High-resolution, full color images available online
Search, browse, read, and print yearbook pages
View college, high school, and military yearbooks
Browse our digital annual library spanning centuries
Support the schools in our program by subscribing
Privacy, as we do not track users or sell information
Page 5 text:
“
IROQUOIS CENTRAL HI H SCHOOL PRESENTS ITS FIRST YEARBOOK- ELM A, NENS yORlC 1956 The title Iroquoian was submitted by seniors, Judith Burkhard and Judith Upton.
”
Page 6 text:
“
THE IROQUOIS CONFEDERACY Its Influence on our Community Very often residents of our area make the mistake of thinking that this is a young community. In reality, the traditions and customs left by our Indian brothers reach far back into history. The roots of the Iroquois Confederacy lay for the most part in the Onondaga and Mohawk nations, for there were foilnd two fine leaders in Hiawatha and Dekanawida. These two In- dian statesmen worked out a peace plan acceptable to the five powerful nations and the League of the Long House” was established. Each tribe elected representa- tives to a supreme council which made and enforced laws. The decisions of this court were final and its power over the tribes absolute. In addition to the court, which was previously mentioned, there was an executive branch of the government composed of speaker, fire-keeper, wampum-keeper, door-keeper, and head war chief. The legislative” power was vested in a congress of “sachems which transacted the business of the league and had supreme authority on questions of peace and war and all others relating to the general welfare. Amazingly like our own system of govern- ment, the states (tribes) reserved the management of their ordinary affairs. In peace, all power was con- fided to the sachems, but in war the chiefs took over and were supreme. It is interesting to note that the Seneca Indians, who inhabited the very soil on which our homes are built, were the most powerful tribe in the confederacy and always provided the principal war chief. Now that we have seen how the Iroquois Confed- eracy became a strong union, let us see how it fits into the history of our own community. The county of Erie was originally in the possession of the Kahquahs or Neuter Nation and to the Northwest dwelt the Al- gonquins or Hurons. To the East of the Neuter Na- tion, quoting from the History of Erie County by Johnson, was the “home of those powerful confeder- ates whose fame has extended throughout the world, whose civil policy has been the wonder of the sages, whose warlike achievements have compelled the ad- miration of soldiers, wrhose eloquence has thrilled the hearts of the most cultivated —the brave and sagacious Iroquois.” To be brief, the more powerful Iroquois exterminated the Eries, Hurons, Kahquahs, and other inferior tribes between 1640 and 1655 and gained con- trol of an unbelievably large empire. The only impor- tance of the Neuter Nation to us is that they were the only Indians to reside in Erie County until after the American Revolution when the Seneca made their homes here. For a complete picture of the Iroquois Indians, we must look at some of their customs. The right of heir- ship was in the female line and a man's heirs were his brother (his mother’s son) and his sister's son. The prime factbr of the Iroquois’ success was the system of clans which ran through all the tribes. These had the structure of an artificial family for no matter what tribe they were from, members of a clan were consid- ered brothers. This prevented war between the tribes, because any uprising would result in civil war within the clans. The religion of the Iroquois consisted of a somewhat vague belief in a “Great Spirit” and several inferior evil spirits. To charm these spirits, the Iroquois held a “corn dance” and performed a ritual known as “the burning of the white dog.” All labor was performed by the women. Polygamy in moderation was practiced. Through their history and customs, which we have touched upon only briefly, the Iroquois have left us a rich cultural heritage. They knew something of which we should often remind ourselves, that peace can come only through the realization of a brotherhood that reaches beyond one’s blood relations. We, at Iroquois, come from differing backgrounds of ancestry, religion, and previous schools but now we are all “Iroquoians,” loyal to our school and each other. In a community filled with hope and promise for the future let us strive to become citizens worthy of the heritage with which we have been endowed by our founding fathers, who, like us, lived and worked in a rural community.
Are you trying to find old school friends, old classmates, fellow servicemen or shipmates? Do you want to see past girlfriends or boyfriends? Relive homecoming, prom, graduation, and other moments on campus captured in yearbook pictures. Revisit your fraternity or sorority and see familiar places. See members of old school clubs and relive old times. Start your search today!
Looking for old family members and relatives? Do you want to find pictures of parents or grandparents when they were in school? Want to find out what hairstyle was popular in the 1920s? E-Yearbook.com has a wealth of genealogy information spanning over a century for many schools with full text search. Use our online Genealogy Resource to uncover history quickly!
Are you planning a reunion and need assistance? E-Yearbook.com can help you with scanning and providing access to yearbook images for promotional materials and activities. We can provide you with an electronic version of your yearbook that can assist you with reunion planning. E-Yearbook.com will also publish the yearbook images online for people to share and enjoy.
