The Great Law of Peace is the set of rules that make the constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy. The law was written by Dekanawidah, known as the Great Peacemaker, and his spokesman Hiawatha.
The laws were first recorded by means of “wampum symbols” that conveyed meaning. In a later era the Iroquois Constitution was translated into English and various other versions exist. The Great Law of Peace is presented as part of a narrative stating laws and ceremonies to be performed at prescribed times. The laws called a constitution are divided into 117 articles. The united Iroquois nations are symbolized by an eastern white pine tree, called the Tree of Peace. Each nation or tribe plays a defined role in the conduct of government.
According to the Iroquois Constitution, one quality of a good leader is:
Yes, because although we like to imagine that our beliefs are rational, logical, and objective, the fact is that our ideas are often based on paying attention to the information that upholds our ideas and ignoring the information that challenges our existing beliefs.
