We lived contentedly under the Gai Eneshah Go’ Nah, The Great Law of Peace. We were instructed to create societies based on the principles of Peace, Equity, Justice, and the Power of Good Minds.

Oren Lyons

The Great Law of Peace

Topic: Global Peace & Development

Our societies are based upon great democratic principles of the authority of the people and equal responsibilities for the men and the women. This was a great way of life across this Great Turtle Island and freedom with respect was everywhere. Our leaders were instructed to be men of vision and to make every decision on behalf of the seventh generation to come; to have compassion and love for those generations yet unborn. We were instructed to give thanks for All That Sustains Us. Thus, we created great ceremonies of Thanksgiving for the life-giving forces of the Natural World, as long as we carried out our ceremonies, life would continue.

Oren Lyons

Oren R. Lyons is a distinguished member of the Onondaga Nation and serves as the Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan within the Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Six Nations. Born in 1930, Oren Lyons was raised in the traditions of the Iroquois on the Seneca and Onondaga reservations in northern New York. His academic journey led him to Syracuse University, where he graduated in 1958 from the College of Fine Arts. Before dedicating his life to advocacy and academic roles, Lyons was a commercial artist in New York City, becoming the art and planning director at Norcross Greeting Cards. His artwork, deeply influenced by his indigenous heritage, has been widely exhibited across the United States.

In 1970, Oren Lyons returned to Onondaga and became a vital voice for American Indian rights and environmental advocacy. He has been active on the international stage, notably contributing to the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, and helping to establish the Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982. His efforts extend to serving on the Executive Committee of the Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders on Human Survival and participating as a principal in the Traditional Circle of Indian Elders. His work has made him a respected speaker on topics including Native American traditions, law, and history, human rights, and interfaith dialogue.

Oren Lyons's contributions are also significant in the realm of sports, particularly lacrosse, which is a game of significant cultural importance to the Iroquois. He was an All-American lacrosse player during his time at Syracuse University, contributing to an undefeated season. He has served as the Honorary Chairman of the Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse Team. Beyond sports, Lyons is a celebrated academic, holding a professorship in American Studies at the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he also directs the Native American Studies Program. His literary contributions include several books focused on Native American rights and history, further establishing him as a pivotal figure in both indigenous and academic spheres.

Native American Religions
The Great Law of Peace

Wilson, Andrew, editor. World Scripture II. Universal Peace Federation, 2011, p. 995 [Chief Oren Lyons: Address to the United Nations opening The Year of the Indigenous Peoples, December 10, 1992].

Oren Lyons

Theme: Peace

About This Chief Oren Lyons Quotation [Commentary]

Chief Oren Lyons recalls that his people “lived contentedly under the Gai Eneshah Go’ Nah, The Great Law of Peace.” This law, he explains, was not theoretical but formed the basis for how society was to be shaped—through “the principles of Peace, Equity, Justice, and the Power of Good Minds.” These instructions guided the formation of communities where authority rested with the people and where men and women held equal responsibilities. Describing this as “a great way of life across this Great Turtle Island,” Chief Oren Lyons emphasizes that peace was experienced as mutual respect, shared responsibilities, and clarity of vision passed on through generations.

He explains that the “Power of Good Minds” was part of a deeper moral and spiritual orientation, requiring leaders to “make every decision on behalf of the seventh generation to come.” Peace, in this sense, was inseparable from love and responsibility—“to have compassion and love for those generations yet unborn.” The communities were also instructed “to give thanks for All That Sustains Us,” which led to ceremonies of thanksgiving grounded in the rhythms of the natural world. As long as those ceremonies continued, he affirms, “life would continue.” The values of generosity, equal sharing, and care for elders and children were not secondary but central to sustaining this vision.

Chief Oren Lyons offers these teachings in light of a world in distress. He recalls the warnings: “there would come a time when the world would be covered with smoke,” when “we could not find clean water,” and when young men would walk “in defiance and confusion.” These warnings speak to current conditions. Yet, the original instructions remain clear. “The Seed is the Law… the Law of Life… the Law of Regeneration.” Mothers were charged to guard and nurture that seed, and their role was honored alongside reverence for “I hi do’ hah,” our Mother Earth. The call remains: to share equally, to respect and serve elders, to love one another, and to cherish all children. Peace, as Chief Oren Lyons teaches, is inseparable from these practices of care and renewal.

Chief Oren Lyons: Address to the United Nations opening The Year of the Indigenous Peoples, December 10, 1992 [Excerpt]

Our quest for self-determination, justice, freedom and peace in our Homelands and our territories… is a renewal of what we enjoyed before the coming of our White Brothers from across the sea. We lived contentedly under the Gai Eneshah Go’ Nah, The Great Law of Peace. We were instructed to create societies based on the principles of Peace, Equity, Justice, and the Power of Good Minds.Our societies are based upon great democratic principles of the authority of the people and equal responsibilities for the men and the women. This was a great way of life across this Great Turtle Island and freedom with respect was everywhere. Our leaders were instructed to be men of vision and to make every decision on behalf of the seventh generation to come; to have compassion and love for those generations yet unborn. We were instructed to give thanks for All That Sustains Us. Thus, we created great ceremonies of Thanksgiving for the life-giving forces of the Natural World, as long as we carried out our ceremonies, life would continue.

We were told that ‘The Seed is the Law.’ Indeed, it is The Law of Life. It is The Law of Regeneration. Within the seed is the mysterious force of life and creation. Our mothers nurture and guard that seed and we respect and love them for that. Just as we love “I hi do’ hah”, our Mother Earth, for the same spiritual work and mystery. We were instructed to be generous and to share equally with our brothers and sisters so that all may be content. We were instructed to respect and love our Elders, to serve them in their declining years, to cherish one another. We were instructed to love our children, indeed, to love ALL children. We were told that there would come a time when parents would fail this obligation and we could judge the decline of humanity by how we treat our children. We were told that there would come a time when the world would be covered with smoke, and that it would take our elders and our children. It was difficult to comprehend at the time, but now all we have to do is but to walk outside to experience that statement. We were told that there would come a time when we could not find clean water to wash ourselves, to cook our foods, to make our medicines, and to drink. And there would be disease and great suffering. Today we can see this and we peer into the future with great apprehension. We were told there would come a time when, tending our gardens, we would pull up our plants and the vines would be empty. Our precious seed would begin to disappear. We were instructed that we would see a time when young men would pace back and forth in front of their chiefs and leaders in defiance and confusion…

Chief Oren Lyons

Chief Oren Lyons is a Chief of the Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, the Haudenosaunee or “People of the Long House.” [Click on “Bio” for more]

The Great Law of Peace

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