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PARKER ON THE IROQUOIS IROQUOIS USES OF MAIZE AND OTHER FOOD PLANTS 1ST EDITION PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Arthur C Parker | --- | --- | --- | 9780815601159 | --- | --- Iroquois Confederacy - History, Relations with non-native americans, Key issues Thanks to the efforts of Ontario archeologists, we actually know a great deal about indigenous peoples in Ontario beginning AD. The Algonkian people in Michigan and New England were also corn farmers, but in Ontario and Quebec they were dependent with a few exceptions on hunting and fishing — and on trade for corn with nations like the Wendat. But when I asked him about the inclusion of the Wendat and other such nations, he had no advice. Much of southern Ontario was unoccupied for extended periods of time and the occupied areas changed over the centuries. Thomas and the Niagara River. There is ample evidence of Iroquoian culture north of Lake Ontario and into eastern Ontario during years prior to Champlain — people were closely related either to the Wendat, or to the Onondaga and Oneida people concentrated southeast and east of Lake Ontario. When French explorer Jacques Cartier visited the sites of present-day Quebec City and Montreal in , he encountered corn-growing people who are now considered to have been members of the Onondaga nation. From F. Iroquois Foods and Food Preparation. Details on how that corn was grown and on the many dozens of food dishes based thereon, are well described in two historically important books — by A. Waugh, National Museum of Canada, Details are provided below. Effort was taken to ensure varietal purity, though some cross pollination was encouraged. The well-tillered plants usually had two to three ears per stalk, and to kernels per ear. The men cleared the land by girdling trees and burning the dead tree skeletons a year or two later. Except for that, corn farming was done by women with help from children and slaves. Corn seeds were planted, several at a time, into holes three feet or more apart. The seed was often treated with a water solution containing extracts of several wild plants to discourage crows. Dead weeds from the previous year were cut off and removed at planting time. Weeds were removed by hoeing throughout the season. After corn emergence, beans were planted, sometimes in each hill, sometimes in every seventh hill. Squash was commonly planted between rows. Fertilizer was not used though ashes would have provided some nutrients and beans may have provided some legume nitrogen. Only certain East Coast tribes used fish as fertilizer and there is evidence that this technique was adopted only after contact with Europeans. Worth noting is that these folks were totally into no tillage, the only tillage being the opening of holes for seed planting with a sharpened stick, a piece of deer antler or something similar. Even the most ardent no-till farmer in the 21 st century does more tillage at seeding time than that. Then came dough-stage harvesting, and finally mature corn. Several foods were made from corn at each stage. Mature corn was harvested, husks attached, and carried to the village or a central location where all but two or three husks were removed — generally at large social bees. They say young men often helped because it was a good place to meet girls. Remaining husks were breaded to form strings of ears which were then suspended from the roof, walls and interior posts of longhouses until dry. Harvested ears were also stored in cribs made of poles and bark or, when dry, in long-term, hidden, underground granaries. These granaries, on well-drained sites, were commonly five-foot deep, lined with husks, grass or boughs, and covered when full with these same materials and then soil. In fact, the lucky discovery and theft, some say of in-ground corn granaries prevented the Pilgrims from certain starvation during their first winter at Plymouth in Enough corn was grown to provide a two- or three-year supply and also for trading. Fur traders were regular customers in later years. French governor Denonville and his troops spent ten days in burning Seneca corn bins and wrecking crops east of Niagara. His claim of 1,, bushels destroyed seems high, but they did demolish lots of corn. In , General Sullivan, as directed by George Washington, destroyed 40 Seneca and Cayuga villages and an estimated , bushels of corn. For a village of this meant about 17, bushels, or tonnes. No wonder that early visitors reported Iroquois villages full of corn. Hence, a village of might require acres of corn. The Lawson Prehistoric Indian Village museum London says the original settlement there numbered with at least acres of crops. References listed below provide ample details on planting and harvesting, and the many ceremonies and religious events associated with both. From A. This culture flourished in Huronia and among the Attawandaron until when the Wendat and Attawandaron communicates were attacked and annihilated by the Five Nation Confederacy from New York State later to become Six Nations when the Tuscarora nation from North Carolina moved north in about Although these were all Iroquoian people, there had been long-term hatred between Ontario- and New York- based nations. The attack was instigated partly because of that and partly because of a need for more beaver pelts for trade to Europeans. The Wendat blocked direct trade between the Five Nation Confederacy and Algonkian nations to the north. The Wendat and Attawandaron numbers were badly weakened at the time by deaths caused by European diseases. Also significant was a split within Wendat society caused by the conversion of some of them to Christianity by Jesuits. In any case, after about , the Wendat and Attawandaron communities in southern Ontario were no more. Some ended up in the Wyandot Reserve in Oklahoma. Some were absorbed by the Five Nations themselves, either as citizens or slaves. Only their memory remains in Huronia and the Attawandaron lands to the south. In the decades to follow, some Iroquoian settlements were established in southern Ontario, especially along the north shore of Lake Ontario; the present Toronto and Prince Edward County were two sites. These were subsequently driven out before by Algonkian nations from the north, especially the Ojibwa who were known in the Toronto-Hamilton-Guelph area as Mississauga. The Ojibwa were not farmers, at least not initially, and their culture in southern Ontario was mostly one of hunting and fishing. However, a series of land transfer agreements after meant that the Ojibwa people ended up in a number of mostly small reserves with limited potential for hunting. The final chapter of indigenous farm culture in Ontario involves the Six Nations. Washington accused the Six Nations of aiding the British though history suggests they were, on balance, neutral. The resulting starvation forced the people to move near Fort Niagara on the east side of the Niagara River near Lake Ontario, to secure food supplies from the British. The Six Nations brought their corn-based culture with them and became well-respected farmers in Ontario on arrival. For a number of reasons, farming and corn growing diminished in the Six Nations reserves over the decades, but there has been a renaissance underway since the year — also a fascinating story, but beyond the scope of this article. The European settlers in Ontario largely ignored corn except as a forage silage crop in most of the province, preferring to grow the grain crops that they had known in Europe the exception being a few counties in extreme southwestern Ontario where corn remained dominant. Then, starting about , there was a resurgence in interest in corn in Ontario and within a couple of decades, it became, once again, the dominant grain crop in the province. Hence, the second millennium ended in Ontario just as did the first — with corn the dominant grain crop — albeit with a few changes in technology over those ten centuries. Finally a note about corn in western Canada: Corn culture spread up the Missouri River Valley just as it did up the Ohio in years around and after AD. Account Options Sign in. My library Help Advanced Book Search. Get print book. Arthur Caswell Parker. This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book without typos from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. Some Unusual Iroquois Specimens. Anthropologist, new ser. In rare instances the figure was carved from a separate piece of wood and attached to the spoon handle with a peg. The wood chosen for spoons was usually curly maple knots, although knots of other woods were valued and often used. 10 Native American Inventions - HISTORY Harvested ears were also stored in cribs made of poles and bark or, when dry, in long-term, hidden, underground granaries. These granaries, on well-drained sites, were commonly five-foot deep, lined with husks, grass or boughs, and covered when full with these same materials and then soil. In fact, the lucky discovery and theft, some say of in-ground corn granaries prevented the Pilgrims from certain starvation during their first winter at Plymouth in Enough corn was grown to provide a two- or three-year supply and also for trading. Fur traders were regular customers in later years. French governor Denonville and his troops spent ten days in burning Seneca corn bins and wrecking crops east of Niagara. His claim of 1,, bushels destroyed seems high, but they did demolish lots of corn. In , General Sullivan, as directed by George Washington, destroyed 40 Seneca and Cayuga villages and an estimated , bushels of corn.

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