The Iroquois

Another tribe of Native Americans that are very serious about dreams are the Iroquois. They believe dreams are an expression of the soul and what it desired, so fulfilling those dreams were of the utmost importance to the individual. They also have an interesting view about the forces of good and evil. The Great Spirit created humans, plants and animals, and all of the good forces of nature. Some of the allies to the great spirit are Thunder and The Three Sisters, and the spirits of Maize, Beans, and Squash. They are constantly battling against the evil forces such as Evil Spirit and some of the lesser evils responsible for things such as sickness and disease. The Iroquois also had many ceremonies to help them with things such as curing illnesses, bringing fertility, and Thanksgiving. The six major ceremonies were the Maple, Planting, Strawberry, Green Maize, Harvest, and Mid-Winter or New Year’s festivals. The first five in this sequence involved public confessions followed by group Ceremonies which included speeches by the keepers of the faith, tobacco offerings, and prayer. The New Year’s festival was usually held in early February and was marked by dream interpretations and the sacrifice of a white dog offered to purge the people of evil.