Native American Women in History by Frederick Webb Hodge

Native American Women - Page 4

Because of the possession of these vested rights, the woman exercised the sovereign right to select from her sons, the candidates for the chieftainships of her clan, and so of the tribe. Being the source of the life of the clan, the woman possessed the sole right to adopt aliens into it, and a man could adopt an alien as a kinsman only with the tacit consent of the matron of his clan. A mother possessed the important authority to forbid her sons going on the warpath, and frequently the chiefs took advantage of this power of the woman to avoid a rupture with another tribe. The woman had the power of life or death over such alien prisoners as might become her share of the spoils of war to replace some of her kindred who may have been killed; she might demand from the clansmen of her husband or from those of her daughters, a captive or a scalp to replace a loss in her family. Thus it is evident that not only the clan and the tribal councils, but also the League council were composed of her representatives, not those of the men.

There were female chiefs who were the executive officers of the women they represented, who provided public levy or contributions of food required at festivals, ceremonials, and general assemblies, or for public charity.

Piegan woman sitting on a hill, 1910, Edward S. Curtis.

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Part of their duty was to keep close watch on the policies and the course of affairs affecting the welfare of the tribe, to guard scrupulously the interests of the public treasury, with power to maintain its resources, consisting of strings and belts of wampum, quill and feather work, furs, corn, meal, fresh and dried or smoked meats, and of any other thing which could serve for defraying the various public expenses and obligations, and they had a voice in the disposal of the contents of the treasury.

Every distinct and primordial family or clan had at least one of the female chiefs, who together constituted the clan council; and sometimes one of them, by reason of extraordinary merit and wisdom, was made regent in the event of a vacancy in the office of the regular male chief. Hence, some written accounts mention "queens," who ruled their tribes. In view of the foregoing facts, it is not surprising to find that among the Iroquoian tribes, the Susquehanna, the Huron, and the Iroquoi; the penalties for killing a woman of the tribe were double those exacted for the killing of a man, because in the death of a woman, the Iroquoian lawgivers recognized the probable loss of a long line of prospective offspring.

Those Indian women of the northwest coast were not so fortunate, as the penalty for the killing of a woman of the tribe was only one-half that for the killing of a man. These instances show the great difference in the value placed on the life of woman by tribes in widely separated areas.

Stephen Powers, journalist and ethnographer, stated in regard to the Yokut of California, that notwithstanding the fact that the husband took up his abode in the lodge of his wife or of his father-in-law; he had the power of life and death over his wife. However, the statement cannot be accepted without qualification, apparently meaning only that this power might be exerted to punish some specific crime, and that it might not be exercised with impunity to satisfy a whim of the husband.

In describing the character of the Muskhogean people, William Bartram, a Quaker Explorer, said in 1773: "I have been weeks and months amongst them, and in their towns, and never observed the least sign of contention or wrangling; never saw an instance of an Indian beating his wife, or even reproving her in anger. . . . for indeed their wives merit their esteem and the most gentle treatment, they being industrious, frugal, careful, loving, and affectionate."

Wichita Indian woman and child, Frank A. Rinehart, 1899.

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Captain John Smith, explorer, soldier, and author, described the Indian men of Virginia as devoting their time and energy to fishing, hunting, warfare, and to other manly exercises outdoors, but within the lodge, were often idle. Inside the lodge, the women and children performed the larger share of the work. The women made mats for their own use as well as for trade and exchange, as well as baskets, mortars, and pestles. They planted and gathered the corn and other vegetables; prepared and pounded the corn to obtain meal for their bread, and did all the cooking. They also cut and brought in all the wood used for fuel, and with the help of the children, fetched the water used in the lodge. Thus, the women were obliged in performing their duties to bear all kinds of burdens; but they willingly attended to their tasks at their own time and convenience, and were not driven like slaves to do their duty. The descent of blood was traced through the mother.

In John Lawson's, The History of Carolina, 1866, he said that a woman with a large number of children and with no husband to help support them, was assisted by the young men in planting, reaping, and in doing whatever she was incapable of performing herself.

He also said that they eulogized a great man by citing the fact that he had "a great many beautiful wives and children, esteemed the greatest blessings amongst these savages." It would thus appear that the North Carolina native woman was not the drudge and slave of her husband or men of her tribe.

Concerning people of the same general region, explorer, William Bartram, said that among the Cherokee and the Creek Indians, scarcely a third as many women as men were seen at work in their fields. Spanish explorer and conquistador, Hernando de Soto found in 1540, a woman whom he styled a queen ruling in royal state a tribe on the Savannah River, indicating that woman at that early period was held in high esteem among these people.

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From the Rocky Mountain General Store

Native American Founding Fathers - It is too often forgotten that the first to settle America were the Native Americans. They, along with their chiefs and heroes should be commemorated just like like the colonists that formed our Constitution. Utilizing our great vintage photos, we have created a montage to recognize these great founders.