- Fact 2 - The Mohawk are also known
as the 'Kahniakehake' which means “people of the flint,” and
within the Iroquois confederacy they were considered to be the
“keepers of the eastern door.”
- Fact 3 - The Mohawk are the indigenous people of
north-eastern North America, the state of New York, Pennsylvania
and Virginia
- Fact 4 - The Mohawk were a static
tribe of hunter farmers. Men were in charge of hunting for food
and protecting the camp and the women were in charge of the home
and land
- Fact 5 - Homes and Houses:
Longhouses were permanent houses and homes used by hunter
farmers. These houses were built up to 200 feet long, 20 feet
wide and 20 feet high. They often had 2 storeys - a raised
platform created the top storey which was ideal for sleeping.
- Fact 6 - Longhouses were similar
in design to wigwams, their frames being made with poles and
covered with bark. Separate rooms were created in longhouses by
using wooden screens and mats
- Fact 7 -
The name of a famous Mohawk leader - John Norton was part
Cherokee and part Scottish and was known as Teyoninhokovrawen.
He led Iroquois and Mohawk warriors from Grand River into battle
against Americans
- Fact 6 - Clothes and Clothing -
Clothes were generally made from the skins of animals which were
sewn together from the thread made from the sinews of deer. Some
clothes were also made from woven cloth
- Fact 7 - Clothing for men: Men wore
breechcloths which were made from a long rectangular piece of
animal skin or cloth which was worn between the legs and tucked
over a belt, so that the flaps of the breechcloth covered the
front and behind. The legs were bare.
- Fact 8 - Clothing: Special, highly decorated
aprons were worn over breechcloths and worn on special occasions
- Fact 9 -
Clothing: Leggings were worn by both men and women to cover the
bare legs and were sometimes decorated with a fringe
- Fact 10 -
Clothing for women: Women wore wraparound skirts over their leggings
- Fact 11 - Shoes and footwear:
Moccasins were made of soft leather or deerskin and sewn
together with deer sinew. Moccasins were a soft slip on shoe, or
slipper, consist of a sole and sides made of one piece of
leather, stitched together at the top and were a light beige
color.
- Fact 12 - Headdresses: Roach
headdresses (also called porcupine roaches) were worn by the
Mohawk men which was made of a stiff thin strip of animal hair
that goes over the top of the head. They were held open by
comb-like objects, originally carved of antler, called roachspreaders. Roach headdresses stood straight up from the
head like a tuft or crest and are closely associated with the
Abenaki, Mohawk or Mohican tribes. Roach headdresses were made from a
variety of hairs including white deer tail hair, often dyed red,
moose-hair, porcupine hair and black turkey beard.
- Fact 13 -
Roach headdresses were
attached to a scalp-lock to look like a crest, with the rest of
the head probably shaven. The name derives from its resemblance
to the roaching or clipping of a horse’s mane. Sometimes
feathers or shells were added as decorations
- Fact 14 - The Mohawk Indians used
elm-bark or dugout canoes
- Fact 15 - Women's Hair: Hair was
kept long, sometimes braided and on special occasions braids
were decorated with bright strips of cloth and shells
- Fact 16 - Jewelry: Women wore
bead necklaces
- Fact 17 - Face paint / War Paint: Men wore
bright face paint in times of war. Tribal tattoos were also used
to decorate their faces and bodies
- Fact 18 - Mohawk weapons: Weapons
included bows and arrows, war clubs, tomahawks spears and knives
- Fact 19 - Enemies of the Mohawk
tribe included the the Algonquins, Montagnais, Hurons, Ojibway
(aka Chippewa) and the Mohicans
- Fact 20 - History: 1700's - The Mohawk took the British
side in the wars between the British and the French - called the
Beaver War
- Fact 21 - During the Pequot War
(1634–1638), the Algonquian Indians of New England sought an
alliance with the Mohawk but they refused, killing the Pequot
sachem Sassacus, who had come to them for refuge.
- Fact 22 - The Mohawks fought
against the United States in the War of 1812
- Fact 23 - Food: Men hunted turkeys,
deer, small game and fish. As farmers crops were produced for
corn, beans, squash and sunflower seeds. Crops, meat and fish
were supplemented by nuts, berries and fruits.
- Fact 24 - the Mohawks terrified
their enemies due to the violent and brutal way in which they
waged war. Their religious beliefs demanded the roasting and
consumption of their enemies in an effort to appease their god
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