Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/415

There are many incidental references to the social and political standing of women among the Iroquoian nations. The summary here to be presented will embrace only those in New York, Canada, and near Lake Erie. In this territory were included the Eries, Hurons, Neutrals, Petuns, and the Five Nations or Iroquois proper.

Although of the same stock, these differed greatly in many ways. In the opinion of the French; Huron and thief might well be convertible terms, such dexterous thieves were they. As among the Spartans, it was disgraceful only to be detected, and this was often thought a good joke. On the contrary, the Iroquois were and are scrupulously honest in this way. Both sexes of the Hurons were notoriously licentious, but Charlevoix says in his journal, "The Iroquois in particular had the reputation of chastity before they had any commerce with the Illinois and other nations in the neighborhood of Louisiana." Somewhat corrupted by these as they were, there is no instance on record of assault on any female captive. In political rights and social influence the women had everywhere much the same high standing.

As in civilized communities, there was a division of work between men and women, and the women's work was often assigned lo men who had become slaves of the Iroquois. They had lost their rank as warriors, unless adopted by some family or clan. The work of the women was to collect fuel, usually only dry sticks gathered in the woods; to cultivate the ground, a very light and rather jolly task; to carry the necessary baggage on the trails, while their husbands held axe and bow ready for defence against any sudden assault; to prepare clothing from the hides and furs the men brought in from the weary hunt; to cook the meat that had been found in the woods. There was lighter and tasteful employment in weaving and embroidery, but the Iroquois woman's daily lot was by no means hard. It was considered light by them. With the use of iron axes, fuel was more easily obtained, but the primitive mode was not very laborious.