A legendary Native American leader, Hiawatha helped five warring nations to join together in peace. That brotherhood of nations, called the Iroquois Confederacy, included the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and Seneca peoples.

Early life

Many facts about the life of Hiawatha are unclear. He probably lived in the late 16th century, but some scholars think that he lived during the 15th century. Hiawatha may have been a member of the Onondaga tribe or the Mohawk tribe. The Onondaga and the Mohawk lived in what is now the northeastern United States. The times were violent and dangerous for Hiawatha's people. Wars with other Native Americans and fighting between families caused much death and suffering.

Legend

According to legend, a Huron prophet named Dekanawidah visited Hiawatha and inspired him to work for peace. Hiawatha asked the warring nations to form an alliance. The leaders of the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and Seneca nations accepted Hiawatha's plan. They formed a peaceful union called the Iroquois Confederacy.

Some legends say that Hiawatha was also a powerful magician. He supposedly taught his people how to grow corn, write with pictures, and practice medicine.

Legacy

Although historians disagree about Hiawatha's exact role in the Iroquois Confederacy, the five nations did join together during the 15th or 16th century. The strong alliance protected all the nations from attacks by outsiders. The Iroquois Confederacy remained together until the American Revolution split it apart. Iroquois people today still respect Hiawatha as an important early leader.

The Song of Hiawatha

In 1855 U.S. poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow published the long poem The Song of Hiawatha. The poem tells the story of an Ojibwa boy who grows up to be the leader of his people. Longfellow based his poem on a combination of legends, not the life of the Iroquois leader Hiawatha.