Description
And Grandma Said: Iroquois Teachings as Passed Down Through the Oral Tradition is the recent book written by Mohawk Bear Clan Elder Tom Sakokwenionkwas Porter. This compilation is edited by Lesley Forrester who worked with Tom to allow his truly unique voice to be heard. The book includes oral history and traditions, as well as personal experiences and teachings of the Six Nations Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), especially the Mohawk Nation. The book is organized into chapters that cover the essential understandings and teachings of the Iroquois including Creation, Opening Address or Thanksgiving Address, colonialism, Language, the Clan System, the Four Sacred Rituals, the Four Sacred Beings, and the Great Law of Peace. Additional information about funerals, weddings, pregnancies, child rearing methods, leadership, and tobacco is included. The book also includes commentary about casinos, prayer, and the future. Appendices include what grandma's great-grandchildren have learned; directions for Atenaha (the Seed Game); Glossary of Mohawk words; and Glossary of Mohawk passages. The book is supplemented with black and white family photographs and illustrations by John Fadden. This is a remarkable and important contribution to the cultural teachings of the Iroquois. Highly recommended.