An Iroquois spiritual figure, Deganawida (the name means "Two River Currents Flowing Together"), according to Iroquois tradition, joined Hiawatha to form a political and social confederation of five Iroquois tribes.
The traditional historical narratives of Deganawida's life do not always agree. Some claim that he was born into the Huron tribe to a virgin mother who attempted to drown him. Others chronicle Deganawida's Huron origins but mention nothing of this calamity, and still others say he was born into the Onondaga Nation and was later adopted by the Mohawks. All accounts agree that Deganawida felt predestined to unite the Iroquois tribes living south of the Hurons. The Iroquois also credit Deganawida's considerable diplomatic skills with establishing the confederacy of the Senecas, Cayugas, Oneidas, Onondagas, and Mohawks and with laying down the confederacy's laws, regulations, and principles. Interestingly, it is also claimed that Deganawida was a poor public speaker; Hiawatha is credited with giving life to Deganawida's visionary plans through his oratorical skills.
