Leveled Reading · Social Structure

The Haudenosaunee Clan System

How Haudenosaunee clans work, and the role of the clan mother. This excerpt uses the guide’s section on the clan system.

Original source Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian — “Haudenosaunee Guide for Educators (Clan System)” (opens in a new tab)
Full guide (PDF, with the art and photos): americanindian.si.edu

This page is a simplified version of the original text (leveled toward 800L). Photos, maps, and other images are not on this page — use the original link above to see them.

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Each of the six nations of the Haudenosaunee is made up of extended family groups called clans. A clan mother heads each clan. In the past, a clan mother was usually the oldest woman of the clan. Today, clan mothers are chosen for their cultural wisdom and dedication to the Haudenosaunee people. Clan mothers were given the honor of their duties because of a woman who lived long ago. She was called the Mother of Nations.

Clans are extended families. Haudenosaunee clans are matrilineal. This means they follow the line of descent of the mother. Children belong to their mother’s clan.
The clans are named after animals and birds.
Before European contact, the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents of a clan lived together in one house called a longhouse. This made a strong, cooperative family unit with the clan mother as the head.
When a couple got married, the husband moved into his wife’s family’s longhouse. Men who moved into their wives’ homes did not change their clans. Each man kept his responsibilities to his mother’s family and helped raise his sisters’ children.
People belonging to the same clan are related, no matter where their community is. When people traveled to other Haudenosaunee communities, relatives of their same clan welcomed them.

The clan mother has an important role. Some of her responsibilities are to:

Make all the major decisions that affect the clan.
Assign names to people in her clan.
Nominate the male leader of the clan. The male leader is called the hoyaneh.
Help make sure that all members of her clan are fed.

Source: Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, “Haudenosaunee Guide for Educators (Clan System).” © Smithsonian Institution. Short excerpt, simplified for reading level (no facts added), used for classroom study with credit. All rights remain with the original publisher; please read the original for the full text. Read the original, with its images and maps, at americanindian.si.edu.