THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FIVE NATIONS 1 55 



the connection between the turtle and the world-tree that grows 

 upon the primal turtle's back. 



In the prologue of the Wampum Code of the Five Nations Con- 

 federacy we again find references to a symbolic " great tree." In 

 the code of Dekanawide, the Iroquois culture hero exclaims: 



" I am Dekanawide, and with the Five Nations' confederate lords 

 (rodiyaner) I plant the Tree of the Great Peace. I plant it in your 

 territory, Adodarho and the Onondaga nation, in the territory of 

 you who are Fire Keepers. 



" I name the tree the Tree of the Great Long Leaves. Under the 

 shade of this Tree of Peace we spread the soft, feathery down of 

 the globe thistle, there beneath the spreading branches of the Tree 

 of Peace." 



In the second " law " of the code, the four roots of the " tree " 

 are described, and the law-giver says : 



" If any individual or any nation outside of the Five Nations 

 shall obey the laws of the Great Peace and make known their dis- 

 position to the lords of the confederacy, they may trace the roots of 

 the tree, and if their minds are clean and obedient . . . they shall 

 be welcome to take shelter beneath the Tree of the Long Leaves. 



" We place in the top of the Tree of the Long Leaves an Eagle 

 who is able to see afar ; ... he will warn the people." 



In another place is the following: 



" I, Dekanawide, and the union lords now uproot the tallest pine 

 tree and into the cavity thereby made we cast all weapons of war. 

 Into the depths of the earth, down into the deep underearth cur- 

 rents of water flowing to unknown regions we cast all the weapons 

 of strife. We bury them from sight and we plant again the tree. 

 Thus shall the Great Peace, Kaye narhe ko wa, be established." 



These laws and figures of speech are evidently those which the 

 Iroquois speakers had in mind when addressing " peace councils " 

 with the whites. 



Symbolic trees appear not only in Iroquois history, mythology, 

 and folk beliefs, but also in their decorative art. The numerous 

 decorative forms of trees embroidered in moose hair and porcupine 

 quills by the eastern Algonquians, by the Hurons, and by the 

 Iroquois appear to be attempts to represent the world-tree and the 

 celestial tree, in some cases, with " all manner of fruits and flowers." 

 Many, if not most, of the modern descendants of the old-time In- 

 dians, who copy these old designs, have forgotten their meanings, 

 and some have even invented new explanations. A few of the more 

 conservative, however, still remember the true meanings of their 

 designs and from these much of interest has been learned. 



