Student
Summary |
The
Four Sky Dwellers
The
number four has great significance for the Mohawk peoples. Like many other
Aboriginal peoples, the Mohawk respect the four directions as messengers from
the Creator, sent at the beginning of time. The Mohawk refer to the four
directions as the Four Sky People, the Four Sky Dwellers, or the Four
Brothers: East, South, West and North. Some believe that the North and East
are twins and the South and West are twins. Together the four directions
have the job of helping Mother Earth. South and West provide the climate for
the growth of food for nourishment and survival, whereas North and East
provide the relief and rest through cold and snow to allow Mother Earth to rejuvenate.
Four is
also a number representing the four seasons, the four winds. All of these
forces are intertwined to represent completion and wholeness, interconnectedness and interdependency, as none of these elements can be removed from
the others; all work in unison to sustain life. As we need them for our
survival, we are obligated to respect them and treat them with great
sensitivity.
The Four
Directions are considered to be messengers, as they help to communicate with
people, as direct communication from the Creator would be so powerful it
would overwhelm. Traditionally, the Mohawk believe, therefore, that
important messages are received from nature, from plants and animals, from
the wind and the water, and so on, as they see these energies as coming from
the Creator. The messages are for protection and are taken seriously as
having great importance.
The
Tree of Peace
The Four
Sky People are powers that dwell in the Sky World and can manifest themselves as people when necessary in order to communicate with people.
Mohawk believe this happens at critical times in history when extremely
significant events are to take place with great impact on this nation. The
interpretation of the messages is considered to be a responsibility of only
the most respected individuals in the community. The visit of the great
Peacemaker was one of these times, a spirit who came to give five warring Iroquois
Nations (of whom Mohawk are one) a constitution of peace, as
symbolized by the Tree of Peace, with four white roots reaching out to the
Four Directions, and a bird on top keeping watch. The Peacemaker explained
that all who committed to peace could take shelter under the tree, under
which the warring nations buried their weapons (hachets).
By the
time of the Declaration of Independence in the USA, the Iroquois had been living peacefully for many years. This peace inspired European
philosophers to such as Jean Jacques Rousseau and John Locke to learn more
about the Great Law of Peace, using it as a basis for the formation of a new
American government constitution. The Tree of Peace became the Tree of Unity
and the bird on top the tree became the eagle, symbol of the American
government. “Of the People, For the People, and By the People” became the
motto of the government, based on the governing structure of the Iroquois.
The Tree
of Peace has since come to receive the attention of the United Nations as a
profound model of peaceful disarmament, garnering international acceptance as
a symbol of peace, and the Iroquois are termed the “oldest living
participatory democracy on earth.” |
Strategy |
- Using
an American coin, explain that the eagle is a symbol of American
government. Brainstorm ideas on what the eagle represents to
Americans. Why is it such a strong symbol? Where else would you find
the eagle used symbolically? Does anyone know how the American people
came to use the eagle as its symbol? Do other cultures revere the eagle
as well? Why?
- Introduce
Mohawk elder Tom Porter who has traditional teachings to share on the
Four Directions and the Tree of Peace. His teachings explain how when
five Iroquois nations were fighting with each other, the Creator sent a
messenger, a peacemaker to teach them how to live peacefully. It was
the Iroquois who formed a participatory democracy and set an example for
the Americans to follow when they were forming their government
following the American Revolution.
- Visit www.fourdirectionteachings.com to hear traditional Mohawk teachings.
a) Go to
“Introduction” to hear a brief background on the Mohawk people.
b) Go to “Four
Sky Dwellers” to hear teachings on the Four Directions and the Tree of Peace.
c) Go to
“Peacemaker Prophecy” to hear the prophecy of the future of the Mohawk.
- Discuss
Porter’s teachings on the four directions. He explained how closely
intertwined the forces of nature are and how completely dependent people
are on nature, the four seasons, and the four directions. What is the
meaning of four, and how does it exemplify completion?
- Discuss
the concept of relating to the four directions as people, as brothers.
Was this story meant to be taken literally? How could the four
directions manifest themselves into people?
- It was
through this closeness to nature and spirit that Mohawk people came to
communicate with the Creator through plants and animals, at one time
receiving the Great Law of Peace from the Peacemaker. How could they
receive a message from a spirit? In what ways have spirits sent
messages to people on earth in the past? Do they continue to
communicate messages? How can you receive messages from spirits? What
is their purpose? What must you do to demonstrate thankfulness to
spirits who provide messages?
- Discuss
the Great Law of Peace and “burying the hatchet.” Why is this a
timeless model for people to follow worldwide?
- Working
in groups, research how Iroquois governance has become a model for
participatory democracy worldwide.
- Wrap up
the lesson with a reading of the summary above and a selection of
discussion topics and optional exercises below.
Discussion
Topics:
- “The
Art of Peace begins with you. Work on yourself and your appointed task
in the Art of Peace. Everyone has a spirit that can be refined, a body
that can be trained in some manner, a suitable path to follow. You are
here for no other purpose than to realize your inner divinity and
manifest your innate enlightenment. Foster peace in your own life and
then apply the Art to all you encounter.” This quote is by Morihei
Ueshiba, Founder of the martial art Aikido, from the Art of Peace.
Discuss. What do you believe your purpose on earth to be? Are you
aware of your peacefulness? Can you feel the difference between being
at peace and at odds with others? How do you control conflicting
situations so as to maintain peace? Aikido is a martial art based on
peace; how is this possible?
- The
Peacemaker came to teach the Six Nations how to live in peace, as
symbolized by the Tree of Peace. What are symbols of peace used in
other cultures? What does “peace” really mean? How can people live in
peace today? Is this any more difficult a process than it was hundreds
of years ago?
- The
Tree of Peace was a triumph sent by a spiritual leader to bring peace to
fighting nations. How does spirit accomplish what the physical cannot?
- Traditional
Mohawk people believe, as do other Aboriginal cultures, that
communication takes place between all living things. Ceremonial
practices allow for the sending and receiving of messages from humans to
animal spirits, natural elements, plants, and so on. How does this open
relationship with nature compare with how modern society views plants
and animals? How can people learn to become more aware of plants and
animals and the role nature plays in our lives on a daily basis?
Optional
Exercises:
- Conduct
a tree planting exercise as a way of paying respect to Mother Earth.
- Conduct
a research project on the “Faithkeepers” of the Mohawk nation who
believe that following the Great Law of Peace is a spiritual practice.
Whereas contemporary society upholds the separation of church and state,
traditional Mohawk society does not. Explain how the Faithkeepers
maintain a balance between good governance and spiritual expression.
- Research
a contemporary leader recognized for working towards peace (eg. the Oslo
Peace Accords made in the Middle East through the assistance of former US President Bill Clinton. How was Clinton able to bring leaders of warring Palestine and Israel together to establish agreements? What qualities did he demonstrate
in this process?)
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