False Face Society facts for kids

The False Face Society is a special group among the Haudenosaunee people. They are well-known for their unique wooden masks. These groups are very important for the health and well-being of many Indigenous communities.

The False Face Society helps to cure sickness through special healing ceremonies. They are believed to have power over illnesses that affect teeth, ears, and joints, as well as problems like swelling and nosebleeds. People can join the society if they are cured of an illness by the group. They can also join if they have a dream that tells them they must become a member. Traditionally, men were members of the society, but a woman always led the group.

Today, these masks have become a sensitive topic for the Haudenosaunee. In 1995, the Haudenosaunee Grand Council said that showing or selling these masks was wrong. They also asked for the masks to be returned from museums and collectors. Traditional Haudenosaunee people believe these masks are not just old objects. They see them as living representations of a spirit.

Origin Stories

The Creator's Challenge

One story tells how the Creator, called Shonkwaia'tison in Cayuga, had just finished making the earth. He was admiring his work when he saw another man. The stranger also thought he had created the land. They argued about who was the true creator.

To settle this, the Creator suggested a test. They would try to move a mountain using their power. The one who moved it farthest would be the true creator. They agreed to turn their backs while they tried.

The stranger went first. When they turned around, the mountain had moved a little bit. Then it was the Creator's turn. There was a loud noise. The stranger turned around too soon, out of curiosity. The Creator had moved the mountain so close that the stranger hit his face on it! This impact bent his nose and made one side of his face crooked. The stranger then admitted that the Creator was more powerful.

The Healing Promise

The Creator wondered what to do with the stranger. Since the stranger had some power, the Creator thought it might be dangerous to let him stay. But the stranger begged to stay. He promised to help the people the Creator was about to make.

The stranger said he could control the wind and heal sickness. He explained that if people needed his help, they should make a mask that looked like his face. He would choose the men who would carve these masks. As soon as they started carving, the mask would gain his power. When using the mask, people would prepare corn mush and burn tobacco. The tobacco smoke would carry their words to him, and he would come. They would call him "grandfather," and he would help them as long as the earth lasted. The Creator agreed, and the stranger was allowed to stay.

This spirit is sometimes called "Old Broken Nose" because of the mountain incident.

False Face Tradition Today

Even today, the Iroquois people believe that this spirit protects them. They believe he can redirect strong winds and heal those who are sick.

Different Iroquois communities use various names for this spirit. In Cayuga, he is called Etihsó:t Hadú⁷i⁷, meaning 'our grandfather, he who drives it away'. In Seneca, he is Gagöhsa' ('a face') or 'Sagojowéhgowa: ('the Great Defender'). In Onondaga, he is Ethiso:da' ('our grandfather'). In English, he is often simply called false face.

Masks

False Face masks have some common features, but each one is unique. Their eyes are usually deep-set and have metal accents. Their noses are bent and crooked, just like in the origin story. Other parts of the face can vary. The masks are painted red and black. Often, they have small bags of tobacco tied to the hair above their foreheads.

The masks are usually made from basswood. Sometimes, white pine, poplar, or maple are used. Horse tail hair is used for the mask's hair. This hair can be black, reddish-brown, brown, grey, or white. Before Europeans brought horses, people used corn husks or buffalo hair.

When a man makes a mask, he walks through the woods. He waits until the spirit Hadú⁷i⁷ inspires him to carve a mask from a tree. The spirit guides the unique design of each mask. The mask is carved directly on the living tree and is only removed when it is finished. Masks started in the morning are painted red. Those started in the afternoon are painted black.

Because the masks are carved from living trees, they are seen as living and breathing too. They are given parched white corn mush and small bags of tobacco as a form of payment for their help.

Ritual

The False Face Society performs a main ritual twice a year. This ceremony includes telling the False Face origin story. It also involves calling on the spirits using tobacco. The main False Face ritual then takes place, and finally, corn mush is shared.

During the main part of the ritual, False Face members wear their masks. They go through homes in the community. They shake turtle shell rattles and rub them along the floors and walls. This is done to drive away sickness, disease, and evil spirits. Another group, who wear masks made of corn husks, announces the arrival of the False Faces. If someone is sick, a healing ritual might be performed. This involves using tobacco and singing. Tobacco is burned, and wood ashes are blown over the sick person.

Afterward, the community gathers at the longhouse. The False Face members enter and sit on the floor. People bring tobacco, which is collected and burned when the ceremony begins. This ceremony helps to renew and strengthen the power of the masks. It also strengthens the spirit of Hadu⁷i⁷. The ritual continues with dancing. At the end, corn mush is given to everyone, and they go home.

These rituals happen in the spring and fall. Smaller versions can also happen during the Midwinter Festival or at a person's home if requested.

Modern Conflicts

The Haudenosaunee Grand Council does not approve of False Face masks being sold to private collectors or museums. They believe the society is very sacred. Its traditions should not be shared with people who are not part of the society or the Haudenosaunee nation. Some nation members may be involved in healing rites without being full society members.

Traditionalists believe that schools should not copy the faces for art projects. They see this as disrespectful to the Iroquois people and the False Face spirit. Many Haudenosaunee also work to get masks back from collectors and museums. Several Haudenosaunee governments have asked for masks to be returned to their original communities. The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. has already returned many important items, including masks. They are still working to return others.

In 1995, the Haudenosaunee Grand Council shared a statement online about their rules for masks. These rules forbid selling, showing, or photographing the masks for the public. They also do not allow general information about the medicine societies to be shared. They state that non-Indigenous people do not have the right to study, explain, or present the beliefs or duties of these societies.

However, some Haudenosaunee artists disagree with banning the sale of False Face masks. This is because many of them rely on selling the masks for their income.