Iroquois Indians

The Iroquois Indians once lived along the St. Lawrence River which is located in what is now known as New York State.

The Iroquois Indians once lived along the St. Lawrence River which is located in what is now known as New York State. The tribe had about five tribes “underneath” them, including the Mohawk, Oneida, Seneca, and Cayuga. The houses that the Iroquois Indians lived in were known as longhouses. They were very large, could hold anywhere from 30 to 60 people, and was anywhere from 25 to 150 feet in length. The longhouses were framed with wooden poles, and then animal skins were hung over them to serve as coverings. A hole was cut into the top of the longhouse to let smoke escape.

The clothing of the Iroquois was typically made from deerskin. The women liked to decorate their clothing with beads made of shells. Feathers were also used as accessories. Moccasins were usually made of either leather or corn husks, and were worn more often in the winter to keep their feet warm.

Deer was the most popular catch for the Iroquois Indians. The men taught their young boys how to hunt for deer at a fairly young age. The women would tend to the farm, cultivating the harvest which was most typically beans and corn. Corn cakes were a favorite treat among the tribe. If someone became sick, the tribe would wear wooden masks to summon the spirits for help. Corn husks were not just used for shoes, they were also used to make masks as well for ceremonial use. Eventually, the Iroquois Indians began to move across the country, and settled into what is now known as the state of Ohio. The group who moved eventually separated themselves from those who stayed behind, branching off and forming their own tribes. Today, only a few hundred Iroquois Indians can still be found residing in the state of Ohio.