The Wampum Chronicles: Mohawk Territory on the Internet

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