Darren Bonaparte: Mohawk perspective on Two Row Wampum

As a Mohawk historian who uses wampum belts to tell our story, I have always loved the Two Row Wampum Belt and its metaphor of the native canoe and European ship sailing side by side down the river of life. Nothing pleases me more to see this acted out in modern times on the Hudson River this summer, with parallel rows of canoes, kayaks and watercraft—including an impressive, newly-carved dugout canoe serving as flagship. The principles of peace and friendship are exactly what the original wampum belt weavers had in mind when the Two Row was first made, and those principles are well-represented by the paddlers today.

Last year’s public debate on the historical background of this event, on the other hand, came up short in the peace and friendship category. I bit my tongue and steered clear of this one, even though it concerned a particular area of history that has become a focus for me, and even involved several acquaintances I’ve made along the way. Recently the Journal of Early American History entered the fray with a special free issue devoted to this historical debate. While wisely avoiding the claim of being the “final word” on the subject, the editors of the journal have presented significant contributions on this early period of Dutch/Haudenosaunee contact.