Many of the Iroquois wars were 'mourning wars': captives would be tortured and, those who endured would either be killed or adopted, depending on the decision of the clan mother whose member was being avenged. And they did adopt others, who either came voluntarily or sometimes not.
At any rate, in my adult lifetime there seems to have been a growing tendency to view all accounts from Europeans as suspect and to idealize, or romanticize primitive cultures as more idyllic. The same seems to be true of places like New Hebrides (Vanuatu), the islands featured in the musical 'South Pacific' based on Michener's 'Tales From the South Pacific', who also practiced cannibalism until Europeans came.
I would suppose that every culture, and person, has their 'hall of shame' from the past, not to say that they didn't also have many traits to be admired. Multiculturalism should mention both.
Clan mothers did appoint chiefs (who were male) for life to the Iroquois Confederacy (and could remove them if desired), but there was still a division of labor present; women primarily in the home and fields, men hunting and fishing. And there were plenty of wars going on - among Indian tribes as well as against Europeans. Often a chief was appointed because they were the best warrior. The land belonged to the entire tribe, though clan mothers distributed it to members recognized as part of their mother's clan.
The Christian faith had an influence on these peoples:
"The Mohawk called themselves Ganiengehaka, or "people of the flint country." Their warriors, armed with flint arrows, were known to be overpowering; their enemies called them Mowak, meaning "man eaters."
In 1799, amidst the Christian missionary efforts, a revival of the ancient Longhouse religion developed. A Seneca known as Handsome Lake had spent much of his life in dissolute living and fell gravely ill when he was about 65 years old. He expected to die, but instead, he experienced a profound vision and recovered. Inspired, he began to spread the Good Word among his fellow Iroquois. The New Religion was essentially a revitalization of the ancient pagan beliefs, although some Quaker influence can be detected.
Major tenets of the New Religion included shunning of alcoholic beverages, abandonment of beliefs in witchcraft and love potions, and denunciation of abortion. The fact that Handsome Lake's message had come in a dream gave it a profound impact among the Haudenosaunee. The religion was instrumental in showing many Iroquois how to retain their own culture while adapting to a world dominated by non-Indians."
The Seneca Nation near-by have both a Christian and Longhouse side. A 'nation within a nation', they have had - and continue to have - problems with NYS. For instance, NYS is concerned about a loss of revenue due to the selling of tobacco products and gasoline on the reservation. They have tried to get the Indians to collect the state tax, which they refuse to do. Other methods were equally resisted. Now you have to estimate (or use a formula) how much you purchase from the reservation and pay the tax on your annual income tax. Gambling establishments have also been a source of contention.
Neither gender, nor any culture/government are perfect. There is no 'heaven on earth'. At best, I think, we can learn from the past and from one another - learn to forgive one another - and work together to respect all people(s).
