Subject: sachem war chief

Culture: Iroquois & allied Indians

Setting: Great Lakes/Ohio Valley 18th - early 19thc

Event Photos

* Benn 1998 p72-73

"Another important aspect of military training was the development of martial attitudes to sustain someone in the terror and confusion of battle. In Euroamerican armies a soldier acquired these sensibilities by the socialization with his regiment through friendships with other soldiers, by wearing a distinct uniform, and by sharing in the traditions, martial music, barrack-room lore, training, and discipline of army life. Likewise, the Iroquois warrior experienced a socialization for war as part of his military development. As noted before, warfare gave an Iroquois male an acceptable opportunity to prove his manhood and win esteem for himself and within his community. The example of advancement based on wartime leadership and the tradition associated with martial exploits, along with the recognition men received for skills that could be applied to combat, were part of the process of preparing individuals for battle. Religion and wartime ceremonies were also rich in morale-boosting qualities to equip people emotionally to be effective warriors. Individuals presumably internalized this process through their desire to conform to the community's ethical and moral standards, which acknowledged the value of the warrior spirit and which assumed that men would fulfil their combatant duties when required to do so."

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Field Notes