Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples: Wampum Belt Reading by Jake Thomas, Elder

This file contains a Wampum Belt Reading by Jake Thomas. He states that the belt he uses is a replica of the original Belts located at the Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario, and at Onondaga Reservation near Syracuse, New York. Wampum belts are brought out for ceremonies and readings. Thomas recalls growing up immersed in the Mohawk culture on the Six Nations Reserve and learning a number of languages associated with nearby First Nations. He laments the loss of culture and language among Aboriginal youth, and uses the Wampum Belt Reading to illustrate another aspect of Aboriginal culture that should be taught to younger generations. He also explains the history of the Haudenosaunee, a term that Six Nations members use to describe the combined confederacy of the six groups.

Historical note:

The Iroquois Confederacy (also known as the "League of Peace and Power", the "Five Nations"; the "Six Nations"; or the "People of the Longhouse") is a group of First Nations/Native Americans that originally consisted of five nations: the Mohawk, the Oneida, the Onondaga, the Cayuga, and the Seneca. A sixth tribe, the Tuscarora, joined after the original five nations were formed. Although frequently referred to as the Iroquois, the Nations refer to themselves collectively as Haudenosaunee, meaning "People of the Longhouse," or more accurately, "They Are Building a Long House."