What leadership roles within Iroquois?

In the Iroquois Confederacy, leadership roles were primarily held by chiefs, known as sachems, who were selected by clan mothers based on their wisdom, experience, and ability to represent the interests of their clans. Each of the member nations, including the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and later the Tuscarora, had its own council of sachems, who met to make decisions affecting the confederacy. Additionally, women played a crucial role in leadership as clan mothers, holding the power to nominate and remove chiefs, thus ensuring that the voices of the community were heard in governance. This system emphasized consensus-building and collective decision-making, reflecting the Iroquois' commitment to democratic principles.