The Cherokee and the Iroquois to their north are related, their languages are similar, and so are most of their customs. The role of Iroquois women is beautifully stated in Carolyn Thomas Foreman's book, and it almost word for word applies equally to the Cherokee.
"Women controlled many of the fundamental institutions of society among the Iroquois and tribes similarly organized. Descent of blood or citizenship in the clan, and hence in the tribe, was traced through the mother: "titles, distinguished by unchanging specific names, of the various chieftainships of the tribe belonged exclusively to her"; the lodge with all its furnishings and equipment were the property of the woman; her children, if she had any, were her own; the lands of the clan, which included the burial grounds in which her sons and brothers were interred; and so of the tribe, "as the source of food, life, and shelter, belonged to her"
"Being in possession of these vested rights, the woman had the sovereign right to select the candidates for chieftainship from her sons in their clan, and in the tribe. She also had the right to initiate the procedure for their disposition for sufficient cause. The power of life or death over prisoners who were taken as the spoils of war belonged to the woman to replace her kindred who had been killed ... thus it is evident that not only the clan and the tribal councils, but also the League councils were composed of her representatives, not those of the men".
"The household was the domain of the female sex. Here the feminine arts of a culinary nature were pursued... The many duties of the women included not only the care of the house but also wood gathering, child care, assisting in planting, cultivation, and the harvest, and other tasks... Clothing was manufactured by the women...
"These chieftainesses were the executive officers of the women they represented; they provided by public levy or contributions the food necessary at festivals, ceremonials, and general assemblies, and also for charity. Their duty was to keep close watch on the policies and course of affairs relating to the welfare of the tribe, to guard carefully the interests of the public treasury, with power to maintain its resources which consisted of strings and belts of wampum, furs, meal, corn, fresh, dried, and smoked meats, quill and feather work, and all other things which might serve in defraying public expenses and obligations.
"Every distinct or primordial family had at least one of the female chiefs, who together constituted a clan council; and sometimes one of them by reason of extraordinary merit and wisdom, was made regent in the event of a vacancy in the office of the regular male chief."
Because of the above mentioned facts it is not surprising that among the Iroquoian tribes -- the Susquehanna, the Hurons, and the Iroquois-- the punishment for killing a woman of the tribe was double that exacted for killing a man"."
"The women wear the hair of their head, which is so long that it generally reaches to the middle of their legs, and sometimes to the ground, club'd, and ornamented with ribbons of various colours; but, except their eyebrows, pluck it from all the other parts of the body..." (Timberlake, 76,77)
"They are particularly careful of the superannuated, but are not so till of a great age; of which Ostenaco's mother is an instance. Ostenaco is about sixty years of age, and the youngest of four; yet his mother still continues her laborious tasks, and has yet strength enough to carry 200 weight of wood on her back near a couple of miles." (Timberlake, 80)
"Among Cherokees, women were the bearers of water. They went daily to streams, creeks, and rivers that flowed in and around their settlements to fill gourds and pitchers with water to carry back to their homes. Transporting water was so profoundly a part of women's domain that 'it was considered disgraceful for men or boys to be seen carrying water'. With water, women transformed raw food into cooked food, vegetation into medicines and dyes, and natural elements into domestic goods. In the hands and households of women, water became a powerful agent of change". (Hill, 4)
COMING FOR WATER: "The getting of water from the neighboring stream or spring was a
daily duty of the women, and accordingly we find in Ind. stories constant allusion to ambuscades
or lovers' appointments at such places." (Mooney, 496)
"Women's autonomy was born of social and economic security. Marriage customs, residence patterns, and social structures all protected women and children and enhanced their rights. After marriage, a woman usually remained in her home village and continued to live in her family compound. Her household might contain her mother, sisters, and aunts, along with her new husband. She owned her house and garden and through the matrilineage, controlled clan fields as well. Whereas men moved away from home and even from their villages after marriage, women remained in their households and towns of origin. Close to their families and fields, they retained access to economic and social resources. "The wives generally have separate property" explained Timberlake, "that no inconveniency may arise from death or separation". (Hill, 32)
"They taught young girls how to be Cherokee women. Training took place in homes where girls watched female relatives make meals, baskets, pottery, beadwork, and clothing. Teaching by example, showing girls how to be mothers and sisters, daughters and wives, storytellers and traders, was part of every relationship. It occurred in household gardens and clan fields where young girls gradually learned about plants and crops, seeds and seasons, formulas and weather. Becoming a Cherokee woman meant weaving together knowledge from and of the past, with experiences and resources of the present." (Hill, 34).
Several other facts about matrilineal kinship need to be made plain before one can understand the kinship organization... One is that even though they traced their descent through women, and even though women occupied honored places in their society, this did not mean that women had charge of the society. Although houses, land, and certain other kinds of property were owned and controlled by a matrilineal group of relatives, most of the effective political power lay in the hands of men, and the important decisions were generally made by men. Some exceptions did occur. We have already seen that both Hernando de Soto and Juan Pardo encountered in the course of their explorations female chiefs with considerable power. Later, the "beloved women" (Agiyagustu) among both the Cherokees and the Creeks were people of influence. For example, in 1774, when the Creeks were on the verge of going to war against the English colonists, a Cherokee beloved woman at Sugartown sent a message to a Creek beloved woman at Coweta urging the Creeks to remain at peace. (Corkran, The Creek Frontier, 30,31)
"But for the most part women were influential rather than powerful, and they were more inclined to sway opinion behind the scenes than out in the open." (Hudson, 186,187)
"Women were equal to men in every respect. They could speak in the council house (though we may doubt if they did so often), and they enjoyed the same sexual license as their men. Adultery was no more a crime for a married woman than for her husband. Indeed, the central doctrine of the Cherokee constitution was the equality of all citizens. One factor keeping government at a minimum was the high value placed on personal freedom." (Reid, Hatchet, 5)
Note: our research reveals that women seldom spoke in the council house; and if one did it would be a spokesperson for an individual clan, or group of clans. The womens' position was always known before a serious meeting, especially by their clansmen who would then speak for them, and serve their interests. There is only one recorded instance of a speech at the national council by the last "Beloved Woman", Nancy Ward -- and she did so only after having been asked by the Oukah to address a visiting dignitary. Her last appearance before the national council was by proxy, as she was too ill to attend, at which time she sent her resignation, and returned the articles attesting to the position she had held, such as the white swan- wing fan.
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