The Role of Women in Huron Society (1721)
Pierre de Charlevoix Pierre de Charlevoix, a Jesuit, came to New France as a French spy in 1720. He traveled
up the S1. Lawrence River, through the Great Lakes, and down the Mississippi to New
Orleans. During his travels he kept a journal, cast in the form of letters, that was first pub-
lished in 1744. Charlevoix’s careful observations reveal a social structure that seemed ex-
traordinary to Europeans. Among the Hurons, he tells us, women played an important
role in a democratic decision-making process. The historian James Axtell calls Huron so-
ciety a “gynecocracy,” or a government ruled by women.
Source: From Journal of a Voyage to North America by Pierre de Charlevoix (London, 1761).
In the northern parts, and wherever the Algonquin tongue
prevails, the dignity of chief is elective; and the whole cere-
mony of election and installation consists in some feasts, ac-
‘companied with dances and songs; the chief elect likewise
never fails to make the panegyrick [eulogy 1 of his predeces-
sor, and to invoke his genius. Amongst the Hurons, where this
dignity is hereditary, the succession is continued through the
women, so that at the death of a chief, it is not his own, but
his sister’s son who succeeds him; or, in default of which, his
nearest relation in the female line. When the whole branch
happens to be extinct, the noblest matron of the tribe or in
the nation chuses the person she approves of most, and de-
clares him chief. The person who is to govern must be come
to years of maturity; and when the hereditary chief is not as
yet arrived at this period, they appoint a regent, who has all
the authority, but which he holds in name of the minor.
These chiefs generally have no great marks of outward re-
spect paid them, and if they are never disobeyed, it is because
they know how to set bounds to their authority. It is true that
they request or propose, rather than command; and never ex-
ceed the boundaries of that small share of authority with
which they are vested. Thus it is properly reason which gov-
erns, and the government has so much the more influence. as
obedience is founded in liberty; and that they are free from
any apprehension of its degenerating into tyranny.
Nay more, each family has a right to chuse a counsellor
of its own, and an assistant to the chief, who is to watch for
their interest; and without whose consent the chief can un-
dertake nothing. These counsellors are, above all things, to
have an eye to the public treasury; and it is properly they
who determine the uses it is to be put to. They are invested
with this character in a general council, but they do not ac-
quaint their allies with it, as they do at the elections and in-
stallations of their chief. Amongst the Huron nations, the
women name the counsellors, and often chuse persons of
their own sex.
This body of counsellors or assistants is the highest of
all; the next is that of the elders, consisting of all those who
have come to the years of maturity. I have not been able to
find exactly what this age is. The last of all is that of the war-
riors; this comprehends all who are able to bear arms. This
body has often at its head, the chief of the nation or town;
but he must first have distinguished himself by some signal
action of bravery; if not, he is obliged to serve as a subaltern,
that is, as a single centinel; there being no degrees in the
militia of the Indians.
In fact, a large body may have several chiefs, this title be-
ing given to all who ever commanded; but they are not there-
fore the less subject to him who leads the party; a kind of
general, without character or real authority, who has power
neither to reward nor punish, whom his soldiers are at lib-
erty to abandon at pleasure and with impunity, and whose
orders notwithstanding are scarce ever disputed: so true it is,
that amongst a people who are guided by reason, and in-
spired with sentiments of honour and love for their country,
1-4 The Role of Women in Huron Society (1721) 7
independence is not destructive of subordination; and, that
a free and voluntary obedience is that on which we can al-
ways rely with the greatest certainty. Moreover, the qualities
requisite are, that he be fortunate, of undoubted courage,
and perfectly disinterested. It is no miracle, that a person
possessed of such eminent qualities should be obeyed.
The women have the chief authority amongst all the na-
tions of the Huron language; if we except the Iroquois can-
ton of Onneyouth [Oneida], in which it is in both sexes
alternately. But if this be their lawful constitution, their prac-
tice is seldom agreeable to it. In fact, the men never tell the
women any thing they would have to be kept secret; and
rarely any affair of consequence is communicated to them,
though all is done in their name, and the chiefs are no more
than their lieutenants …. The real authority of the women is
very small: I have been however assured, that they always de-
liberate first on whatever is proposed in council; and that
they afterwards give the result of their deliberation to the
chiefs, who make the report of it to the general council, com-
posed of the elders; but in all probability this is done only for
form’s sake, and with the restrictions I have already men-
tioned. The warriors likewise consult together, on what re-
lates to their particular province, but can conclude nothing
of importance which concerns the nation or town; all being
subject to the examination and controul of the council of
elders, who judge in the last resource.
It must be acknowledged, that proceedings are carried
on in these assemblies with a wisdom and a coolness, and a
knowledge of affairs, and I may add generally with a probity,
which would have done honour to the areopagus of Athens,
or to the senate of Rome, in the most glorious days of those
republics: the reason of this is, that nothing is resolved upon
with precipitation; and that those violent passions, which
have so much disgraced the politics even of Christians, have
never prevailed amongst the Indians over the public good.
Interested persons fail not, however, to set many springs in
motion, and apply an address in the execution of their de-
signs, we could hardly believe barbarians capable of; they
also all of them possess, in the most sovereign degree, the art
of concealing their real intentions: but generally speaking,
the glory of the nation and motive of honour, are the chief
movers in all enterprizes. What can never be excused in them
is, that they often make honour consist in satiating a revenge
which knows no bounds; a fault which Christianity alone is
able to correct, and in which all our politeness and religion
are often unsuccessful.
Each tribe has an orator in every town, which orators
are the only persons who have a liberty to speak in the pub-
lic councils and general assemblies: they always speak well
and to the purpose. Besides this natural eloquence … they
have a perfect knowledge of the interests of their employers,
and an address in placing the best side of their own cause in
the most advantageous light, which nothing can exceed. On
some occasions, the women have an orator, who speaks in
their name, or rather acts as their interpreter.
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8 CHAPTER 1 The New Global World, 1450-1620
Questions
1. What role did women play in Huron decision making?
2. Was their power realor merely a mask for male supremacy?
3. Ideally, Hurons suppressed their “violent passions” for the sake of the public good.
How realistic does this sound for a society?
