Synopsis
This account of a 1799 Quaker mission to a Seneca village in northwestern Pennsylvania is based on the journal of Henry Simmons and offers a captivating look at Seneca culture of the period – their festivals and games, division of labor, and fascinating cult of dreams, which affected many of their actions. The perceptive Chief Cornplanter, realizing that his people must adapt to new social and economic patterns, welcomed the Quakers as teachers, not so much for their religion, but for their knowledge of agriculture. The interactions between the two groups brought on conflicts among the Senecas and new developments in their culture, among them the rise of the powerful prophet Handsome Lake and his Longhouse religion. The author shows how Simmons and Cornplanter each attained a grasp of the other’s religion, politics, and lifestyles and were able to mutually achieve their goals by finding the similarities and utilizing them.
David Swatzler is a professional writer who lives in Cooperstown, Pennsylvania.
