THE COVENANT CHAIN OF PEACE: Metaphor and Religious Thought in Seventeenth Century Haudenosaunee Couneil Oratory Louise Johnston Faculty of Religious Studies McGill University Montreal August 2004 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy <el Louise Johnston 2004 Library and Bibliothèque et 1+1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l'édition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 0-494-12864-X Our file Notre référence ISBN: 0-494-12864-X NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library permettant à la Bibliothèque et Archives and Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par télécommunication ou par l'Internet, prêter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des thèses partout dans loan, distribute and sell theses le monde, à des fins commerciales ou autres, worldwide, for commercial or non­ sur support microforme, papier, électronique commercial purposes, in microform, et/ou autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. 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While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires in the document page cou nt, aient inclus dans la pagination, their removal does not represent il n'y aura aucun contenu manquant. any loss of content from the thesis. ••• Canada Il ABSTRACT The phrase 'Covenant Chain' is unique in the English language and along with its antecedents-'linked arms', 'the rope', and the 'iron chain'-the Haudenosaunee established relationships with the Europeans. The 'Covenant Chain' has been the subject of extensive discussion since the mid-1980s when a group of scholars in Iroquois Studies published several volumes on the diplomacy of the Haudenosaunee during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Most studies focus on the political aspects of the Covenant Chain and the role it played in creating and sustaining alliances. This study examines the meaning of the word 'covenant' and related ideas in the context of Haudenosaunee cosmology, history, culture and religious traditions. The numerous metaphors employed by the Haudenosaunee in council oratory and the many meanings associated with these different metaphors are discussed with a view to better understanding the Covenant Chain in relation to what Mohawk scholar Deborah Doxtator caBs 'history as an additive process'. In order to facilitate this discussion, the religious dimensions of covenant in European thought during this period are examined. While the basis of post-Reformation covenant theology differs radicaBy from Haudenosaunee ideas of covenant, points of convergence do exist particularly in the area of political theory making. Johannes Althusi us' (1557-1638) concept of 'symbiosis' is one such example. Surprisingly, Europeans who were involved in or who had knowledge of the Covenant Chain provide no theological discourse on it. Philosophical and theological discussions of the chain come from the Haudenosaunee themselves. These relationships went weB beyond contractual obligations and along with the idea of the 'middle line' which separates people and at the same time joins them together. Contrary to the widely accepted scholarly view that the chain----either the 'Covenant Chain' orthe 'Iron Chain'-was associated only with alliances between the Haudenosaunee and the British, this study shows that the Haudenosaunee used the same expressions in their alliances with the French as weil. III RÉSUMÉ L'expression 'Chaîne d'Alliance' est quelque chose d'unique en anglais. Les Haudenosaunee utilisaient aussi d'autres expressions telles que 'prendre par la main', 'chaîne de fer', ou le terme 'corde' dans leurs rapports avec les Européens. La 'Chaîne d'Alliance' a fait l'objet de nombreux débats depuis le milieu des années 1980, alors que des spécialistes en études iroquoises publièrent plusieurs monographies sur la diplomatie des Haudenosaunee au cours des 17e et 18e siècles. La plupart de ces études son centrées sur les aspects politiques de la Chaîne d'Alliance et de son rôle dans la création et le maintien d'alliances. La présente étude analyse la signification du terme 'alliance' et d'autres termes connexes dans le contexte de la cosmologie, de l'histoire, de la culture et des traditions religieuses des Haudenosaunee. Les nombreuses métaphores utilisées par les Haudenosaunee dans les palabres durant les conciliabules et les rassemblements, ainsi que les différentes significations reliées à ces métaphores sont analysées dans le but de mieux comprendre la Chaîne d'Alliance en rapport avec ce que la spécialiste Mohawk Deborah Doxtator appelle 'le processus cumulatif de l'histoire'. Afin de faciliter la discussion, la dimension religieuse de la notion d'alliance dans la pensée européenne aux 16e et 17e siècles est analysée. Bien que les fondements de la théologie de l'alliance dans la période qui suivit la Réforme diffère radicalements des idées d'alliance des Haudenosaunee, il y a des points de convergence concernant tout particulièrement le domaine de la théorie politique. Le concept de 'symbiose' élaboré par Johannes Althusius (1557-1638) en est un bon exemple. Par ailleurs, il est étrange de constater que les Européens concernés par le cérémonial entourant la Chaîne d'Alliance ou qui en avaient pris connaissance n'élaborent aucun discours théologique sur cela. Les réflexions philosophiques et théologiques sur le sujet proviennent en fait des Haudenosaunee eux-mêmes. Les relations entre les Haudenosaunee et les Européens dépassaient de beaucoup le domaine des obligations contractuelles et s'inspiraient de cette 'ligne de partage' qui, à la fois, sépare et unit les peuples. Contrairement à l'acception courante aujourd'hui dans la recherche spécialisée voulant que la chaîne, qu'elle soit d'alliance ou de fer, soit associée le plus souvent aux alliances conclues entre les Haudenosaunee et les Anglais, cette étude fournit des témoignages historiques indubitables à l'effet que les Haudenosaunee comprenaient leurs alliances avec les Français à l'aide des mêmes expressions. IV ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 1 owe a debt of gratitude to the many people who have contributed both directly and indirectly to the completion ofthis study. First and foremost, 1 want to express my sincere appreciation to my supervisor, Dr. Maurice Boutin, for his great interest in my topic. His comments, suggestions, questions and keen insight have given me food for thought. His patience, words of encouragement and his wonderful sense of humour have seen me through the lows and the highs of writing a dissertation. 1 am especially grateful to him for agreeing to be my supervisor after the death of Dr. Edward Furcha. Merci infinimentl 1 want to thank McGill University for financial support. My thanks also to Dr. Barry Levy, Dr. Leslie Orr and Dr. Norma Joseph for giving me the opportunity to teach in my field. 1 would like to thank Dr. Torrence Kirby for his interest in and helpful comments on my work. A word of thanks goes to Dr. Joseph McLelland and Dr. Douglas Hall for their interest in my topic. Special thanks to Dr. Robert Culley for many long conversations. The administrative staff at McGill's Faculty ofReligious Studies have come to my aid on many occasions. My thanks to Peggy Roger and Shelly-Ann Soares-Blackwood and especially to Samieun Khan and Luvana DiFrancesco. To aIl the Kanien'kehaka who 1 have come to know, no amount of thanks is great enough. Very special thanks to my colleague and teaching partner Brian Deer who has shared many ideas with me, who has encouraged me along the way and who has introduced me to many Haudenosaunee throughout Iroquois Country. Salli Benedict of Akwesasne has exchanged thoughts with me and has given a spark of light to my research. Bernice Lazore of Akwesasne has offered calm reflections on my work. Joe Deom of Kahnawake has al ways happily answered my questions, no matter how trivial. Kara Zeme1 ofKahnawake, who is the librarian at the Kanien'kehaka Onkwawén:na Raotitiohkwa Cultural Center has been a great help and has always taken an interest in my work. My thanks to Tracee Diabo of Kahnawake for inviting me to speak on my area ofresearch at McGill's First Peoples House and to Dr. Jolene Rickard of Tusarora for her invitation to speak at SUNY Buffalo. My thanks to Arlette Van Den Hende ofKanehsatake for being a good friend for many years, and to Kanerahtenha:wi Hilda Nicholas, director of the Tsi Ronterihwannhnha Ne Kanien'kéha Owén:na Orihwa'shon:'a Kanehsatà:ke language centre, and to Skewanades, v also ofK.anehsatake, for their interest in my work and for their translation work. Thanks also to Rick Hill ofTuscarora for his thoughtful observations and compliments on my work. The late Deborah Doxtator of Six Nations has provided invaluable intellectual stimulation for my research through her published works. Finally, sincere thanks goes to Dr. Audra Simpson for her faith in my work, for aIl her words of encouragement, for giving me the opportunity to publish, for inviting me to speak at Comell University and most of ail for her abiding friendship.