The Great Peacemaker

Deganawida (although as a mark of respect some Iroquois avoid referring to him by this name except in special circumstances) was, along with Hiawatha, the traditional founder of the Haudenosaunee (commonly called the Iroquois) Confederacy, a political and cultural union of several Native American tribes residing in the present day state of New York. The effects of the union were far-reaching and included related Iroquoian peoples in Ontario, Quebec, Pennsylvania, Ohio and other places.

The Haudenosaunee name for The Great Peacemaker (Mohawk, Skennenrahawi) means “Two River Currents Flowing Together.”

The legends about The Great Peacemaker are conflicting. It is reported that he was born a Huron and by some accounts it was a virgin birth. Others say he was born an Onondaga and later adopted by the Mohawks. By all accounts he was a prophet who counseled peace among the warring tribes, and he also called for an end to cannibalism. His follower Hiawatha, a Mohawk renowned for his oratory, helped him achieve his vision.

Deganawida

Deganawida (although as a mark of respect some Iroquois avoid referring to him by this name except in special circumstances) was, along with Hiawatha, the traditional founder of the Haudenosaunee (commonly called the Iroquois) Confederacy, a political and cultural union of several Native American tribes residing in the present day state of New York. The effects of the union were far-reaching and included related Iroquoian peoples in Ontario, Quebec, Pennsylvania, Ohio and other places.

The Haudenosaunee name for The Great Peacemaker (Mohawk, Skennenrahawi) means “Two River Currents Flowing Together.”

The legends about The Great Peacemaker are conflicting. It is reported that he was born a Huron and by some accounts it was a virgin birth. Others say he was born an Onondaga and later adopted by the Mohawks. By all accounts he was a prophet who counseled peace among the warring tribes, and he also called for an end to cannibalism. His follower Hiawatha, a Mohawk renowned for his oratory, helped him achieve his vision.