Quahog, a rounded clam shell with distinctive colors of purple and white, have been prized by native and non-native communities alike. One very important use of quahog are beads made into the legendary wampum belts of the Iroquois, which was designated for official use and religious ceremonies. For the Iroquois, as well as for many other New England Native Nations, quahog was used to mark important events in a village or for decoration. To these nations, the use of quahog shells have been passed down from one generation to another for hundreds of years, even into the families of today.
Quahog as Wampum
One modern day misconception is that wampum was money used by the native people of America. Historically, wampum was used as decoration, or as beads to make official statements to nations, as well as a minimal trade item. It wasn’t until the presence of European contact that wampum became a hot trade item, where the beads were traded for other goods needed by either natives or non-natives; and in a sense becoming a type of money exchange. By the mid-1600’s it was reported that European wampum makers were busy making as much counterfeit wampum as possible.
Wampum used by the Iroquois People
Historically with the Iroquois people, traditions state that the bringer of the shell wampum (or anakoha) to the Five civilized Tribes was Hiawatha (Aiionwatha or Ayonwatha). It was under the direction of Aiionwatha on how wampum was used, how it was gotten, and how it was able to bring peace to the people. The more it was used, the more important wampum became. It became so incredibly necessary, that ceremonies couldn’t be done without the right wampum strings, and treaties weren’t considered sealed unless a wampum belt was presented. Everything of note was marked by a wampum strand or a belt. The Great Law was remembered by individual wampum belts, and there were designated Keepers of the Wampum who knew each law and which belt it was associated with. It was thought that young men had the best memories, and so when they were old enough, these men were trained for years to be the next generation of Keepers. With European contact, some of the belts were lost, taken apart, stolen, or put away for so long in hiding spots, that the meanings have been lost. Despite this, there are still Keepers of the Wampum among the modern Iroquois people that are still trained to memorize the importance of the surviving wampum belts.
As stated before, the people of the Northeast Nations have used wampum for many generations for a number of reasons, from decoration, to governmental use, to religious ceremonies. One Nation in particular, the Iroquois, have been using wampum to identify their everyday life for hundreds of years from its inception by the coming of Aiionwatha. The first and foremost important use of wampum, are the belts, which stand for laws that are connected to the Great Law. The belts are also considered legal and binding records of treaties that the Iroquois have made with settlers and Americans from the beginning of European contact. The use of wampum among the Iroquois has become so important that it is still used in the current day for decoration on clothing and jewelry, religious ceremonies, and the remembrance of historic treaties and laws. For the Iroquois, the wampum is a part of their identity, and their birthright.
Sources:
- George-Kanentiio, Doug. (2000). Iroquois Culture & Commentary. Santa Fe, New Mexico: Clear Light Publishers.
- Lyford, Carrie A. (1982). Iroquois Crafts. Stevens Point, Wisconsin: R. Schneider, Publishers.
- Tehanetorens. (1999). Wampum Belts of the Iroquois. Summertown, Tennessee: Book Publishing Company.
Maureen Zieber - I currently hold a Bachelor's Degree in World History, and Women's Studies, with a minor in Anthropology from the University of Delaware, ...
