Condolence ceremony explained

The condolence ceremony or condolence council^[1] is a part of the Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace. It governs succession to political offices after a leader dies.^[2]

The ceremony is held in the community whose leader has died.^[2] Attendees are divided into two moieties: the clear-minded and the downcast or bereaved.^[2] The ceremony progresses through several stages, including a recitation of the Great Law.^[3] Through the ceremony, new leaders are appointed to replace those who have died.^[3] It was typically the first item on the agenda when a Haudenosaunee council met.^[4]

Among other things, the ceremony recalls the Great Peacemaker's condolence of Hiawatha and the "transformation" of Tadodaho from a state of confusion and disorder to a state of peace.

Sources

• Book: Hertzberg, Hazel W.. Hazel Hertzberg. The great tree and the longhouse : the culture of the Iroquois. registration. 1966. Macmillan Publishers. 1149214578.
• Book: Williams, Kayanesenh Paul. Kayanerenkó:wa : the Great Law of Peace. 2018. 978-0-88755-556-5. University of Manitoba Press. 1061095159.
• Book: Handbook of Native American literature. 2013-06-17. Routledge. 978-1-315-05169-7. Wiget. Andrew. en. 10.4324/9781315051697. 1996.

Further reading

• Book: Beauchamp, William Martin. William Martin Beauchamp. Civil, religious and mourning councils and ceremonies of adoption of the New York Indians. 1907. New York State Education Department. Albany. 1042135902.
• Book: Deserontyon, John. John Deseronto. Hewitt. J. N. B.. John Napoleon Brinton Hewitt. A Mohawk form of ritual of condolence, 1782. 1928. Museum of the American Indian; Heye Foundation. 10.5479/sil.782541.39088011863040.
• Fenton. William N.. William N. Fenton. 1946. An Iroquois Condolence Council for installing Cayuga chiefs in 1945. Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences. 36. 4. 110–127. 0043-0439. 24531757.

Notes and References

1. Snyderman. George S.. 1954. The Functions of Wampum. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 98. 6. 478–479. 0003-049X. 3143870.
2. Book: Condolence ceremony. Hirschfelder. Arlene B.. Molin. Paulette Fairbanks. Encyclopedia of Native American religions : an introduction. 2000. Facts on File. 0-8160-3949-6. 40848662. 53–54.
3. Book: Snow, Dean R.. The Iroquois. 1994. Blackwell. 1-55786-225-7. 30812121. 65–66.
4. Book: Tooker. Elisabeth. The United States Constitution and the Iroquois League. Clifton. James A.. The Invented Indian : cultural fictions and government policies. 1990. Transaction Publishers. 0-88738-341-6. 20853601. 124–125n9.