Collection search - [Cosmogony of Dekanawidah's Government of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy]. Original title: Cosmogony of De-Ka-na-wi-das' Government of the Iroquois Confederacy [textual record]
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[Cosmogony of Dekanawidah's Government of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy]. Original title: Cosmogony of De-Ka-na-wi-das' Government of the Iroquois Confederacy [textual record]
Date:1885.Reference:R7954-0-2-E, MG19-F26, Volume number: 1Type of material:Textual materialFound in:Archives / Collections and FondsItem ID number:103992Date(s):1885.Place:Six Nations of the Grand River (Ont.):Place of creation:OntarioExtent:6.3 cm of textual records (312 p.) photocopies.Language of material:EnglishAdded language of material:English, MohawkScope and content:Item is a copy of Seth Newhouse's draft, entitled "Cosmogony of De-ka-na-wi-das' Government of the Iroquois Confederacy", subtitled "The Original Literal Historical Narratives of the Iroquois Confederacy". It includes the story of Dekanawidah, lists of chiefs in the history of the League, ceremonial songs and rituals (including the Condolence Council), the constitution of the Confederacy and its acceptance, a Mohawk version of the constitution (with interlinear translation), names of principal families, and an incomplete Mohawk dictionary.Provenance:Biography/Administrative history:Newhouse, Seth, 1842-1921 : Seth Newhouse or Dayodekane was an Onondaga chief and traditionalist from Six Nations of the Grand River. He was deeply concerned with the culture and history of his people, particularly the institutions and problematics of government. About 1880 he began a codification of the origins, laws, principles, and procedures of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, completing the first draft in 1885. A later version was considered for publication by the New York State Museum in 1910.
However, the chiefs of the Grand River disagreed with some of Newhouse's interpretations and formed a committee which drew up their version about 1900. This version, principally authored by Chief John Arthur Gibson, was published by the Royal Society of Canada in the Proceedings for 1911 under the title "Traditional History of the Confederacy of the Six Nations", with Duncan Campbell Scott credited as the author.Additional information:Source of title:Title assigned by the archivist based on the historical document.Custodial history:Originals were at one time in the custody of the Mohawks of the St. Regis Reserve, Hogansburg (N.Y.).Location of originals note:Originals with the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia (Penn.), where there is an extensive listing of Newhouse manuscripts.Language note:Material is in English and Mohawk.Dates of creation note:Copied in 1971.Varying form of title:Subject heading:Source:PrivateFormer archival reference no.:MG19-F26 -
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