Wyandot Government: A Short Study of Tribal Society / Bureau of American Ethnology

Name: Wyandot Government: A Short Study of Tribal Society / Bureau of American Ethnology
Author: John Wesley Powell

By John Wesley Powell

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Archaeology & Anthropology

About This Book

The study describes Wyandot social organization centered on household, matrilineal gens, phratries, and tribe. Households occupy communal lodges led by women; gens are named kin groups tracing descent through the female line and supply personal and group names. Several gentes form phratries used chiefly in religion, medicine, and festivals. Membership depends on birth or formal adoption. Civil authority is exercised through councils in which women hold most seats and select gentile chiefs; the tribal sachem is chosen by those chiefs. Installation involves ceremonial painting, feathered chaplets, and public feasting, while military functions are kept distinct and a herald-sheriff executes council orders.

About the Author

John Wesley Powell

John Wesley Powell was a prominent American geologist, explorer, and ethnologist known for his pioneering explorations of the American West. He is best remembered for his adventurous journey through the Grand Canyon, which he documented in his book "Canyons of the Colorado." Powell's work significantly contributed to the understanding of the geology and ecology of the arid regions of the United States. He also served as the second director of the U.S. Geological Survey and was instrumental in the establishment of the Bureau of Ethnology, where he published important studies on Native American languages and cultures. His legacy includes a commitment to scientific exploration and environmental conservation.