Education Department Bulletin 



Published fortnightly by the University of the State of New York 



Entered as second-class matter June 24, 1908, at the Post Office at Albany, N. Y., 

 under the act of July 16, 1894 



No. 530 ALBANY, N. Y. November i. 191 2 



New York State Museum 



John M. Clarke, Director 

 Museum Bulletin 163 



THE CODE OF HANDSOME LAKE, THE SENECA 



PROPHET 



BY 



ARTHUR C. PARKER 

 INTRODUCTION 



HANDSOME LAKE'S RELIGION 



The Gai'wiio' is the record of the teachings of Handsome Lake, 

 the Seneca prophet, and purports to be an exact exposition of the 

 precepts that he taught during a term of sixteen years, ending with 

 his death in 1815. It is the basis of the so-called "new religion" 

 of the Six Nations and is preached or recited at all the annual mid- 

 winter festivals on the various Iroquois reservations in New York 

 and Ontario that have adherents. These reservations are Onon- 

 daga, Tonawanda, Cattaraugus and Allegany in New York and 

 Grand River and Muncytown in Ontario. 



There are six authorized " holders " of the Gai'wiio' 1 among 

 whom are John Gibson (Ganio'dai'io*) and Edward Cornplanter 

 (Soson'dowa), Senecas, and Frank Logan (Adodar'ho), Onon- 

 daga. Chief Cornplanter is by far the most conservative though 

 Chief Gibson seems to have the greater store of explanatory mat- 

 ter, often interpolating it during his exposition. Chief Logan is a 

 devout adherent of his religion and watches the waning of his 

 prophet's teachings with grave concern. His grief is like that of 

 Hiawatha (Haiyo n 'wentha) and inclines him to leave Onondaga 

 for a region where the prophet will not be jeered. 



*Key to pronunciation of Indian words on page 139. See also Glossary, 

 page 140. 



