Daily Life in Olden Times Northeast Iroquois Nation What was the job of the False Face Society? Who were the Three Sisters? What were the Snow Snake Games? Who was Hiawatha? Why was the League of Nations so unusual? What was wampum? Find out here. Welcome to the Iroquois Nations in Olden Times.    Who were the Iroquois?   There is a huge geographic area in the northeastern part of the United States that is known as the Woodlands. The Woodlands include all five great lakes - Lake Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan, and Superior - as well as the Finger Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River. No early people had it easy, but the Woodland Region certainly offered many opportunities to find food and shelter. There were wild fruit trees, loaded with cherries, mulberries, figs, apples, pears, and peaches. The lakes and rivers were packed with fish. You literally tripped over wild blueberries and strawberries and cranberries and all kinds of wild vegetables. There was plenty of wood available from birch, oak, elm, fir, and maple trees to use as firewood and to make homes and tools. As early people wandered into the Woodland Region, many stayed. Thousands of years later, when European colonists began moving into the same area, they called these early people the Woodland Indians. By the time the European colonists arrived, there were many different groups of people who made their home in the Woodlands. The most powerful group were the Iroquois Nations - the Seneca, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and Cayuga. Much later in their history, these five nations were joined by the Tuscaronra Nation, bringing the League to a total of six. These were not tribes that joined together to form a nation. These were nations that joined together to form the League of Nations. Each group in the League was an Iroquois Nation. The Iroquois spoke the same language. They believed in the same gods. They had many similar customs. They were Iroquois people. Today, the Iroquois people live like their non-Indian neighbors, but they still enjoy many of their old traditions. Click on the links below to explore the Iroquois Nation in olden times.   Wise Owl - An Iroquois Creation Myth  The Invisible Warrior What did the Iroquois eat? How did the Iroquois live? What is Wampum? What is the Iroquois League of Nations? The Great Spirit and the False Face Society  Wampum Snow Snake Games The Green Corn Festival Seneca Indian Prayer Help the Chipmunk Find his Acorn and other games Guess the Word before the Turtle Hides in His Shell Little Pines Game Virtual Paper Dolls Learn about other Native American groups      All Rights Reserved Counter start date January 2006     Have a great year!