The Mohawk: History And History Of The Mohawk

The continent of North America is 200 million years old. Since that period, many diverse groups of people have developed and flourished on this continent. Over time, these groups have diversified and become very distinctive in their traits. Perhaps one of the most interesting groups of people was the Iroquois, which included the fascinating tribe of the Mohawk. The Mohawk tribe is incredibly unique in many ways.

The Mohawk lived in upstate New York, on the banks of the St. Lawrence River and in southern Canada. There are no written records of Mohawks but, “longhouse construction dates to at least 1100 ad.” (Iroquois). Farming began around 1300 or 1400. They were a maize centered culture. The cultivation of maize led to a population boom and more warfare to expand into new territory. Ceremonial cannibalism began in 1400. The region they live in is mountainous and rocky, therefor farming is limited. They would farm and hunt in one area until the soil was exhausted or the wild animals ran low. They would stay in any one place from 5-20 years.

The Mohawk are a part of the Iroquois, which are very connected in culture and language. They made a confederacy around 1600, and there are no know records of any other group of tribes doing this before 1600. Originally composed of 5 tribes (the Tuscarora didn’t join till 1722) the tribes had a place in the metaphorical longhouse. They were the “Kanyengehaga”, or “people of the flint” (Ritchie) because of the flinty place where they lived. They were the guardians of the eastern door, which would become a crucial position when trade began with the early settlers. The other tribes were the Oneidas, Onondaga, Seneca, and Cayuga. The Iroquois council was composed of Sachems. Sachems were council me...

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...d, which led to a 15 minute gun fight. One Canadian was killed. After 78 days the Mohawk laid down their weapons. However, the golf course was not built. (Chiefs).

Another way the Mohawk are still affected by their culture is that they celebrate traditional ceremonies in the customary dress. Some couples also have both a Christian wedding and a traditional Mohawk wedding, or incorporate elements from both. (Mohawk Indian Tribe Facts).

The Mohawk are a very unique tribe. They have a rich history, though closely linked with the Iroquois, is exclusive to them alone. Over time, they learned and developed amazing skills and techniques that helped them to survive. Even today, their culture is very strong and centralizes them, no matter how far apart they live. Therefore the Mohawk tribe has a rich history and culture that can’t be matched by any other group in history.