ABSTRACT
This chapter examines three distinct areas that differentiate the Iroquois/Haudenosaunee from the other teams/countries. The first one is that of “race,” questions of indigenous sovereignty, and the recognition of their ability for self-determination. Other peoples do not have to use sport to the same extent to fight for recognition. Second, this chapter will explore religious and worldview differences by examining the difference between the ways dominant society plays lacrosse, and the ways the Iroquois do: the former play for themselves or for the team, while the Iroquois play for the creator and aim to bring about a “good mind.” This sets indigenous worldviews in conflict with western values of individualism and competitiveness in sport. Third, while most teams/countries have embraced the premise of “equality” in sport, in lacrosse it is a problematic situation for the Iroquois, because it results in a clash between traditional values and modern western values: it is a clash between a “balanced” society and an “equal” society.
