Smithsonian Store event spotlights Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace

The Smithsonian Store hosted a conversation and reading in Lower Manhattan on Sept. 26 centered on American Indigenous Democracy: A Call for Interdependence and the Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace. The event highlighted the tradition’s influence on U.S. founding ideas and its relevance to modern governance and environmental challenges.

Why it matters: - The Great Law of Peace is presented as a living political tradition with relevance to debates about democracy, equity and civil authority today. - The event linked Haudenosaunee governance to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, adding Indigenous history to the national conversation. - The discussion underscored the role of Indigenous women in governance and decision-making.

What happened: - The Smithsonian Store hosted an afternoon conversation and reading on Saturday, Sept. 26, at its Native American-centered shop and bookstore inside the historic Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House in Lower Manhattan. - The program focused on the new book American Indigenous Democracy: A Call for Interdependence, published by Guaní Press. - The event featured editor Hatueyael José Barreiro and contributing author and Clan Mother Wakérakats:te Louise Herne, also known as Mommabear. - The session ended with a Q&A and book signing.

The details: - American Indigenous Democracy: A Call for Interdependence was released in July. - The anthology collects essays by Haudenosaunee leaders and scholars including Oren Lyons, John Mohawk, Louise Herne and Katsi Cook. - The book examines the enduring legacy, political philosophy and current relevance of the Great Law of Peace. - The Great Law of Peace is described in the source material as the oral constitution that unified the Iroquois, or Haudenosaunee, Confederacy. - The book ties that tradition to the longest continuous democracy on the planet. - During the talk, Barreiro and Herne outlined the historical significance and contemporary uses of Indigenous governance frameworks. - The discussion also highlighted the pivotal role of women in those systems. - Audience members heard that historical documents show evidence of the Great Law of Peace influencing the founding documents of the United States. - The event also pointed to relationships between Haudenosaunee leaders and several Declaration of Independence signers, including Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. - Gloria Steinem wrote in a blurb that the book documents the claim that democracy developed in North America and describes the Haudenosaunee as a source of lessons for the future. - The announcement includes two links for more information: the publisher's site and a site focused on the Great Law of Peace.

Between the lines: - The event framed Indigenous political thought as foundational rather than peripheral to U.S. democratic history. - The timing around the Declaration of Independence anniversary suggests an effort to broaden how the founding era is remembered. - The emphasis on women’s leadership signals that the book is as much about governance structures as it is about historical recognition.

What's next: - Guaní Press says it is offering bulk sales, upcoming public programs and opportunities to host conversations with the authors. - The publisher is directing readers to its website for follow-up on the book and related events. - The Great Law of Peace outreach appears set to continue through additional public programming and book discussions.