I have been a student of Haudenosaunee history and culture for more than a quarter century. My research began with my home community of Akwesasne, and quickly expanded to the Mohawk Nation and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The St. Lawrence Iroquoians and the Seven Nations of Canada are also big blips on my research radar. I have documented the lives of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Colonel Louis Cook, and Saiowisakeron, also known as Jake Ice and John Fire. If these names don’t ring a bell, you’ve come to the right place.

The Wampum Chronicles has been my online base since the last millennium. This is where I post articles I have written and documents I have gathered. It is also where I promote my books, wampum presentations, storytelling gigs, and other projects.

I’m in the process of updating the site with new and old material. I thought you might appreciate a stripped-down homepage with a straight-forward index—a respite from the visual noise and madness of today’s weird wired web. I allow no pop-ups, tracking, or outside links. You can keep track of updates here by liking the Wampum Chronicles Facebook page.

See a graphic you’d like to borrow? Want to book a presentation? Got a history question? Have a wampum belt, treaty, Indian peace medal, or a painting of a black officer from the Rev War or the War of 1812 in your attic? I’m your guy. Get in touch with me on Facebook or at the e-mail address at the bottom of the page.


Darren Bonaparte




The Remembrance Belt:

Conflicting Traditions of an Onondaga Wampum


One of the most intriguing wampum belts of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy is one known by many names: the Remembrance belt, the Defeat of the French Record belt, the Peacemaker belt, the Prophecy belt, and—to keep life simple—the Peacemaker Prophecy belt. It is a bit of a myth that wampum belts actually had names, but these are the ones that have been attached to the belt over the years. There are just as many interpretations. The two that stand out are literally worlds apart.

Click here to read more



PRESENTATIONS


Wampum is how the Haudenosaunee documented our history and culture. I have been giving talks about wampum since I wove my first belt. My collection has grown since then and so have my presentations. I now employ more than two dozen replica wampum belts and strings in addition to clothing and items specific to the colonial era. Wampum presentations are suitable for school assemblies, college lectures, historic site re-enactments, and cultural festivals.

Click here for more about Presentations



BOOKS


I’m proud of the two books I’ve written and published so far! I put my heart and soul into these projects, which may explain my current listlessness. I was wise enough to include some of my capable friends and colleagues in these efforts, which may explain why they’ve all been blacklisted in the industry. You can order copies directly from me or by visiting the retail outlets that carry them. They are also available on Amazon.com if that’s how you roll. (If you are a retailer and are interested in bulk purchases, or a library looking to order at a discount, you may find it more expedient to go to Createspace.com and register directly with them.)


Creation & Confederation:

The Living History of the Iroquois


A Lily Among Thorns:

The Mohawk Repatriation of Káteri Tekahkwí:tha



ARCHIVES


Historical Articles and Papers

(2010-2014)


Traditional Teachings are Not in the Public Domain (2014)

A Bird of Many Colors (2014)

The Disputed Myth, Metaphor and Reality of the Two Row Wampum (2013)

October 23, 1812: The Skirmish at St. Regis (2012)

Akwesasne in the War of 1812 Documentation (2012)

Akwesasne in the War of 1812 Speech (2012)

The Names of Those Who Fought at Niagara, 1812

The Story of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (2012)

The Great Peace of 1760 Speech (2010)

The Akwesasne Wolf Belt and Great Peace of 1760 (2010)



Tribal Governance Research Project

(2006)


Too Many Chiefs, Not Enough Indians

The History of the Three Chief System

and the Constitution of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe



Akwesasne Historical Articles

(2005-2008)


St. Regis Mission Established 250 Years Ago This Year

The “Boundaries” of the St. Regis Mission

The First Families of Akwesasne

The Darkest Day in Mohawk History

“…To Smoke the Pipe of Peace…”

Burying the Hatchet” at the Treaty of Kahnawake

Was Akwesasne’s “Burnt Church” a Sacrifice to Peace?

Louis Cook: A French and Indian Warrior

Louis Cook: A “Colonel” of Truth?

Colonel Louis at Oriskany and Valley Forge

The Missions of Atiatonharongwen

Eleazer Williams: The Lost Mohawk

The Unquiet Rest of Eleazer Williams

A “Jake Ice” for the American Side of Akwesasne

Mohawks Know the Dark Side of Bridges

The Healing Powers of the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

Old News Clippings Document “Mohawk” Political Revival

The St. Regis Mohawk School and the Cultural Revival of 1937

Akwesasne's First Newspaper and the Return to Traditional Government

The Two Row Wampum Belt: An Akwesasne Tradition

The Covenant Chain of Peace and Friendship Returns to Akwesasne

Nia:wen ko:wa, Tehanetorens: Akwesasne Remembers Ray Fadden



Early Articles

(1993-1999)


Kaniatarowanenneh: River of the Iroquois

The Seven Nations Of Canada: The Other Iroquois Confederacy

The History Of Akwesasne: From Pre-Contact To Modern Times

The History of the St. Regis Catholic Church & the Early Pastors

A Gift to the Seventh Generation: The Legacy of Kanonsase

Saiowisakeron: The Jake Ice Story

Sakaronhiokeweh: A Tribute to a Mohawk Wampum Belt Maker

Land Where the Partridge Drums: A History of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation



Historical Documents


The Treaty of Kahnawake of 1760

Claus to Haldimand, Nov. 19, 1778

The Seven Nations of Canada Treaty of 1796

The Council of Kahnawake of 1799

The Life of Colonel Louis Cook by Eleazer Williams

St. Regis” (1853) by Franklin B. Hough

The Akwesasne Council of Life Chiefs by Franklin B. Hough

Petitions of the Life Chiefs

Facts About St. Regis Indians (1915)

1890 Census Map of Akwesasne (PDF)

Benjamin Franklin: Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America



Loose Wampum


The Huron Gift to Kahnawake

The Evergrowing Tree Belt

The Atotarho Belt

Mohawk Longhouses

2004 Living History Workshop

Old Mohawk Words




For all inquiries, please use the following email address: