The
Iroquois Studies Association
An educational, not-for-profit organization, incorporated in the State of New York. Our purpose is to provide educational and cultural programs about American Indians, especially the Haudenosaunee, or Six Nations of the Iroquois.
Welcome to the newly renovated Iroquois Studies Association website.
We have been maintaining this site for over 15 years now and thought that it was due (overdue, actually) for a face lift. Modern web browsers allow much more attractive and easily navigated sites. Furthermore, there exist a wide variety of screen sizes and it is awkward to try to read something that is two feet wide. Increasingly users are viewing web sites on tablets and smart phones, which have smaller screens.
This revision has been designed for a wide range of screen sizes. We have not yet mastered the art of what is called "responsive design". That permits the site to respond to the characteristics of the display; wide or narrow, large or small. You may have experienced this with a hand held device that dynamically reformats the display when rotated. We hope to be able to advance to that point, but it is definitely something for the future.
We have tried to make sure that the site will be useable on really old computers and really old browsers. Industry data show that very few people are still using Internet Explorer 6 and 7, which are the main problem browsers. If you are still using them you should consider upgrading to the latest version that will run on your computer, for the sake of both security and function. There are some businesses which have made the trade-off that it isn't worth the expense and time to support obsolete browsers.
A special email account has been set up for visitors to submit comments, questions, suggestions, and gripes. Please use this email and not the general ISA email for this purpose. The account will be active for a limited time, since it may become a spam magnet. That email is web@otsiningo.com.
Iroquois Beadwork Publications
Iroquois Beadwork Volume 1: A Short History features over 200 full color pictures of beadwork and gives a short history of Iroquois beadwork. An illustrated time line shows examples of the major traditions of beadwork over the last 200 years. It also contains a list of publications for further reading.
Iroquois Beadwork Volume 2: An Identification Guide contains 26 pages of full color pictures of beadwork classified into over 80 defined types of beadwork such as heart pincushions, canoes, birds, needlecases, urns, strawberries, and fist purses and how they differ in the three main beadwork traditions: the Mohawk, the Niagara, and the Thomas-Hill.
Iroquois Beadwork Volume 3: An Exhibit, Conference, And More reports on the 2009 Rockwell Museum of Western Art exhibit, "Sewing the Seeds: 200 Years of Iroquois Glass Beadwork" which featured over 300 pieces of Iroquois beadwork. This volume also includes information about the first Iroquois Beadwork Conference which was held in September, 2009, and was attended by over 50 admirers of Iroquois beadwork. Also included are essays on purple pillow pincushions and floral black bags.
Iroquois Beadwork Volume 4: Canoes and Horseshoes Canoes and horseshoes are two of the many forms of Iroquois beadwork. Out of the dozens of different types of Iroquois beadwork developed in the last two centuries, these two forms are described together in this publication because they share several characteristics.
Iroquois Beadwork Volume 5: Strawberries, Birds, and Trees Three of the over eighty forms of Iroquois beadwork are featured in this twenty page guidebook. Strawberries, birds, and trees are included together because they share the characteristic of being three-dimensional; they have no defined front and back so they can be viewed from all sides. Over one hundred pieces of beadwork are pictured.
Click here for an order form for all the publications. There is a special price for a combination package.
Birds and Beasts in Beads: 150 Years of Iroquois Beadwork
A catalogue for the exhibit of the same name The exhibit was originally at the Longyear Museum of Anthropology, Colgate University. The catalogue was compiled by Carol Ann Lorenz, the Senior Curator of the Longyear Museum.
The 26 page full color publication includes 57 photographs of Iroquois beadwork in a variety of shapes and functions. Pincushions carry colorful images of exotic animals including elephants and unicorns and purses that picture lions, a camel, and a pig. A hot pink whisk broom holder shows a green hippo with a yellow dog chasing a blue cat. A trilobe heart shows four baby birds peeking out of a bird’s nest. One purse depicts a FOX on a BOX and other shows a green bear. There is also a green cow with the date 1910.
A 6000 word essay by Dolores Elliott outlines the history of Iroquois beadwork in the communities of the Six Nations in the US and Canada. The cost of the catalogue is $12.00 plus shipping.
Click here for an order form.
Samuel Thomas’ Beadwork Workbook has been reprinted. Click here for an order form.