ti-eh-o-yar nen-ton-ta-yar-quar-wen-ni-ken-ar
nar-ya-hi-yar-gen na-ar-quar-ton sis-jih-wa-tha-en-ton-tye o-yar-na
son-quar-yo-ten-se-nar tar-nr-ye-ti-na hon-sar-ho-har-we-ti-har-tye
nen-qr-nen-hr-te ho-ti-sken-ar-ga-tar nen-o-ne gar-nen-har-te
gon-thon-we-sas on-sar-ho-na-tar-que-har-tye nar-ya-har-tes-gar-no-wen
na o-nen na-en-gar-ya-tye-nen-har nen-war-thon-wi-sas ar-ques-sis-jit
nar-te-yo-nen-ha-ase en-war-nten-har-wat-tha nen-on-quar-ta-shar o-nen
o-yar-nen-eh-te-ge-non-tyes on-quar-te-shar nr-ya-o-ne
sar-o-har-we-ti-har-tye o-nen o-yar nens-o-ni-ta-gen-hi-se-non-tyes
o-wen-gar-ge ga-yr-tr-nen-tak-hon ne-tho nr-te-war
on-sar-ho-har-we-ti-har-tye.
I. e. O-nen ty-a on-yar ta-ya-quar-wen-ne-ken-har nen-a-sen
ne-yar-quar-tar-te-gen o-nen-ty ton-tar-wen-ten-eh nen-o-nen
thon-tar-yar-tyar-ton-tye nen-wa-gon-yon-wenjar-nan-har tar-o-nen
ha-o-yar nen-ta-yo-quar-wen-ne-ken-e-har-tye. O-nen-te-ar-wen-han o-nen
war-quar-de-yen-non-nyar-hen na-shar-non-wa nr-o-tas-are-quar-hen-ten
o-nen wa-tya-quar-ha-tar-wen-ya-hon nen-ar-o-ar-shon-ar
nen-tar-yon-quar-ty ne-tho hon-ne-yar-quar-ya-ar nen-ar-shen
ne-yar-quar-ta-te-kenh.
2. O-nen-ti-eh-o-yar nen-ton-tar-yar-quar-wen-ne-ken-har
nen-o-son-tar-gon-go-nar nen-ti-sno-war-gen. O-nen-ti
ton-sar-gon-en-nya-eh-tha ar-guas hi-yar-ga-tha te-jo-ge-grar O-nen-ti
sar-gon-ar-gwar-nen-tak-ten sken-nen-gink-ty then-skar-ar-tayk. O-nen
en-gar-ar-qui-ken-nha ne-tho tens-shar-ar-tyen. O-nen
yo-nen-tyon-ha-tye. Ar-ghwas ten-yo-ten-har-en-ton-nyon-ne. Ne-tho
tens-gar-ar-tye a-ghwas sken-non-jis ten-yo-yar-neh ne onen
en-gr-ar-gwen-har o-ty-nen-yar-wen-har hen-jo-har-ten-har
sar-ne-gon-are. Ne-tho han-ne-yar-gwar-ya-ar nen-ar-sen
ne-yar-quar-tr-ta-gen.
3. O-nen-ti-ch-o-yar nen-ton-ta-yar-quar-wen-ne-ken-har. O-nen-nen-ti
war-tyar-war-see-har-an-qua te-shar-hon-tar-gar-en-tar
nen-they-yon-tar-ge-har-te nen-te-sar-nar-ton-ken hon-ne-ty
ar-war-na-gen-tar wen-jar-wa-gar ha-e nar-ya-har ten-skar-har-we-tar-han
nen-o-ge-gwr-en-yone nen-tye-sar-nar-ton-ken o-ty-nen-yar-wen-har
nen-en-jo-har-ten-ar sar-ne-gon-are ne-tho hon-ne-yar-war-ya-ar
nen-a-sen ne-yar-quar-tar-te-kenh.
4. O-nen-ti-eh-o-yar nen-ton-tar-yr-quar-wen-ne-ken-tye hon-nen
ton-sar-war-kon-ha-jar-ha-jan nen-they-gar-kon-ha-shon-ton-har-tye
hon-nen-ti nen-sar-kon-ge-ter-yen-has hon-nen-oni
nen-ton-sar-gon-nen-ha-tieh o-nen o-tieh-nen-yar-wen-har
nen-en-jo-har-tyen-har sar-ne-gon-are ne-tho hon-ne-yar-quar-yar-ar
nen-a-sen ne-yar-qwr-tar-te-kenh.
5. O-nen-ti-eh-o-yar nen-ton-tar-yar-qwar-wen-ne-ken-har
nar-ya-ti-ar-wen-han nen-tar-ehe-tar-nen-jar-tar-ti-war-ten
nen-ton-gar-ke-sen nen-na-hon-yar-na on-har-wen-ne-gen-tar nar-ya-na
sar-hon-ta-je-wants as-kar-we ar-san-nen-sen-wen-hat ne-tho o-ni
nis-nen-yar-wen-hon-sken-are-gen-tar hor-go-war-nen-nen-hon-yar-na
an-har-wen-ne-gen-tar are-we ar-sen-nen-sun-sar-wen-hat ne-tho
on-ne-yar-quar-ya-ar nen-ar-sen ne-yr-qwar-tr-ta-kenh.
6. O-nen-ti-eh-o-yar nen-ton-tar-yar-quar-wen-ne-ken-hr
nar-ye-ti-na-ar-wen-han nen-an-har-ya-tye-nen-har nen-na-hon-yar-na
nr-ya-ti-nar nen-ne-yo-sar-tar ken-yar-tar nen-ji-gar-han
nen-ta-hon-gren-tar wi-nar-na-ge-ne-yo-snon-wa
nen-o-yar-en-sar-tyar-tar-nyar-ten a-ren ne-tho one-yar-qwar-yaar
nen-ar-sen ne-yr-quar-tar-te-kenh.
7. O-nen-ti-eh-o-yar nen-ton-tr-yar-quar-wen-ne-ken-har
nr-ya-ti-ar-wen-han sar-gon-nr-tar-eh-ya-tars nen-gr-nr-gar-yon-ne-ta-ar
nen-jar-ne-qr-nar-sis-ah nen ne-tho war-ar-guar-sins-tar
na-tho-ti-an-sar-wa nen-thon-gr-gey-san e-his-an-skas-gen-nen one-ha-yat
nen-war-o-yan-quar-a-ton-on-tye nen-yar-gar-ker ta-gr-nr-squaw-ya-an-ne
ne-tho on-ne-yar-quar-ya-ar nen-ar-sen ne-yar-quar-ta-te-kenh.
7. b. Tar-o-nen sar-gon-yan-nen-tar-ah tar-o-nen-ti ton-tar-ken-yar-tas.
THE BOOK OF THE YOUNGER NATIONS.
(TRANSLATION.)
I. a. Now--now this day--now I come to your door where you are mourning
in great darkness, prostrate with grief. For this reason we have come
here to mourn with you. I will enter your door, and come before the
ashes, and mourn with you there; and I will speak these words to comfort
you.
I. b. Now our uncle has passed away, he who used to work for all, that
they might see the brighter days to come,--for the whole body of
warriors and also for the whole body of women, and also the children
that were running around, and also for the little ones creeping on the
ground, and also those that are tied to the cradle-boards; for all these
he used to work that they might see the bright days to come. This we
say, we three brothers.
I. c. Now the ancient lawgivers have declared--our uncles that are gone,
and also our elder brothers--they have said, it is worth twenty--it was
valued at twenty--and this was the price of the one who is dead. And we
put our words on it (_i.e._ the wampum), and they recall his
name--the one that is dead. This we say and do, we three brothers.
I. d. Now there is another thing we say, we younger brothers. He who has
worked for us has gone afar off; and he also will in time take with him
all these--the whole body of warriors and also the whole body of
women--they will go with him. Rut it is still harder when the woman
shall die, because with her the line is lost. And also the grandchildren
and the little ones who are running aruund--these he will take away; and
also those that are creeping on the ground, and also those that are on
the cradle-boards; all these he will takeaway with him.
1. e. Now then another thing we will say, we three brothers. Now you
must feel for us; for we came here of our own good-will--came to your
door that we might say this. And we will say that we will try to do you
good. When the grave has been made, we will make it still better. We
will adorn it, and cover it with moss. We will do this, we three
brothers.
2. Now another thing we will say, we younger brothers. You are mourning
in the deep darkness. I will make the sky clear for you, so that you
will not see a cloud. And also I will give the sun to shine upon you, so
that you can look upon it peacefully when it goes down: You shall see it
when it is going. Yea! the sun shall seem to be hanging just over you,
and you shall look upon it peacefully as it goes down. Now I have hope
that you will yet see the pleasant days. This we say and do, we three
brothers.
3. Now then another thing we say, we younger brothers. Now we will open
your ears, and also your throat, for there is something that has been
choking you and we will also give you the water that shall wash down all
the troubles in your throat. We shall hope that after this your mind
will recover its cheerfulness. This we say and do, we three brothers.
4. Now then there is another thing we say, we younger brothers. We will
now remake the fire, and cause it to burn again. And now you can go out
before the people, and go on with your duties and your labors for the
people. This we say and do, we three brothers.
5. Now also another thing we say, we younger brothers. You must
converse with your nephews; and if they say what is good, you must
listen to it. Do not cast it aside. And also if the warriors should say
anything that is good, do not reject it. This we say, we three brothers.
6. Now then another thing we say, we younger brothers. If any one
should fall--it may be a principal chief will fall and descend into the
grave--then the horns shall be left on the grave, and as soon as
possible another shall be put in his place. This we say, we three
brothers.
7. Now another thing we say, we younger brothers. We will gird the belt
on you, with the pouch, and the next death will receive the pouch,
whenever you shall know that there is death among us, when the fire is
made and the smoke is rising. This we say and do, we three brothers.
7. b. Now I have finished. Now show me the man! [Footnote: _i. e._,
"Point out to me the man whom I am to proclaim as chief, in place of the
deceased."]
NOTES ON THE CANIENGA BOOK
The meaning of the general title, _Okayondonghsera Yondennase_, has
been already explained (Introduction, p. 48). In the sub-title, the word
_oghentonh_ is properly an adverb, meaning firstly, or
foremost. This title might be literally rendered. "First the ceremony,
'At-the-wood's-edge' they call it."
1. The chiefs, in their journey to the place of meeting, are supposed to
have passed the sites of many deserted towns, in which councils had
formerly been held. Owing to the frequent removals of their villages,
such deserted sites were common in the Iroquois country. The speaker who
welcomes the arriving guests supposes that the view of these places had
awakened in their minds mournful recollections.
_Desawennawenrate_, "thy voice coming over." This word is explained
in the Glossary. It is in the singular number. According to the Indian
custom, the speaker regards himself as representing the whole party for
whom he speaks, and he addresses the leader of the other party as the
representative and embodiment of all who come with him. Throughout the
speeches "I" and "thou" are used in the well understood sense of "we"
and "ye." In like manner, tribes and nations are, as it were,
personified. A chief, speaking for the Onondagas, will say, "I (that is,
my nation) am angry; thou (the Delaware people) hast done wrong." This
style of bold personification is common in the scriptures. Moses warns
the Israelites: "Thou art a stiff-necked people." "Oh my people!"
exclaims Isaiah; "they which lead thee cause thee to err."
2. _Denighroghkwayen_, "let us two smoke." This word is in the dual
number, the two parties, the hosts and the guests, being each regarded
as one individual.
The difficulties and dangers which in the early days of the confederacy
beset the traveler in threading his way through the forest, from one
Indian nation to another, are vividly described in this section. The
words are still employed by their speakers as an established form,
though they have ceased to have any pertinence to their present
circumstances.
3. _Alnuah deyakonakarondon_, "yea, of chiefs,"--literally, "yea,
having horns." The custom of wearing horns as part of the head-dress of
a chief has been long disused among the Iroquois; but the idiom remains
in the language, and the horns, in common parlance, indicate the chief,
as the coronet suggests the nobleman in England. Among the western
Indians, as is well known, the usage still survives. "No one," says
Catlin, "wears the head-dress surmounted with horns except the
dignitaries who are very high in authority, and whose exceeding valor,
worth, and power are admitted by all." These insignia of rank are, he
adds, only worn on special and rare occasions, as in meeting embassies,
or at warlike parades or other public festivals, or sometimes when a
chief sees fit to lead a war-party to battle. [Footnote: _Letters and
Notes on the Manners, Customs, and Condition of the North American
Indians._ By George Catlin; p. 172.] The origin of the custom is
readily understood. The sight, frequent enough in former days, of an
antlered stag leading a herd of deer would be quite sufficient to
suggest to the quick apprehension of the Indian this emblem of authority
and pre-eminence.
5. _Sathaghyortnighson_, "thou who art of the Wolf clan." The clan
is addressed in the singular number, as one person. It is deserving of
notice that the titles of clan-ship used in the language of ceremony are
not derived from the ordinary names of the animals which give the clans
their designations. _Okwatho_ is wolf, but a man of the Wolf clan
is called _Tahionni_,--or, as written in the text,
_Taghyonni_. In ordinary speech, however, the expression
_rokwaho_, "he is a Wolf," might be used.
The English renderings of the names in the list of towns are those which
the interpreters finally decided upon. In several instances they doubted
about the meaning, and in some cases they could not suggest an
explanation. Either the words are obsolete, or they have come down in
such a corrupt form that their original elements and purport cannot be
determined. As regards the sites of the towns, see the Appendix, Note E.
6. _Deyako-larakeh ranyaghdenghshon_,--"the two clans of the
Tortoise." Respecting the two sub-gentes into which the Tortoise clan
was divided, see _ante_, p. 53. _Anowara_ is the word for
tortoise, but _raniahten_ (or, in the orthography of the text,
_ranyaghdengh_) signifies, "he is of the Tortoise clan."
7. _Jadadeken roskerewake_, "thy brother of the Bear clan."
_Okwari_ is bear, but _roskerewake_ signifies "he is of the
Bear clan." _Rokwari_, "he is a Bear," might, however, be used with
the same meaning.
8. _Onghwa kehaghshonha_, "now recently." It is possible that
_onghwa_ is here written by mistake for _orighwa_. The word
_orighwakayongh_, which immediately follows, signifies "in ancient
times," and the corresponding word _orighwake-haghshonha_ would be
"in younger times." The period in which these additions were made,
though styled recent, was probably long past when the "Book of Rites"
was committed to writing; otherwise many towns which are known to have
existed at the latter date would have been added to the list. In fact,
the words with which the catalogue of towns closes--"these were the
clans in ancient times,"--seem to refer these later additions, along
with the rest, back to a primitive era of the confederacy.
9. _Rawenniyo raweghniseronnyh_, "God has appointed this day," or,
literally, "God makes this day." In these words are probably found the
only trace of any modification of the Book of Rites caused by the
influence of the white visitors and teachers of the modern Iroquois. As
the very fact that the book was written in the alphabet introduced by
the missionaries makes us certain that the person who reduced it to
writing had been under missionary instruction, it might be deemed
surprising that more evidences of this influence are not apparent. It is
probable, however, that the conservative feeling of the Council would
have rejected any serious alterations in their ancient forms. It seems
not unlikely that David of Schoharie--or whoever was the penman on this
occasion--may have submitted his work to his missionary teacher, and
that in deference to his suggestion a single interpolation of a
religious cast, to which no particular objection could be made, was
allowed to pass.
The word _Rawenniyo_, as is well known, is the term for God which
was adopted by the Catholic missionaries. It is, indeed, of
Huron-Iroquois origin, and may doubtless have been occasionally employed
from the earliest times as an epithet proper for a great divinity. Its
origin and precise meaning are explained in the Appendix, Note B. The
Catholic missionaries appropriated it as the special name of the Deity,
and its use in later times is probably to be regarded as an evidence of
Christian influence. That the sentence in which it occurs in the text is
probably an interpolation, is shown by the fact that the words which
precede this sentence are repeated, with a slight change, immediately
after it. Having interjected this pious expression, the writer seems to
have thought it necessary to resume the thread of the discourse by going
back to the phrase which had preceded it. It will be observed that the
religious sentiment proper to the Book of Rites appears to us confined
to expressions of reverence for the great departed, the founders of the
commonwealth. This circumstance, however should not be regarded as
indicating that the people were devoid of devotional feeling of another
kind. Their frequent "thanksgiving festivals" afford sufficient evidence
of the strength of this sentiment; but they apparently considered its
display out of place in their political acts.
15. _Nene karcnna_, "the song," or "hymn." The purport of this
composition is explained in the Introduction (_ante_,
p. 62). Before the Book of Rites came into my possession I had often
heard the hymn repeated, or sung, by different individuals, in slightly
varying forms. The Onondaga version, given me on the Syracuse
Reservation, contains a line, "_Negwiyage teskenonhenhne_" which is
not found in the Canienga MS. It is rendered "I come to greet the
children." The affection of the Indians for their children, which is
exhibited in various passages of the Book, is most apparent in the
Onondaga portion.
_Kayanerenh_. This word is variously rendered,--"the peace," "the
law," and "the league," (see _ante_, p. 33). Here it evidently
stands for _Kayancrenhkowa_, "the Great Peace," which is the name
usually given by the Kanonsionni to their league, or federal
constitution.
_Deskenonghweronne_, or in the modern French orthography,
_teskenonhweronne_, "we come to greet and thank," is a good example
of the comprehensive force of the Iroquois tongue. Its root is
_nonhwe_, or _nanwe_, which is found in _kenonhws_, I
love, like, am pleased with--the initial syllable _ke_ being the
first personal pronoun. In the frequentative form this becomes
_kenonhweron_, which has the meaning of "I salute and thank," i.e.,
I manifest by repeated acts my liking or gratification. The _s_
prefixed to this word is the sign of the reiterative form:
_skenonhweron_, "_again_ I greet and thank." The terminal
syllable _ne_ and the prefixed _te_ are respectively the signs
of the motional and the cislocative forms,--"I _come hither_ again
to greet and thank." A word of six syllables, easily pronounced (and in
the Onondaga dialect reduced to five) expresses fully and forcibly the
meaning for which eight not very euphonious English words are
required. The notion that the existence of these comprehensive words in
an Indian language, or any other, is an evidence of deficiency in
analytic power, is a fallacy which was long ago exposed by the clear and
penetrative reasoning of Duponceau, the true father of American
philology. [Footnote: See the admirable Preface to his translation of
Zeisberger's Delaware Grammar, p. 94.] As he has well explained,
analysis must precede synthesis. In fact, the power of what may be
termed analytic synthesis,--the mental power which first resolves words
or things into their elements, and then puts them together in new
forms,--is a creative or co-ordinating force, indicative of a higher
natural capacity than the act of mere analysis. The genius which framed
the word _teskenonhweronne_ is the same that, working with other
elements, produced the steam-engine and the telephone.
_Ronkeghsota jivathondek_. Two translations of this verse were
given by different interpreters. One made it an address to the people:
"My forefathers--hearken to them!" i.e., listen to the words of our
forefathers, which I am about to repeat. The other considered the verse
an invocation to the ancestors themselves. "My forefathers! hearken ye!"
The words will bear either rendering, and either will be consonant with
the speeches which follow.
The lines of this hymn have been thus cast into the metre of
Longfellow's "Hiawatha:"--
"To the great Peace bring we greeting!
To the dead chiefs kindred, greeting!
To the warriors round him, greeting!
To the mourning women, greeting!
These our grandsires' words repeating,
Graciously, O grandsires, hear us!"
16. _Enyonghdentyonko kanonghsakonghshen_,-"he will walk to and fro in
the house." In councils and formal receptions it is customary for the
orator to walk slowly to and fro during the intervals of his speech.
Sometimes, before beginning his address, he makes a circuit of the
assembly with a meditative aspect, as if collecting his thoughts. All
public acts of the Indians are marked with some sign of deliberation.
21. _Eghnikonh enyerighwawetharho kenthoh_,--"thus they will close the
ceremony here." The address to the forefathers, which is mainly an
outburst of lamentation over the degeneracy of the times, is here
concluded. It would seem, from what follows, that at this point the
candidate for senatorial honors is presented to the council, and is
formally received among them, with the usual ceremonies, which were too
well known to need description. The hymn is then sung again, and the
orator proceeds to recite the ancient laws which the founders of their
confederacy established.
22. _Watidewennakarondonnyon_, "we have put on the horns;" in other
words, "we have invested the new chief with the ensigns of office,"--or,
more briefly, "we have installed him." The latter is the meaning as at
present understood; but it is probable that, in earlier days, the
panoply of horns was really placed on the head of the newly inducted
councillor.
23. _Aghsonh denvakokwanentonghsacke_, etc., "as soon as he is dead"
(or, according to another rendering, "when he is just dying") the horns
shall be taken off. The purport and object of this law are set forth in
the Introduction, p.67.
24. _Ne nayakoghstonde ne nayeghnyasakenradake,_ "by reason of the neck
being white." The law prescribed in this section to govern the
proceedings of the Council in the case of homicide has been explained in
the Introduction, p. 68. The words now quoted, however, introduce a
perplexity which cannot be satisfactorily cleared up. The aged chief,
John S. Johnson, when asked their meaning, was only able to say that
neither he nor his fellow councillors fully understood it. They repeated
in council the words as they were written in the book, but in this case,
as in some others, they were not sure of the precise significance or
purpose of what they said. Some of them thought that their ancestors,
the founders, had foreseen the coming of the white people, and wished to
advise their successors against quarreling with their future neighbors.
If this injunction was really implied in the words, we must suppose that
they were an interpolation of the Christian chief, David of Schoharie,
or possibly of his friend Brant. They do not, however, seem to be, by
any means, well adapted to convey this meaning. The probability is that
they are a modern corruption of some earlier phrase, whose meaning had
become obsolete. They are repeated by the chiefs in council, as some
antiquated words in the authorized version of the scriptures are read in
our own churches, with no clear comprehension--perhaps with a total
misconception--of their original sense.
27. _Enjonkwanekheren_, "we shall lose some one," or, more literally, we
shall fail to know some person. This law, which is fully explained in
the Introduction, p. 70, will be found aptly exemplified in the Onondaga
portion of the text, where the speeches of the "younger brothers" are
evidently framed in strict compliance with the injunctions here given.
28. _Jadakweniyu_. This word, usually rendered "ruler," appears to mean
"principal person," or perhaps originally a "very powerful person." It
is a compound word, formed apparently from _oyata_, body or person,
_kakwennion_, to be able, and the adjective termination _iyu_ or _iyo_,
in its original sense of "great." (See Appendix, Note B.) M. Cuoq, in
his Iroquois Lexicon, defines the verb _kiatakwenniyo_ as meaning "to be
the important personage, the first, the principal, the president." It
corresponds very nearly to the Latin _princeps_, and, as applied in the
following litany to the fifty great hereditary chiefs of the Iroquois,
might fairly enough be rendered "prince."
_Kanonghsyonny_, in modern orthography, _Kanonsionni_. For the origin
and meaning of this word, and an explanation of the following section,
see the Introduction, p. 75.
_Yejodenaghstahhere kanaghsdajikowah_, lit., "they added frame-poles to
the great framework." Each of these compounds comprises the word
_kanaghsta_, which is spelt by Bruyas, _gannasta_, and defined by him,
"poles for making a cabin,--the inner one, which is bent to form the
frame of a cabin." The reference in these words is to the Tuscaroras,
Tuteloes, Nanticokes, and other tribes, who were admitted into the
confederacy after its first formation. From a manuscript book, written
in the Onondaga dialect, which I found at "Onondaga Castle," in
September, 1880, I copied a list of the fifty councillors, which closed
with the words, "_shotinastasonta kanastajikona
Ontaskaeken_"--literally, "they added a frame-pole to the great
framework, the Tuscarora nation."
29. _Onenh jathondek, sewarihwisaanonghkwe Kayanerenghkowa,_--"now
listen, ye who completed the work, the Great League." This section,
though written continuously as prose, was probably always sung, like the
list of chiefs which follows. It is, in fact, the commencement of a
great historical chant, similar in character to the 78th Psalm, or to
some passages of the Prophets, which in style it greatly resembles. In
singing this portion, as also in the following litany to the chiefs, the
long-drawn exclamation of _hai_, or _haihhaih_, is frequently
introduced. In the MS. book referred to in the last note, the list of
councillors was preceded by a paragraph, written like prose, but with
many of these interjections interspersed through it. The interpreter,
Albert Cusick, an intelligent and educated man, assured me that this was
a song, and at my request he chanted a few staves of it, after the
native fashion. The following are the words of this hymn, arranged as
they are sung. It will be seen that it is a sort of cento or
compilation, in the Onondaga dialect, of passages from various portions
of the Canienga Book of Rites, and chiefly from the section (29) now
under consideration:--
_ Haihhaih!_ Woe! Woe!
_Jiyathonick!_ Hearken ye!
_Xivonkliti!_ We are diminished!
_ Haihhaih!_ Woe! Woe!
_Tejoskawayenton._ The cleared land has become a thicket.
_ Haihhaih! _ Woe! Woe!
_Skakentahenyon._ The clear places are deserted.
_ Hai!_ Woe!
_Shatyherarta--_ They are in their graves--
_Hotyiwisahongwe--_ They who established it--
_ Hai!_ Woe!
_Kayaneengoha._ The great League.
_Netikenen honen_ Yet they declared
_Nene kenyoiwatatye--_ It should endure--
_Kayaneengowane._ The great League.
_ Hai!_ Woe!
_Wakaiwakayonnheha._ Their work has grown old.
_ Hai!_ Woe!
_Netho watyongwententhe._ Thus we are become miserable.
The closing word is the same as the Canienga _watyonkwentendane_, which
is found in the closing section of the Canienga book. The lines of the
Onondaga hymn which immediately precede this concluding word will be
found in Section 20 of that book, a section which is probably meant to
be chanted. It will be noticed that the lines of this hymn fall
naturally into a sort of parallelism, like that of the Hebrew chants.
30. _Dekarihaokenh_, or _Tehkarihhoken_. In John Buck's MS. the list of
chiefs is preceded by the words "_Nene Tehadirihoken_," meaning the
Caniengas, or, literally, "the Tekarihokens." For an explanation of this
idiom and name, see _ante_, p. 77.
_Ayonhwahtha_, or _Hayeirwatha_. This name, which, as Hiawatha, is now
familiar to us as a household word, is rendered "He who seeks the wampum
belt." Chief George Johnson thought it was derived from _oyonwa_,
wampum-belt, and _ratiehwatha_, to look for something, or, rather, to
seem to seek something which we know where to find. M. Cuoq refe/s the
latter part of the word to the verb _katha_, to make. [Footnote: Lexique
de la Langue Iroquois, p. 161] The termination _atha_ is, in this sense,
of frequent occurrence in Iroquois compounds. The name would then mean
"He who makes the wampum-belt," and would account for the story which
ascribes to Hiawatha the invention of wampum. The Senecas, in whose
language the word _oyonwa_ has ceased to exist, have corrupted the name
to _Hayowentha_, which they render "he who combs." This form of the name
has also produced its legend, which is referred to elsewhere (p. 87).
Hiawatha "combed the snakes out of Atotarho's head," when he brought
that redoubted chief into the confederacy.
_Shatekariwalf_, "two equal statements," or "two things equal." This
name is derived-from _sate_ or _shate_, equal, and _kariwa_, or
_karihwa_, for which see the Glossary.
_Etho natejonhne_, "this was your number," or, this was the extent of
your class. These words, or the similar form, _etho natehadinhne_, "this
was their number," indicate apparently that the roll of chiefs belonging
to a particular class or clan is completed. They are followed by three
other words which have been already explained (_ante_, pages 33 and 80),
_sewater-ihwakhaonghkwe, sewarihwisaanonghkwe, kayanerenhkowa_. In the
written litany these three words are omitted toward the close,--probably
to save the penman the labor of transcription; but in the actual
ceremony it is understood that they are chanted wherever the formula
_etho natejonhne_, or _etho natchadinhne_, occurs. In the modern
Canienga speech this verb is thus conjugated in the plural,--_etho_
being contracted to _eh_:--
_ehnatetionhne_, we were that number;
_ehnatejionhne_, ye were that number;
_ehnatehadinhne_, they were that number.
The three Canienga councillors of the first class all belong to the
Tortoise clan.
31. _Sharenhowane_; in Onondaga, _Showenhona_. This name was translated
by the interpreters, "he is the loftiest tree." It seems properly to
mean "he is a great tree-top," from _karenha_, or _garenha_, which
Bruyas renders _cime d'arbre_, and _kowane_, great.
_Deyonnhehgonh_, or _Teyonhehkwen_, "double life," from _onnhe_, life.
My friend, Chief George Johnson, who bears this titular appellation,
tells me that it is properly the name of a certain shrub, which has a
great tenacity of life.
_Ohrenregowah_; in Onondaga, _Owenhegona_. The interpreters differed
much in opinion as to the meaning of this name. Some said "wide
branches;" another, "a high hill." The root-word, _ohrenre_, is
obsolete, and its meaning is apparently lost.
The three chiefs of the second class or division of the Caniengas belong
to the Wolf clan.
32. _Dehennakarine_; in Onondaga, _Tehennakaihne_; "going with two
horns." The root is _onakara_, horn; the termination _ine_, or _ihne_,
gives the sense of going; _de_ or _te_ is the duplicative prefix.
_Aghstawenserontha_ (Onon. _Hastawensenwa_), "he puts on the rattles."
Mr. Bearfoot writes, "_Ohstawensera_ seems to have been a general name
for anything denuded of flesh, but is now confined to the rattles of the
rattlesnake."
_Shosgoharowane_ (Onon. _Shosgohaehna_), "he is a great wood-drift."
"_Yohskoharo_, writes Mr. Bearfoot, means an obstruction by driftwood in
creeks or small rivers."
The councillors of the third Canienga class are of the Bear clan.
33. _Ise seniyatagweniyohkwe_, "ye two were the principals."
_Atagweniyo_, or _adakweniyu_ (see _ante_, note to Sec. 28) here becomes
a verb in the imperfect tense and the dual number. The reference is
either to Dekanawidah and Odatsehte, the chiefs of the Caniengas and
Oneidas, who worked together in founding the confederacy, or, rather,
perhaps, to their two nations, each regarded as an individual, and, in a
manner, personified.
_Jatatawhak_, or, more properly _jatatahwak_, means, literally, "son of
each other." It is from the root-word _kaha-wak_ (or _gahawak_), which
is defined by Bruyas, _avoir pour enfant_, and is in the reciprocal
form. Here, however, it is understood to mean "father and son," in
reference to the political relationship between the Canienga and Oneida
nations.
_Odatsehte_ (Onon., Tatshehte), "bearing a quiver,"--or the pouch in
which the arrows are carried. According to the tradition, when
Dekanawidah's brother and ambassador formally adopted _Odatsehte_ as the
political son of the Canienga chief, he took the quiver off his own
shoulder, and hung it upon that of the Oneida chieftain.
_Kanonhgwenyodon_, "setting up ears of corn in a row." From
_ononhkwenha_, an ear of corn.
_Deyohhagwente_ (Onon., _Tyohagwente_), "open voice" (?) This is another
obsolete, or semi-obsolete word, about which the interpreters differ
widely in opinion. "Hollow tube," "windpipe," "opening in the woods,"
"open voice," were the various renderings suggested. The latter would be
derived from _ohakwa_ or _ohagwa_, voice, and the termination _wente_ or
_gwente_, which gives the sense of "open."
The three chiefs of the first Oneida class belong to the Wolf clan.
34. _Shononhsese_ (Onon., Shononses), "his long house." or, "he has a
long house." From _kanonsa_, house, with the adjective termination _es_,
long.
_Daonahrokenagh_ (Onon., Tonaohgena), "two branches." This is another
doubtful word. In modern Canienga, "two branches" would be _Tonenroken_.
_Atyatonentha_ (Onon., Hatyatonnentha), "he lowers himself," or,
literally, "he slides himself down," from _oyata_, body, self, and
_tonnenta_, to slide.
The councillors of the second Oneida class are of the Tortoise clan.
35. _Dewatahonhtenyonk_ (Onon., _Tehatahonhtenyonk_), "two hanging
ears," from _ohonta_, ear.
_Kaniyatahshayonk_ (Onon., _Kanenyatakshayen_). This name was rendered
"easy throat," as if derived from _oniata_, throat; but the Oneida form
of the word seems to point to a derivation from _onenya_ (or _onenhia_),
stone. This word must be regarded as another obsolete compound.
_Onwatsatonhonk_ (Onon., _Onwasjatenwi_), "he is buried."
The three chiefs of the third Oneida class are of the Bear clan.
36. _Eghyesaotonnihsen_, lit., "this was his uncle,"--or, as the words
would be understood by the hearers, "the next are his uncles." The
Onondaga nation, being the brother of the Canienga, was, of course, the
uncle of the Oneida. In John Buck's MS. the Onondagas are introduced
with more ceremony, in the following lines:
_Etho yeshodonnih_; These are the uncles;
_Rodihsennakeghde_, They, the name-bearers--
_Tehhotiyena_, They took hold here;
_Rodihnonsyonnihton_. They made the League.
That is, they helped, or joined, in making the League.
_Thatotarho, Wathatotarho_ (Onon., _Thatotarho_). _Thatotarho_ is the
passive voice and cislocative form of _otarho_, which is defined "to
grasp," or "catch" (_accrocher_) but in the passive signifies
"entangled." This great chief, whose name is better known as Atotarho
(without the cislocative prefix), is of the Bear clan.
_Etho ronaraschsen_, "these were cousins," or rather, "the next were
cousins." This cousinhood, like all the relationships throughout the
book, is political, and indicates some close relationship in public
affairs. The announcement applies to the following chiefs, Enneserarenh
and Dehatkahthos, who were the special aids and counselors of Atotarho.
_Enneserarenh_ (Onon. _Hanesehen_). One Onondata chief said that he knew
no meaning for this word. Another thought it might mean "the best soil
uppermost." It is apparently from some obsolete root.
_Dehatkahthos_ (Onon. _Tchatkahtons_), "he is two-sighted," or, "he
looks both ways." Another rendering made it "on the watch." This and the
preceding chief belong now to the Beaver clan. In one of the Onondaga
lists which I received, these two, with their principal, Atotarho,
formed a "class" by themselves, and were doubtless originally of the
same clan.
_Waghontenhnonterontye_, "they were as brothers thenceforth;" or, more
fully rendered, "the next continued to be brothers." This declaration
refers to the three next following chiefs, who were connected by some
special political tie. The first who bore the name were, probably, like
the two preceding chiefs, leading partisans and favorites of the first
Atotarho.
_Onyatajiwak_, or _Skanyadajiwak_ (Onon., _Oyatajiwak_). One authority
makes this "a fowl's crop;" another, "the throat alone," from _oniata_,
throat, and _jiwak_, alone; another defined it, "bitter throat." Mr.
Morgan renders it "bitter body,"--his informant probably seeing in it
the word _oyata_, body. This chief belongs now to the Snipe clan.
_Awekenyade_. "the end of its journey,"--from awe, going, and
_akonhiate_(Can.) "at the end." This chief is of the Ball tribe, both in
Canada, and at Onondaga Castle. In the list furnished to Mr. Morgan by
the Senecas, he is of the Tortoise clan.
_Dehadkwarayen_ (Onon., _Tchatkwayen_). This word is obsolete. One
interpreter guessed it to mean "on his body;" another made it "red
wings." He is of the Tortoise clan.
In the Book of Rites the first six chiefs of the Onondagas make but one
class, as is shown by the fact that their names are followed by the
formula, _etho natejonhne_, "this was the number of you." It may be
presumed that they were originally of one clan,--probably that of the
Bear, to which their leader, Atotarho, belonged.
37. _Yeshohawak_, _rakwahhokowah_, "then his next son, he the great
Wolf." The chief who follows, _Ronenghwireghtonh_, was evidently a
personage of great importance,--probably the leading chief of the Wolf
class. He forms a "clan" by himself,--the only instance of the kind in
the list. The expression, "there (or, in him) were combined the minds,"
indicates--as Mr. Bearfoot suggests--his superior intellect. It may also
refer to the fact that he was the hereditary keeper of the wampum
records. The title was borne in Canada by the late chief George Buck,
but the duties of record-keeper were usually performed by his more
eminent brother, John (_Skanawati_).
_Rononghwireghtonh_ (Onon., _Honanwiehti_), "he is sunk out of sight."
This chief, who, as has been stated, alone constitutes the second
Onondaga class, is of the Wolf clan.
38. _Etho yeshotonnyh tekadarakehne_, "then his uncles of the two
clans." The five chiefs who follow probably bore some peculiar political
relation to Rononghwireghton. The first two in modern times are of the
Deer clan; the last three are of the Eel clan. It is probable that they
all belonged originally, with him, to one clan, that of the Wolf, and
consequently to one class, which was afterwards divided into three.
_Kawenenseronton_ (Onon., _Kawenensenton_). A word of doubtful meaning;
one interpreter thought it meant "her voice suspended." _Haghriron_
(Onon., _Hahihon_), "spilled," or "scattered."
39. _Wahhondennonterontye_. This word has already occurred, with a
different orthography, and is explained in the Note to Section 36.
_Ronyennyennih_ (Onon., _Honyennyenni_). No satisfactory explanation
could be obtained of this word. Chief John Buck did not know its
meaning. _Shodakwarashonh_ (Onon., _Shotegwashen_), "he is bruised."
_Shakokenghne_ (Onon. _Shahkohkenneh_), "he saw them." As stated above,
the three chiefs in this class are of the Eel clan.
40. _Shihonadewiraralye_, "they had children," or, rather, "they
continued to get children." Mr. Bearfoot writes in regard to this word:
"Yodewirare, a fowl hatching, referring to the time when they were
forming the league, when they were said to be hatching, or producing,
the children mentioned--i.e., the other tribes who were taken into the
confederacy." _Tehhodidarakeh_, "these the two clans." Taken in
connection with the preceding lines of the chant, it seems probable that
this expression refers to the introduction of other clans into the
Council besides the original three, the Bear, Wolf and Tortoise, which
existed when the confederacy was formed. _Raserhaghrhonh_ (Onon.,
_Sherhakwi_), "wearing a hatchet in his belt," from _asera_, hatchet.
This chief is of the Tortoise clan. _Etho wahhoronghyaronnyon_, "this
put away the clouds." These "clouds," it is said, were the clouds of
war, which were dispelled by the great chief whose name is thus
introduced, _Skanawadyh_, or as now spelt, _Skanawati_. He had the
peculiar distinction of holding two offices, which were rarely combined.
He was both a high chief, or "Lord of the Council," and a "Great
Warrior." In former times the members of the Great Council seldom
assumed executive duties. They were rarely sent out as ambassadors or as
leaders of war-parties. These duties were usually entrusted to the
ablest chiefs of the second rank, who were known as "Great Warriors,"
_rohskenrakehte-kowa_. Skanawati was an exception to this rule. It would
seem that the chief who first bore this title had special aptitudes,
which have come down in his family. A striking instance, given in the
"_Relations_" of the Jesuit missionaries among the Hurons, has been
admirably reproduced by Mr. Parkman in the twenty-third chapter of his
"Jesuits in North America," and cannot be better told than in his words.
In the year 1648, during the desperate war between the Kanonsionni and
the Hurons, the Onondagas determined to respond to the pacific overtures
which they had received from their northern foes.
"They chose for their envoy," continues the historian, "Scandawati, a
man of renown, sixty years of age, joining with him two colleagues.
[Footnote: _Scandawali_ is the Huron--and probably the original
Onondaga--pronunciation of the name.] The old Onondaga entered on his
mission with a troubled mind. His anxiety was not so much for his life
as for his honor and dignity; for, while the Oneidas and the Cayugas
were acting in concurrence with the Onondagas, the Senecas had refused
any part in the embassy, and still breathed nothing but war. Would they,
or still more, the Mohawks, so far forget the consideration due to one
whose name had been great in the Councils of the League, as to assault
the Hurons while he was among them in the character of an ambassador of
his nation, whereby his honor would be compromised and his life
endangered? 'I am not a dead dog,' he said, 'to be despised and
forgotten. I am worthy that all men should turn their eyes on me while I
am among enemies, and do nothing that may involve me in danger.' Soon
there came dire tidings. The prophetic heart of the old chief had not
deceived him. The Senecas and Mohawks, disregarding negotiations in
which they had no part, and resolved to bring them to an end, were
invading the country in force. It might be thought that the Hurons would
take their revenge on the Onondaga envoys, now hostages among them; but
they did not do so, for the character of an ambassador was, for the most
part, held in respect. One morning, however, Scandawati had disappeared.
They were full of excitement; for they thought that he had escaped to
the enemy. They ranged the woods in search of him, and at length found
him in a thicket near the town. He lay dead, on a bed of spruce boughs
which he had made, his throat deeply gashed with a knife. He had died by
his own hand, a victim of mortified pride. 'See,' writes Father
Ragueneau, 'how much our Indians stand on the point of honor!'"
It is worthy of note that the same aptitude for affairs and the same
keen sense of honor which distinguished this highspirited chief survives
in the member of his family who, on the Canadian Reservation, now bears
the same title,--Chief John Buck,--whom his white neighbors all admit to
be both a capable ruler and an able and trustworthy negotiator.
In Canada _Skanawati_ is of the Tortoise clan. At Onondaga, where the
original family has probably died out, the title now belongs to the Ball
clan.
41. _Yeshohawak_, "then his next son,"--or rather, perhaps, "then, next,
his son." The Cayuga nation was politically the son of the Onondaga
nation. _Tekahenyonk_ (Onon., _Hakaenyonk_), "he looks both ways," or,
"he examines warily." In section 28 (_ante_ p. 126) this name is spelt
_Akahenyonh_. The prefixed _te_ is the duplicative particle, and gives
the meaning of "spying on both sides." This and the following chief
belong, in Canada, to the Deer clan, and constitute the first Cayuga
class. _Jinontaweraon_ (Onon., _Jinontaweyon_), "coming on its knees."
42. _Katakwarasonh_ (Onon., _Ketagwajik_), "it was bruised." This name,
it will be seen, is very similar to that of an Onondaga chief,--_ante_,
Note to Section 39. The chief now named and the one who follows are of
the Bear clan. _Shoyonwese_ (Onon., _Soyonwes_), "he has a long
wampumbelt." The root-word of this name is _oyonwa_, wampum-belt, the
same that appears in _Hayonwatha_. _Atyaseronne_ (Onon., _Halyasenne_),
"he puts one on another," or "he piles on." This chief is of the
Tortoise clan, and completes, with the two preceding councillors, the
second Cayuga class.
43. _Yeshonadadekenah_, "then they who are brothers." The three chiefs
who follow are all of the Wolf clan, and make the third class of the
Cayuga councillors. _Teyoronghyonkeh_ (Onon., _Thowenyongo_), "it
touches the sky." _Teyodhoreghkonh_ (Onon., _Tyotowegwi_), "doubly
cold." _Wathyawenhehetken_ (Onon., _Thaowethon_), "mossy place."
44. The two following chiefs are of the Snipe clan, and constitute the
fourth and last Cayuga class. _Atontaraheha_ (Onon., _Hatontaheha_)
"crowding himself in." _Teskahe_ (Onon., _Heskahe_) "resting on it."
45. _Yeshotonnih_, "and then his uncle." The Seneca nation, being the
brother of the Onondaga, is, of course, the uncle of the Cayuga nation.
_Skanyadariyo_ (Onon., _Kanyataiyo_), "beautiful lake;" originally,
perhaps, "great lake." (See Appendix, Note B.) This name is spelt in