LEAGUE OF IROQUOIS — HEWITT. 545 



stituent members of the highest order in the structure of the league 

 were the female group of two tribes and the male group of three 

 tribes, respectively representing the mother and the father sides, 

 the female and male principles, the whole representing the union of 

 fatherhood and motherhood for the promotion of the life force and 

 welfare of the community. 



The term agadon'ni, meaning "my father's clansmen," has two 

 very distinct applications — first, to the clan of one's father, and, 

 second, to the male or father side of the league. And the term 

 kheya > da'ioe n , meaning " my offspring," also has two very different 

 applications — first, to the clan of the children's mother, and, second, 

 to the female or mother side Of the league. There were three tribes 

 which constituted the male or father side of the league structure — 

 namely, the Mohawk, the Onondaga, and the Seneca ; and two tribes, 

 the Oneida and the Cayuga, originally constituted the female or 

 mother side of the league. To the Onondaga, however, was given 

 the noteworthy distinction of presiding over the deliberations of the 

 federal council. This they did of course through their chiefs; but 

 these chiefs did not have the right to discuss the question at issue. 

 This apparent primacy of the Onondaga carried with it the office of 

 fire keeper and the presiding officer of the federal council. 



It must be noted that the mother or female complex of tribes and 

 the father or male complex of tribes were held together by the exer- 

 cise of certain rights and the performance of certain duties and obli- 

 gations of the one to the other side. 



The federal council, sitting as a court without a jury, heard and 

 determined causes in accordance with established rules and principles 

 of procedure, and with precedent. 



