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Jun 8, 2018 · History. North American indigenous peoples: Biographies. Hiawatha. views 3,321,868 updated Jun 08 2018. Hiawatha. The Native American honored as a leader of the Iroquois nation in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 's "The Song of Hiawatha" is not an actual person, although Hiawatha (c. 1400) has entered American legend as such.
In this epic work, Longfellow set out to honor Native American heritage, but simultaneously perpetuated stereotypes and the false assertion that Indigenous culture was dying in America. Since then, the merits and pitfalls of Hiawatha have been rightly debated as its hold on American culture endures. Anishinaabe People.
Hiawatha summary: Hiawatha was a Mohawk Indian chief or the leader of the Onondaga tribe depending on the source. He is attributed with having joined together five tribes to form the Iroquois Confederacy. He is believed to have been born circa 1525, but not much is known about him prior to becoming chief.
