Longhouse

The basic house type of northern Iroquoian peoples such as the HURON and IROQUOIS, the longhouse sheltered a number of families related through the female line. It was established throughout the Iroquoian area by the 12th century. They were 8 m wide but of variable length (one 94 m long was uncovered at the Moyer site in southern Ontario). Longhouses described by the early French explorers and by the Jesuit missionaries in the 17th century were somewhat shorter. In the 18th century, longhouses were replaced by single-family dwellings for residences, but continued as political and ceremonial structures. Followers of the HANDSOME LAKE RELIGION continue to refer to the buildings that house their ceremonies as longhouses.

The 17th-century dwelling was constructed by driving flexible poles into the ground at fixed intervals. These were then bent over and lashed together. Horizontal poles strengthened the frame, and cedar-bark (Huron) or elm-bark (Iroquois) sheathing covered the structure. Sleeping platforms ran the length of the house. Each of the three to five hearths, 6 m apart down the middle of the longhouse, was shared by two nuclear families of five or six persons. Firewood was stacked in vestibules near the entrances at either end of the structure. The Iroquois characterized their confederacy as a longhouse of five fires.

Author RENÉ R. GADACZ

Links to Other Sites
Canadian Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge
The website for the Canadian Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge, which features Canada's largest essay writing competition for Aboriginal youth (ages 14-29) and a companion program for those who prefer to work through painting, drawing and photography. See their guidelines, teacher resources, profiles of winners, and more. From the Historica-Dominion Institute.

Raid on Deerfield
A narrated history of the 1704 Raid on Deerfield and its aftermath from Native and European perspectives. Also features fascinating stories about Native societies, cultures, trade practices, and traditions. This multimedia website is from the Memorial Hall Museum in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

Four Directions Teachings
Elders and traditional teachers representing the Blackfoot, Cree, Ojibwe, Mohawk, and Mi’kmaq share teachings about their history and culture. Animated graphics visualize each of the oral teachings. This website also provides biographies of participants, transcripts, and an extensive array of learning resources for students and their teachers. In English with French subtitles.

Native Dance
A superb multimedia website dedicated to native dance traditions from coast to coast in Canada. Features audio and video clips, in-depth interviews and articles for students, the image research database for scholars, downloadable resource kits for teachers, and more. Produced by Carleton University and The Sumner Group Inc., with the assistance of many other organizations and contributors.

Site Droulers-Tsiionhiakwatha
The website for the Droulers-Tsiionhiakwatha Archaeological Site Interpretation Centre, an ancient Iroquoian village near the La Guerre River in what is now the municipality of Saint-Anicet, Québec.