Clothing
All of the Iroquois clothing was made from animal hides and furs. The women removed the hair and the flesh with stone scrapers. They had to soak the hides in a solution of boiled deer brains in order to soften them. Once the hides were dry, they had to be smoked in order to make them more durable. Leather was cut into patterns and then sewn together with sinew which was threaded through holes which were made by bones which pierced the hides. The other kinds of skins such as beaver, bobcat and squirrel were only scraped inside because they left the fur which would provide warmth and decoration. Hides could also be used after they were preserved by a method which was known as tanning. This kept them from spoiling and rotting. Methods of tanning was to soak the hide in a solution which was made from the bark, acorn and leaves of oak trees or other plants. The word tanning comes from the word tannic acid which was contained in this solution. Also, depending on the type of plant that was used, the finished leather took on various shades of the color tan. Other people soaked the hide in the animal's urine or rubbed its oily brains and liver into the hide to soften. Once this process was completed, the hides were stretched and then dried and finished off in smoke over the fire. This helped to repel insects and it also helped to retain its softness.
In the summer, the men and women wore loincloths which were made from soft deerskin and held in place by a thong which was tied around the waist. The Huron women wore skirts that were at knee level. Both men and women would leave their bodies bare from the waist up especially when the weather was warm. The women generally only wore a leather skirt and moccasins which were made from corn husks or hide. They all wore moccasins on their feet. In the cold weather, the men wore kilts and the women wore longer skirts to keep warm. Men and women alike wore leggings and jerkins (jackets) with sleeves. Leggings were like tubular pant legs attached with loops to a belt and wrapped with decorated garters which were below the knee. Cloaks and robes were worn in the winter for warmth and these were generally made from bear, deer, buffalo and bear skins.
Men and women wore and carried special accessories which were known as 'regalia' Regalia consisted of belts, headgear, bags and tools. These objects were made of wood, shells, feather, horns, bone and other natural material. The belts were made from snake skin or were hand woven from natural fibers and they were strung with rows of shells and beads.
Iroquois peoples painted their bodies with geometrical designs or pictures of people and animals. This usually had a religious meaning. The paint that was used was made by mixing natural pigments like red ochre, blood root and charcoal with sunflower seed oil. To produce permanent tattoos, tobacco was inserted under the skin. The Iroquois people like to wear ornaments like woven sashes, fur and feather neck pieces and feathered caps. Clothing was usually embroidered with dyed moose hair and porcupine quills. Everyday jewelery such as earrings were made from feathers, pendants were made from animal teeth and were hung from thongs. Necklaces were made from segments of bone and for special occasions they wore bracelets and necklaces made from shell beads. These shells were acquired in trades and were a sign of wealth. The women wore large shell plaques over their stomachs and they weighed as much as 5 kg.
Women generally wore a single braid which hung down their back and was secured by a thong. Warriors had a lock of hair dangling down the back of their necks with the hair on the head shaved with the exception of a strip down the middle which extended from the forehead to the sealplock. Caps which were close fitting and a feather attached were worn sometimes as well.
The Huron men always liked wearing their hair over their or else one side of the hair was worn long and the other part was shaved right off. They also wore headbands with were made of snakeskin and the tail of the snake dangled down their backs.
Once they had contact with European traders, they began to use woolen clothing instead of animals skins. Very often they embroidered their clothes with small glass trade beads in elaborate flower designs. Clothing was also decorated with flattened porcupine quills, moose hair, natural paints, shells and bones. The basic clothing of men consisted of a deerskin breech cloth along with moccasins. Some footwear was made from woven corn husks.