Great Peacemaker facts for kids

The Great Peacemaker (called Skén:nen rahá:wi in Mohawk) was a very important leader. He is also known as Deganawida or Tekanawí:ta. People of the Iroquois nation sometimes avoid using his personal name out of respect. He is traditionally known as a founder of the Haudenosaunee, also called the Iroquois Confederacy. This was a strong group of six Native American tribes. They spoke Iroquoian languages. These tribes lived in what is now New York State, northern Pennsylvania, and eastern Ontario, Canada.

Who Was the Great Peacemaker?

The Great Peacemaker's name means "Two River Currents Flowing Together." There are many old stories about him, and some of them are a little different. Some say he was born into the Huron tribe. Others say he was born an Onondaga and later joined the Mohawk. No matter where he was born, everyone agrees he was a powerful leader.

Creating the Iroquois Confederacy

Cohoes Falls in the 18th century.

The Great Peacemaker was a prophet. He taught that peace was possible among the tribes, who often fought. One of his first helpers was Jigonhsasee, known as the Mother of Nations. She offered her home for leaders from different tribes to meet.

The Great Peacemaker also had a follower named Hiawatha. Hiawatha was an Onondaga known for his amazing speaking skills. He helped the Great Peacemaker share his vision of peace with all the tribes.

The Cohoes Falls Story

Some stories say that the Mohawk tribe first did not believe the Great Peacemaker. So, he decided to show them his spiritual power. He climbed a tall tree above Cohoes Falls. He told the Mohawk warriors to cut the tree down. Many people watched as he fell into the fast-moving water of the Mohawk River. Everyone thought he was gone. But the next morning, they found him sitting calmly by a campfire!

The Mohawk people were very impressed by this miracle. They then became the first tribe to join the Iroquois Confederacy. Later, all the tribes gathered at Onondaga Lake. There, they planted a "Tree of Peace." They also announced the Great Binding Law, which became the rules for the Iroquois Confederacy.

Other Amazing Stories

Other stories tell of the Peacemaker's special abilities. Some say he walked on Lake Ontario. Others say his canoe could fly! One story says he asked Hiawatha, "Do you want this canoe to be rowed or to fly?" He also traveled near Niagara Falls, helping sick people and healing everyone he touched.

When Did the Confederacy Begin?

Historians and archaeologists have tried to figure out exactly when the Great Peacemaker lived. They also want to know when the Iroquois Confederacy was founded.

Ancient Dates

Many Indigenous nations believe the Peacemaker arrived a very long time ago, even before 700 AD. Some even say he appeared over 2000 years ago, around the 1st or 2nd century AD. Spiritual leaders of the Midewiwin faith, which the Peacemaker is said to have founded, strongly disagree with later dates suggested by scholars. They believe these dates try to erase their long history. Some tribes, like the Odawa and Ojibway, say the Peacemaker came over 3000 years ago.

The Solar Eclipse Theory

Scholars have looked at an old story about the Confederacy's founding. It says that a big fight among the Seneca tribe stopped when the sun suddenly turned dark. Since 1902, scholars have wondered if this event was a solar eclipse.

Many scholars believe a solar eclipse in 1451 AD is the most likely date for the Confederacy's founding. This is based on the old stories and other evidence. However, some think an eclipse in 1142 AD fits the description better. Archaeologists have also looked at evidence from the ground. Most archaeological findings support a founding date after 1350 AD, making the 1451 AD date a popular choice.

Influence on Modern Democracy

The Iroquois Confederacy had a big impact on ideas of democracy in the United States. The way the Confederacy was set up even influenced the United States Constitution. In 1988, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution. It stated that the people who wrote the Constitution, like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, admired the Iroquois Confederacy. They used many of its ideas about government and democratic principles.

How the Iroquois Confederacy Worked

The Great Peacemaker created a council of chiefs to lead the Confederacy. These chiefs came from different clans and villages. The Iroquois had a matrilineal system. This means that family lines and property were passed down through the mother's side.

Power was shared between men and women. Men held the positions of chiefs, but their right to be chief came from their mother's family. Clan mothers were very powerful. They decided if a chief was fit to lead and could even remove a chief they did not approve of. Most decisions in the council were made by consensus. This means everyone had to agree, and each representative had an equal voice.

The rules and customs of the Great Law of Peace became the "constitution" of the Iroquois Confederacy. This system helped the Iroquois become very strong and organized.

The Prophecy of the Boy Seer

The Great Peacemaker worked his whole life for peace. He also made a prophecy about the future. He said a "white serpent" would come to his people's lands and pretend to be friends, but then deceive them. Later, a "red serpent" would fight the "white serpent."

He prophesied that a Native American boy would gain great power. This boy would be accepted as a leader by people from "the land of the hilly country." The boy would stay neutral in the fight. He would speak to many people, and everyone would hear him. After some time, a "black serpent" would come and defeat both the "white" and "red serpents."

According to the prophecy, when the people become humble, all three "serpents" would be blinded by a light brighter than the sun. The Great Peacemaker said he would be that light. His nation would then welcome the "white serpent" like a long-lost brother.

The Great Peacemaker in the Baháʼí Faith

Some followers of the Baháʼí Faith believe the Great Peacemaker showed signs of being a Prophet. They connect his story with descriptions of Prophets by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. Because of this, many Native American Baháʼís see the Peacemaker as a Manifestation of God.

In Film

• Kissed by Lightning, a 2009 film by Shelley Niro, tells a story related to the Great Peacemaker.

See also

In Spanish: El Gran Pacificador para niños

• List of peace activists