Introduction to the Iroquois
The Iroquois tribes linked by similar languages and a common way of life. The Iroquois called their confederacy Kanonsionni, meaning "People of the Longhouse." They included the Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga and Cayuga tribes. Today they are called "Haudenosaunee" or "Six Nations." They farmed corn, beans, and squash, and built longhouses in the thick forests along the east coast of American from North Carolina to Canada, and inland from New York to the Great Lakes. All their clothes was made from the furs and skins of animals such as; deer, beavers, bears, bobcats, and squirrels. Their clothes was decorated with fringe at the edges, and embellishment like shells, feathers, and porcupine quills. They wore moccasins that was made out of elk or deer hide. Their body pain was red, black, violet, and green body pain on special occasions. They tattooed their bodies with designs that was inspired by animal and other natural forms.
 The Haudenosaunee, who are part of the Iroquois used European cloth and adapted to their own style.  Iroquois men just wearing loincloths.  The Iroquois |  The Iroquois made clothes from natural materials  Winter clothing  The Iroquois chief wearing their winter clothes.  The False Face Society illustration |
The False Face Society
The False Face Society claimed to be healers who use powerful spirits to purify Iroquois homes and heal the sick. They visited all of the households in and Iroquois village every spring and autumn. They wore face masks that represented the faces of the spirits. The faces possibly could be seen in dreams, glimpsed in the woods, or imagined by the healers. The expressions had many different expressions, it was from humorous smiles to painful grimaces. The masks were carved by the Iroquois. It was made from wood and was painted. Horsehair represented hair and metal disks and the paint represented eyes and other facial features.
