62 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Large eaters were not looked upon with favor, but every one was 

 supposed to satisfy his hunger. 



The housewife announced that a meal was ready by exclaiming 

 Hau ! Sedek^oni, and the guest when he had finished the meal always 

 exclaimed with emphasis " Niawe"" " meaning, thanks are given. 

 This was supposed to be addressed to the Creator. As a response 

 the host or hostess, the housewife or some member of the family 

 would say " Niu'^" meaning it is zvell. Neglect to use these words 

 was supposed to indicate that the goddess of the harvest and the 

 growth spirits or " the bounty of Providence " was not appreciated 

 and that the eater was indifferent. 



In apportioning a meal the housewife dipped the food from the 

 kettle or took it from its receptacle and placed it in bark and wooden 

 dishes, which she banded the men. They either sat on the floor or 

 ground or stood along the wall as was most convenient. The 

 women and children were then served. This old time custom still 

 has its survival in the modern eating habits of the more primitive 

 Iroquois. There are now tables and chairs and three regular meals, 

 to be sure, but the women serve the men first and then, when the 

 men have gone from the room, arrange the meal for themselves. 



Regular meals two and three times a day did not come until the 

 communal customs of the Iroquois had given way to the usages of 

 modern civilization. Even then, as Morgan observes,^ one of the 

 difficulties was to change the old usage and accustom themselves 

 to eating together. It came about, as this author says, with the 

 abandonment of the communal houses and the establishment of 

 single family houses where the food for the household was secured 

 by the effort of the family alone. 



Under the old regime food was kept ready for any one who migiit 

 call for it at any time. The single meal of the late morning did not 

 prevent any one from eating as many times as he pleased. 



Springing from the law of communism came the law of common 

 hospitality. Any one from anywhere could enter any house at any 

 time if occupants were within, and be served with food. Indeed it 

 was the duty of the housewife to offer food to every one that entered 

 her door. If hungry the guest ate his fill but if he had already 

 eaten he tasted the food as a compliment to the giver. A refusal 

 to do this would have been an outright insult. There was never 

 need for any one to go hungry or destitute, the unfortunate and 



Morgan. House Life, p. 99. 



