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Tewaaráton (The Little Brother of War): A Brief History of Iroquois Lacrosse

by James Thomas Stevens (Aronhió:ta's)
 

"How thin and bloodless seem the Whiteman's sports in comparison with
that splendid display of mental and bodily combat between these tawny
throngs of Redmen." — Tekahionwake (Mohawk poet 1861 – 1913)
 

For the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois, lacrosse is a part of life; for some, it is a way of life. Growing up in Western New York, just across the Niagara River from Canada and my grandfather's birthplace at Six Nations Reserve, I was aware of lacrosse from my earliest memory. I believe the first game I attended was with my Cayuga uncle, Hubert. He took me and a cousin to a game at the arena in Hagersville, Ontario. Trips up to my grandmother's birthplace at Akwesasne were punctuated with discussions of lacrosse and hockey games as well. There was not a family we visited, including our own, that did not have lacrosse sticks, wooden or aluminum, with sinew webbing or nylon, hanging on the walls of their sheds and garages. Western New York is Seneca Nation territory, where frequent games are played between the Newtown Golden Eagles and other teams, such as the Onondaga Red Hawks, the Six Nations Slash, and the Allegeny Arrows.

Lacrosse is known as The Creator's Game. It is said that lacrosse existed in the Creator's mind even before human beings or Onkwehonwe had been created. When the Good Twin and the Evil Twin were battling for control of the earth, lacrosse was one of the many games to which they challenged one another. After the good twin proved victorious and created human beings, these new beings played lacrosse to honour the Creator and show thanks for their good health and strong minds. It is also considered a "medic...