114 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



amount of influence not only over the pagans but also over the 

 nominal Christians. 



It was found that the organization and rites of the societies 

 might best be studied among the Seneca, who have preserved their 

 rituals with great fidelity. The Onondaga, although keeping up 

 the form of some, have lost many of the ancient features and look- 

 to the Seneca for the correct forms. 



The teachings of Ganio'dai'io', Handsome Lake, the Seneca 

 prophet, revolutionized the religious life of the Iroquois to a large 

 extent, its greatest immediate efifect being on the Seneca and Onon- 

 daga. Later it greatly influenced the Canadian Iroquois, excepting 

 perhaps the Mohawk about the St Lawrence. Handsome Lake 

 sought to destroy the ancient folk-ways of the people and to sub- 

 stitute a new system, built of course upon the framework of the old. 

 Finding that he made little headway in his teachings, he sought to 

 destroy the societies and orders that conserved the older religious 

 rites, by proclaiming a revelation from the Creator. The divine 

 decree was a command that all the animal societies hold a final 

 meeting at a certain time, throw tobacco in the ceremonial fires, 

 and dissolve. The heavenly reason for this order. Handsome Lake 

 explained, was that men were acquainted with the effects of their 

 familiarity with the spirits of the animals, which, although they 

 might bring fortune and heahng to the members of the animal's 

 order, mis^ht work terrible harm to men and to other animals. 



The chiefs who were friendly to the proohet and others who 

 were frightened by his threats met in counsel and proclaimed that 

 all the animal and mysterv societies should immediately dissolve, 

 and, by their order, were dissolved and disbanded. This they did 

 without holding a hayant'wutgus, tobacco-throwing ceremony, as 

 directed. The members of the societies, therefore, declared that 

 the order of the council was illegal and not binding, that the sin of 

 disobedience was upon the chiefs and not upon the body of mem- 

 bers. The societies consequently continued their rites, although 

 they found it expedient to do so secretly, for they Avere branded as 

 witches and wizards,^ and the members of one society at least were 

 executed as sorcerers when they were found practising their arts. 



The existence of the societies became doubly veiled. The zealous 

 proselytes of the New Religion denied their legality and even their 

 existence, and the adherents of the old system did not care to 



iThe modern Iroquois call all sorcerers and conjurers, regardless of sex, 

 " witches." They never use the masculine form. 



