This belt is a national belt of the Haudenosaunee. The belt is named after Hiawatha, an Onondaga who was the Peacemaker’s helper in spreading the good words of Peace. In this belt, it records when five warring nations; the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and Mohawk, buried their weapons of war to live in peace. Today, the Hiawatha Belt has been fashioned into a flag that has been flown in many places around the world.
The Hiawatha Belt is extremely old. This belt was created at the beginning of our confederacy of peace. We do not know when this belt created, but we know we have had this belt long before the French, Dutch and English explorers made their way to our lands.
When the peace was made between the 5 nations, the Peacemaker told us to think of us all living together under one longhouse. Just like a longhouse, every nation will have their own council fire to govern their people. But they will govern their people under one common law, one heart, and one mind. The Peacemaker changed 50 evil thinking men to good thinking men (Hoyane/Chiefs) to lead the path towards peace for the people. The Peacemaker also gave the power to the women (Clan Mothers) to replace and remove the leaders. The Hiawatha belt is comprised of 5 symbols joined together and when reading the nations of the belts, we follow the path of the sun, starting in the East.
The first nation on the belt and the first nation to accept the peace is the Mohawk, our Eastern Doorkeeper of our common longhouse. Any nation willing to enter the lands of the Haudenosaunee from the east must seek permission from the Mohawks first. There are 9 Hoyane (Chiefs) sitting in the Mohawk Council.
The next symbol represents the council fire of the Oneida, the People of the Standing Stone. There are 9 Hoyane (Chiefs) sitting in the Oneida Council.
The third symbol (the tree) represents Onondaga. Here the Peacemaker uprooted the tallest white pine, the Tree of Peace, which leaders buried their weapons of hate, jealousy, and war beneath it (they buried the hatchet). Since Onondaga lies in the middle of the peace, the Peacemaker also titled them the Firekeepers of the Haudenosaunee. The Onondaga are entrusted to keep the council fire to continue burning for the confederacy to come and meet. This often referred to as the fire that never dies. There are 14 Hoyane (Chiefs) sitting in the Onondaga Council.
The fourth symbol is that of the council fire of the Cayuga, the People of the Swamp. There are 10 Hoyane (Chiefs) sitting in the Cayuga Council.
The fifth symbol belongs to the council fire of the Seneca, the People of the Great Hill. The Seneca Nation is the Western Doorkeeper of our common longhouse. Like the Mohawks, if anyone wishes to enter the territory of the Haudenosaunee from the west, they must seek permission from the Seneca first. There are 8 Hoyane (Chiefs) sitting in the Seneca Council.
Together all five symbols unite to make the Hiawatha Belt. When there is a Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee, the Hiawatha Belt is present to remind the leaders to maintain the peace and to make decisions for only to today, but the future Haudenosaunee citizens yet unborn.