By Ray Fadden

Artist: Arawenrathe Bonaparte

He believed in the all powerful Great Spirit, the immortality of the soul, in a life everlasting and in the fraternity of all life. With the Iroquois, a thankful heart was not obtained through prayer. He did not seek to instruct the Great Creator on what to do on Earth or in the Sky World. He had faith in the Creator’s wisdom, and believed it is natural to be honourable and truthful, and it is cowardly to lie. His promises were absolutely binding. He hated and despised a liar and held all falsehood to be weakness. He believed in reverence for his parents, and in their old age he supported then, just as he expected his children to support him. He honoured his Mother and Father and the Father’s before them. He believed in equality of women, thus Iroquoian women have rights Euroupeans never had. He believed in a forgiving spirit, preferring atonement to revenge, in converting enemies to friends.

He believed in peace. The sentiment of universal brotherhood was always his policy. Hospitality was always his prime virtue. No people were more generous.

Heavyweight paper, Black and White ink.