1. Iroquois Seasons and Festivals
The Iroquois Year – Divided into 2 Parts – Growing and Sleeping

2. Year is divided into Months or “Moons”
Examples of some Iroquois Moon names:
The Frogs are Peeping – Summer
The End of Leaves – Fall
When I Cough - Winter

3. The Iroquois year was named and dated by the major events within them….
In the time of our great, great grandfathers…..
The Year of Katrina – 2005
________________________ - Seventh Grade

4. Iroquois Festivals The Iroquois year began when the Earth woke up.
First festival of spring was called
“Thanks to the Maple”
Purpose –
Give thanks to the Maple tree and forest and to the Creator for both.
Activities – Dancing, games , burning tobacco, ends with feast.

5. 2nd Festival: Planting Festival
Purpose – to plant food for the tribe.
Activities- women prepared Earth with bone tools for planting.

6. 3rd Festival : Strawberry Festival
Purpose – village hunt for fresh strawberries.
Activities – gave thanks for fresh fruit

7. 4th Festival: Green Corn Festival
Purpose –honored master of life
Activities –gave thanks, named babies born after Midwinter festival, dancing, singing, feast

8. 5th Festival: Harvest Festival
Purpose – prepared for long, hard winter, harvested food
Activities –Harvested food, gathered crops, dug pits for storage

9. 6th Festival: Midwinter Festival
Purpose- give praise and power back to “Master of Life”
Get ready for a new year
Activities- Naming of children born since Green Corn Festival
Clean out home

10. What is Culture? Culture is a way of life shared by a group of people.
*******Geography affects your culture*******