The Iroquois Confederacy was governed by the Grand Council, which was composed of 49 men with representatives from every tribe.
Each council member was given a title, which was the name of one of the 50 leaders who attended the first council. One name, however, was never assigned, that of the great Hiawatha.
By refusing to name a new Hiawatha, the Iroquois honored his special role as a founder of the confederacy.
