THE SPIKE
THE GREAT LAW OF THE IROQUOIS
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE IROQUOIS NATIONS
THE GREAT BINDING LAW, GAYANASHAGOWA
PART 10
Treason or Secession of a Nation
92. If a nation, part of a nation, or more than one nation
within the Five Nations should in any way endeavor to destroy
the Great Peace by neglect or violating its laws and resolve
to dissolve the Confederacy, such a nation or such nations
shall be deemed guilty of treason and called enemies of the
Confederacy and the Great Peace.
It shall then be the duty of the Lords of the Confederacy
who remain faithful to resolve to warn the offending people.
They shall be warned once and if a second warning is necessary
they shall be driven from the territory of the Confederacy
by the War Chiefs and his men.
Rights of the People of the Five Nations
93. Whenever a specially important matter or a great emergency
is presented before the Confederate Council and the nature
of the matter affects the entire body of the Five Nations,
threatening their utter ruin, then the Lords of the Confederacy
must submit the matter to the decision of their people and
the decision of the people shall affect the decision of the
Confederate Council. This decision shall be a confirmation
of the voice of the people.
94. The men of every clan of the Five Nations shall have
a Council Fire ever burning in readiness for a council of
the clan. When it seems necessary for a council to be held
to discuss the welfare of the clans, then the men may gather
about the fire. This council shall have the same rights as
the council of the women.
95. The women of every clan of the Five Nations shall have
a Council Fire ever burning in readiness for a council of
the clan. When in their opinion it seems necessary for the
interest of the people they shall hold a council and their
decisions and recommendations shall be introduced before the
Council of the Lords by the War Chief for its consideration.
96. All the Clan council fires of a nation or of the Five
Nations may unite into one general council fire, or delegates
from all the council fires may be appointeed to unite in a
general council for discussing the interests of the people.
The people shall have the right to make appointments and to
delegate their power to others of their number. When their
council shall have come to a conclusion on any matter, their
decision shall be reported to the Council of the Nation or
to the Confederate Council (as the case may require) by the
War Chief or the War Chiefs.
97. Before the real people united their nations, each nation
had its council fires. Before the Great Peace their councils
were held. The five Council Fires shall continue to burn as
before and they are not quenched. The Lords of each nation
in future shall settle their nation's affairs at this council
fire governed always by the laws and rules of the council
of the Confederacy and by the Great Peace.
98. If either a nephew or a niece see an irregularity in
the performance of the functions of the Great Peace and its
laws, in the Confederate Council or in the conferring of Lordship
titles in an improper way, through their War Chief they may
demand that such actions become subject to correction and
that the matter conform to the ways prescribed by the laws
of the Great Peace.
Religious Ceremonies Protected
99. The rites and festivals of each nation shall remain
undisturbed and shall continue as before because they were
given by the people of old times as useful and necessary for
the good of men.
100. It shall be the duty of the Lords of each brotherhood
to confer at the approach of the time of the Midwinter Thanksgiving
and to notify their people of the approaching festival. They
shall hold a council over the matter and arrange its details
and begin the Thanksgiving five days after the moon of Dis-ko-nah
is new. The people shall assemble at the appointed place and
the nephews shall notify the people of the time and place.
?From the beginning to the end the Lords shall preside over
the Thanksgiving and address the people from time to time.
101. It shall be the duty of the appointed managers of the
Thanksgiving festivals to do all that is needed for carrying
out the duties of the occasions.
The recognized festivals of Thanksgiving shall be the Midwinter
Thanksgiving, the Maple or Sugar-making Thanksgiving, the
Raspberry Thanksgiving, the Strawberry Thanksgiving, the Cornplanting
Thanksgiving, the Corn Hoeing Thanksgiving, the Little Festival
of Green Corn, the Great Festival of Ripe Corn and the complete
Thanksgiving for the Harvest. Each nation's festivals shall
be held in their Long Houses.
102. When the Thanksgiving for the Green Corn comes the
special managers, both the men and women, shall give it careful
attention and do their duties properly.
103. When the Ripe Corn Thanksgiving is celebrated the Lords
of the Nation must give it the same attention as they give
to the Midwinter Thanksgiving.
104. Whenever any man proves himself by his good life and
his knowledge of good things, naturally fitted as a
teacher of good things, he shall be recognized by the
Lords as a teacher of peace and religion and the people
shall hear him.
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