Collection search - Day 5

Record information – Brief

1

Day 5

Item number (ISN):

564630

Series title:

The Great Law recited by Chief Jake Thomas

Hierarchical level:

Item (Accession level)

Date:

1992-09-23

Item number (ISN):

564630

Type of material:

Moving images

Found in:

Archives / Film, Video and Sound

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Record information – Details

Accession:

2014-01874-X

Media:

Video

Part:

5 of 5

Production date:

1992-09-23

Production company:

Rooney Productions

Production credit:

director/producer, Robert Rooney; producer, Brenda Rooney; photography, Marc Champion; Jeff Dell; Chris Nadon

Cast credit:

Jake Thomas

Country of production:

cn

Sponsor:

The Iroquoian Institute

Description:

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Comments on the old way of visiting - not an hour or so, but for a month or longer; sharing food with guests which can no longer be done at a traditional gathering due to cost; Summary of Day 4; meeting the Great Wizard who was covered in snakes; curing him; comments on John Arthur Gibson's (JAG) written version of the Great Law which was never read back or spoken back to the council and JAG himself did not agree with some of the things that were written; comments on how the written versions are being tracked down and revised; References self-government and other nations wanting to join Confederacy; Reciting now describes Great Tree of Peace which will shelter all nations; nations have equal power, each nation needs one speaker, not many speakers; solving problems and coming to one mind means listening and thinking before deciding on a course of action; Peacemaker gives Odadaho responsibility to keep principal fire going; the fire will warm the hearts of the people which means the people will be of one mind and at peace.~Peacemaker states that the placing of the antlers/horns symbolises power, that it is the woman's role to crown her chief; the Great Wizard has been cleansed and his body and mind straightened; the Great Tree of Peace will shelter all nations; reiterates that decisions must be unanimous; a speaker must be appointed for each nation; role of speaker described; council to meet in the morning b/c coming to decisions take time; if not unanimous, then council sleeps on the problem; comments that the Great Law is not always being followed in council which creates problems; rules for Capital Council fire described; explains the role of the women as the backbone of the Great Law with the authority to elevate chiefs; description of named chiefs being crowned and their responsibility to help their people to be content and happy and to make unanimous decisions.~Description of named chiefs being crowned and their responsibility to help their people be content and happy and to make unanimous decisions; discusses beauty of Native languages, also some mention of structure of language with verb roots; comments on civilized behaviour, no stealing, respect for other and their property as prelude to Peacemaker's instructions on how to conduct oneself; detailed description of where each nation sits in council and how decisions are made within one nation first, then when unanimous decision made, it is taken to the next nation where the process is repeated and so on; how will the council ensure the Great Wizard and his assistant accept the message of peace; describes the building of the longhouse of one family and Hiawatha suggests the longhouse will have a western door and the Great Wizard will be the Keeper of the Western door because that is where trouble has always come from; laying slippery elm across the door threshold (symbolic); Hiawatha took suggestions about the Great Wizard and his assistant to the Senecas and to all the nations and it was accepted; Hiawatha appointed to speak to Great Wizard and his assistant to invite them to council; he is to take wampum to make the invitation official; Great Council of Onondaga described; questions about what to do if people from West arrive with violence in their hearts; assurances that the Great Law and good mind is working on people and that the power protects them; description that each clan will run own business, that each nation will run own business.~Hiawatha suggests the longhouse will have a western door and the Great Wizard will be the Keeper of the Western door because that is where trouble has always come from; laying slippery elm across the door threshold (symbolic); Hiawatha took suggestions about the Great Wizard and his assistant to the Senecas and to all the nations and it was accepted; Hiawatha appointed to speak to Great Wizard and his assistant to invite them to council; he is to take wampum to make the invitation official; Great Council of Onondaga described; questions about what to do if people from West arrive with violence in their hearts; assurances that the Great Law and good mind is working on people and that the power protects them; description that each clan will run own business, that each nation will run own business; comments on Tuscaroras joining Confederacy and questions the time line of that. Question and Answer period with JT and other elders; there is no transcript for the Q & A. <272mn 23s>

Language:

English / Cayuga / ?

Notes:

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1. Descriptions are taken from the transcripts.~2. JT refers to Chief Jake Thomas.~3. PM refers to Peacemaker.~4. GL refers to the Great Law.~5. GW refers to Great Wizard; also known as Great War chief.~6. DNRORG taken from the label. PGM is supposed to mean "program". It is possible that this editing was produced live during the recitation, using feed from the 3 cameras.~7. Tape 1 runs for 64mn 18s, tape 2 runs for 63mn 12s, tape 3 runs for 63mn 40s, tape 4 runs for 63mn 37s, and tape 5 runs for 17mn 36s.~8. First item on tape 5.~9. Sound switches to an other source until the end of the recitation.

Detailed holdings information:

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Vault ISN:

924888

Format:

VIDEO

Location number:

42831AV

Number of items:

1

Kind of sound:

SOF

Made from:

DEPOSIT

Status:

MASTER

Vault ISN:

925941

Format:

VIDEO

Location number:

564630-001.MXF
564630-002.MXF
564630-003.MXF
564630-004.MXF
564630-005.MXF

Number of items:

5

Made from:

42827AV
42828AV
42829AV
42830AV
42831AV

Status:

MASTER

Vault ISN:

925943

Format:

VIDEO

Location number:

564630-001.MP4
564630-002.MP4
564630-003.MP4
564630-004.MP4
564630-005.MP4

Number of items:

5

Made from:

42827AV
42828AV
42829AV
42830AV
42831AV

Status:

REF

Vault ISN:

924887

Format:

VIDEO

Location number:

42827AV
42828AV
42829AV
42830AV

Number of items:

4

Kind of sound:

SOF

Made from:

DEPOSIT

Status:

MASTER
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Donor restrictions:

With written permission of copyright holder. With written permission of donor.

Copyright status:

Under copyright.

Copyright owner:

Copyright Owner : Robert and Brenda Rooney.

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Date modified:: 2024-07-24