Dutch Firearms and the Haudenosaunee

In the 17th century, Dutch firearms reached the world of the Haudenosaunee: the confederacy of Iroquoian-speaking Indigenous peoples in the Great Lakes region of North America. This book shows that these weapons were not only valued for practical or military purposes, but also found a place within a rich spiritual and cultural universe. Drawing on historical sources, archaeological finds and oral traditions, the authors explain how European objects were incorporated into existing ideas about …