The Mohawk Indians

For this project, i choose to write about the Mohawk Indians. These native americans are are group of fierce warriors, where both men and women had vital roles. They were orginally apart of Iroquois Confederation, which included various tribes in the north eastern territory of the United States. They are also one of the most famous and surviving native americans. They were unique and had different traditions. The Mohawks were located in the area, which, now we call New York. This in in the North eastren part of the United States. Altough other tribes resisded in the area, they took up most of the territorty. These Native Americans had many ways to live. There homes, were what we call today longhouses. They were extremely long in the back and were made up of berch and elm bark. To travel the Mohawks had two types of canoes, one made of elm bark which was fast and the other a dugout canoe which could carry many people but was much slower. They also relied on dogs as there pack animals, and in the snow they tied them to sleds to help them get around. The women of the tribe were known as â€Å"clan leaders† because they made all the descions about land and resouces. The men who were Mohawk chiefs made the miltary rulings such as engaging in war. They were only allowed to represent the tribe. There clothing was very tradional. The men wore breecloths with leggings, while woman wore wrap around dresses with shorter leggings. There name, is represented in there hairstyle displayed by men. They mostly had shaved heads except for there mohawks dressed up with feathers or roaches. The women only cut there hair when they were in mourning, and their daily hair was long and in a braid. Childrens roles in the tribes is very different then todays. They went hunting and fishing with there fathers and had plenty of chores. But on the other hand, they did have some time for fun. The girls usually played with there cornhusks dolls, while the boys either played the sport lacrosse or tried to throw a dart through a moving hoop. Mohawk music was based around mainly two insturments. The drums and the flute. The Drums were if not all the time filled with water , mostly to give it a different style and sound. The flutes were used to seduce the women in the tribe, while playing it, it would show he was thinking about a girl. There religion, or more so beliefs were of nature and of everyones sprirt. They belived in wind spirts, the three sisters ( corn, squash, and beans) to help with crops, the thunderer, and the creator twins. The Mohawks are also famous for the myth of the orgin of the rabbit dance, where the native americans used there drums and made a certain sound and all the rabbits came and danced around them. They also known also for there mask making and pottery, the masks they make were so important to them that outsiders may not be permitted to look at them. Just like many other native americans they used bow and arrows to hunt, in battle they used bows and arrows, and clubs and spears. To fish the men used spears and fishing poles. They are so skilled in steaming wood that they made knives and even today the survining members create lacrosse sticks. In conclusion, the Mohawks are a name we know them as, and also there enimies. They were belived to be cannibals but it is not certain. Its said they would eat the warriors there were up against if they won. But they called themselves the Kanienkehaka, or people of the flint. They were a truly restless group and by becoming apart of irqouis nation, they were allowed to thrive and continue there traditions.