Hello and Welcome

This is the home page for the Iroquois Group. Below you will find information on the Iroquois Nation, a group of five separate tribes that chose to band together to form one cohesive unit. This was a remarkable feat. Compare this to modern times - can you see five villages agreeing to come together under one government, to blend family, diverse cultures and traditions for the betterment of all? This was so successful that another tribe joined and they exist under the name Iroquois Nation (or League or Confederacy). 

We hope that you enjoy the information and the pictures. We welcome your comments.

Thank you.

This site is being designed. Visit us again on Thursday.

Introduction to the Iroquois Nation

The Iroquois Nation is known as the Oldest Living Participatory Democracy on Earth. The current Iroquois Nation consists of six tribes, but the original five are the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. It is thought by some that the Iroquois Nation influenced to some degree our American forefathers as they formed the first representative democracy. Our interest lies with the first five tribes. What was unique about each tribe? What did they individually gain by uniting? Join us as we seek to answer these questions.

How I will get your postings onto the blog

First I am going to pray! I am not an IT expert! But hallelujah we have done ok (I think). I am using the "simple" format. I don't know how to add all fo the bells and whistles, but we will have our text, pictures, and the u-tube video on the Iroquois.

Then I am going to add the intro first in it's own section.
Next I may put all of the tribal information together into one piece.
Then I will list the references together in another area. Can everyone please put references in the Chicago style?

Then once our blog is done, I will send this information to the professor. THIS IS DUE ON WEDNESDAY!

Thank you for all of your hard work. Any suggestions on how you want the blog to look? Colors? Arrangements? Is my plan ok?

Onondaga Tribe

The Onondaga tribe was one of the five original nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. Their traditional homeland is present-day upstate New York. This location was not only the central point between the other four nations (Cayuga and Seneca to their west and the Oneida and Mohawk to their east) but was the location of the Iroquois government, which is still the place of meeting today. The contemporary Onondaga, member of the Six Nation, is located in Ontario, Canada.
The Iroquois Confederacy was formed by the union of the Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, Oneida, and Mohawk nations. This alliance brought about a great power. The Onondaga’s contributions were many:
1. In government, the spiritual leader, Tadadaho, served as the fiftieth chief on the council. This title is still used today. There are 50 chiefs in the structured government system of the Iroquois Confederacy. Chiefs are also known as Hoyane. Fourteen of the 50 chiefs are from the Onondaga nation. These positions are held for life. Upon death, clan mothers elect replacement chief(s) to open positions.
2. Lifestyle: As a hunter and gather people, the Onondaga grew corn, bean, and squash. They gathered onion, dandelion, milkweed, and strawberries. They hunter ate deer, turkey, rabbit, and other game. Because they were a nation for the people, they shared with others in the community. They clothing were made of deer skin, which were made into dresses, leggings, moccasins, and aprons. Their headpiece or gustoweh for the men were distinct to the nation, with two feathers, one pointing up and the other pointing down.
3. Language: The language was Onöñda’gega, meaning “People of the Hills”. It is spoken in the United States and Canada.
4. Religion: The religion include the Longhouse, Handsome Lake, Gai'hwi:io, Kanoh'hon'io, Kahni'kwi'io, Other Indigenous Religion. They believe in a Creator whom they celebrated with song, dance, and food.
5. Revenue: Traditional Onondaga generate revenue from casino style business on their reservations, while Contemporary Onondaga generate revenue from 24 hour tax-free cigarette smoke shops. The revenue is put back into the community building and restoration.
6. Notables: Notables of the Onondaga nations include a Professional Distance Running Champion, Tom Longboat, whom has many record breaking distance running wins. Oren L. Lyons, faithkeeper of the Turtle clan, served in the Army and graduated from Syracuse University College of Fine Arts, whom is active in national and international issues affecting native people.

New World Encyclopedia contributors, "Onondaga (tribe)," New World Encyclopedia, http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Onondaga_%28tribe%29?oldid=841756 (accessed November 10, 2010).

Denisha H.

The Oneida Tribe

The Oneida tribe has the Indian name of Onyotaa:ka which translates to “People of the Upright Stone”. Legend states that this tribe obtained their name when they were chased into a wooded area by their enemy and disappeared. Large rocks were left in the place of their disappearance hence the “Upright Stone”. The Oneida tribe initially inhabited the central New York area. They were nestled between the Mohawk and the Onondaga tribes.

The Oneida tribe was considered the less blood thirsty and more peace minded of the original five tribes of the Iroquois Nation. They were the second tribe to join the Nation. Their reason for inclusion in the Iroquois Nation was much the same as the other tribes; they wanted to form an offensive and defensive alliance for warfare and security. The Oneidas have three clans, the Wolf, Turtle and Bear. Each clan sent three delegates to represent them in the Iroquois Nation for a total of nine for the entire tribe. The Oneida was not unlike the other tribes in the Iroquois Nation in regards to their deference to the women in their tribe. The women selected the chieftains or were the chieftains in many cases. A female chieftain would choose a male to carry out the duties of the chieftain, but retained the position. One interesting note about this tribe is they were the only tribe of the initial five that joined with the colonist in the battle against the British. The other four tribes aligned themselves with the better outfitted Brits. They ended up paying for their loyalty when the war was over. Even though the Unites States initially tried to compensate them the other tribes caused them grief for their stance.

Dawn L.

1. Ancestry.com, "Oneida Indian Tribe History," Access Geneology, http://www.accessgenealogy.com/
native/tribes/oneida/oneidahist.htm (accessed November 9, 2010).
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nymadiso/bit-of-past/borg/onehisto.htm

Note form:
1. Ancestry.com, "Oneida's History," Rootsweb, http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nymadiso/
bit-of-past/borg/onehisto.htm (accessed November 9, 2010).

The Mohawk Tribe

The Mohawk Tribe which means "People of the Flint", were one of the original and largest members of the Five Nations which joined together with the Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and Cayuga to form the Iroquois Confederacy. They obtained leadership of the Five Tribes by force with guns from the Dutch fur traders. Culturally the Mohawks were a matrilineal society, meaning the children's linage is passed on from mother to sons and daughters. The Clan Mothers held power to select which men would become chiefs among the tribe. After marriage a brave moved in with the wife's family and lived in dwellings called Longhouses.
Prior to the appearance of the Dutch fur traders the Mohawks had already been given the nickname "Rattlesnake or Adder" by other Iroquois Tribes and outside tribes. They were not well liked because they would fight and attack their own neighbors for hunting territory. They had a fierce reputation for extreme torture and slow roasting their victims and eating them. As they obtained guns from the Dutch fur traders and conquered the other Iroquois Tribes they gave them voting rights, however outside tribes who were essentially conquered were only extended the protection of the Covenant Chain (The conquered Mohican became the first). This was much like the U.S. treatment of Puerto Rico and the Philippines. They handled all of the conquered affairs but no voting rights. Both the French and British took advantage of this central control. for example the British could call upon the league to police various sub members.
While the Mohawks used their fire power at one point to expand their power as far south as Pennsylvania, west through the Ohio Valley, north to Michigan and part of Canada. By1677 the Iroquois had signed treaties as the Five Nations and members after that did not operate separately.
While their power peaked by 1680 they were eventually forced back into New York by the conclusion of the Beaver Wars and the defeat of the French.
In conclusion their unique political system which allowed them to dominate in the first 200 years of Colonial History later failed due to loss of territories and creditability towards other tribesmen from poor decisions on treaties beginning with the Fort Stanwix treaty of 1784 and then deteriorating over the next 60 years. This culminated with the Indian removal act of 1830.

References

1. European Invasion of Indian North America, 1513–1765. Ian K. Steele.
Americans at War. Ed. John P. Resch. Vol. 1: 1500-1815. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. p55-60.Reference USA, 2005. p55-60.s Sons, 2006. p557-559

2. Iroquois League. Leonard J. Sadosky.
Encyclopedia of the American Revolution: Library of Military History. Ed. Harold E. Selesky. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2006. p557-559


Pat W.

Seneca Tribe

SENECA TRIBE

The Seneca were the largest of the 5 tribes which comprised the Iroquois League or the Five Nations. Along with the Seneca, the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) League includes the Oneida, Mohawk, Onondaga, and Cayuga. Later the Tuscarora, or "shirt wearing people" became the 6th Nation to join the confederacy, fleeing from British occupied North Carolina. Today, nearly 10,000 Seneca live on reservations in Western New York; the Cattargaurus, Allegany, and Tonawanda reservations, with some also settled in Oklahoma, and Ontario, Canada; they are the only Nation to own a U.S. city, Salamanca, which is situated on land owned by the Allegany Indian reservation.
At the time of the formation of the Iroquois League, the five tribes occupied territory from the East to the West, the Seneca being the "keepers of the western door". The official language of the Seneca is Ogwehoweh, in which their name translates to O-non-dowa-gah, or "great hill people."; from which their creation myth said they had originated.
The historical Seneca tribe occupied territory from the Genesee River to Canandaigua Lake in Western New York, living in long houses on the riverside. The sedentary tribe's villages were well fortified with wooden stake fences, just one of their many industrious undertakings. They relied heavily on agriculture for food, growing the three sisters: corn, squash, and beans, which they referred to as deohako, "the life supporters"; in addition to raising crops, the Seneca men would hunt in the Fall, and fish in the Spring.
The Seneca women were in charge of elections, and decided who was to become tribal leader, Leaders usually held their posts for life, but could be removed if they became corrupt or proved to be incompetent; the Seneca political system also included a constitution, which is believed to have been the model for the American constitution.
One of the Seneca's most important leaders was a man named "Red Jacket"; he was a great orator, and left us with many memorable quotes such as "Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power. The sun also shines on the wicked.", and "It is another's fault if he be ungrateful; ."but it is mine if I do not give." Red Jacket was a strong defender of the Seneca heritage, opposed to assimilation by the whites, especially with the missionaries who tried to impose Christianity on the Seneca. Despite his opposition to cultural assimilation, Red Jacket did want to live in peace with the whites, and even fought alongside the British during the American Revolutionary war.

Copyright © 2000 http://www.senecaindians.com
Last modified: November 28, 2001

Caroline A.

The Cayuga Tribe

The Cayuga Tribe of the Iroquois Nation lived in the area that is now considered New York and part of Canada. Cayuga was a nickname for what they called themselves which was the Gayogohono Tribe. Gayogohono stands for “people of the swamp”. The Cayugas built houses that were up to one hundred feet long and made of wood. They called these homes “longhouses” and could hold around sixty people. The Cayuga Indians were a very unique tribe. The women made decisions on resources and land for the farming tribe. These powerful women also voted on which men would be chiefs. These men of the tribe were in charge of decisions with trade and military. (Cayuga Nation)
“Following the Revolutionary War, in 1779, General George Washington commissioned General John Sullivan and James Clinton to destroy the Cayugas and other members of the Haudenosaunee. These two Generals led 6,200 troops into many villages and crop fields of the Cayugas and the Haudenosaunee and destroyed them.” (Cayuga nation)
The Six Nations (also known as Haudenosaunee) signed the Treaty of Canadaigua on November 11th, 1794. This treaty, which still exists today, was a peace treaty between the tribes and The United States of America.The Cayuga Indians joined the Iroquois League. “The purpose for the uniting was to end the inter-tribal wars and bring peace and well-being to all of the tribes.” (New World Encyclopedia) In the Iroquois Nation a government was established which consisted of fifty chiefs, ten of these chiefs were from the Cayuga tribe.

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Cayuga
8-21-07
The New World Encyclopedia


http://www.cayuganation-nsn.gov/Culture/Clans
Cayuga Nation “People of the Great Swamp”

By Kristie R.

Unique Attributes of Each of the Five Tribes That Make Up the Iroquois
Nation and How They Benefited from Uniting


The Iroquois Nation is known as the Oldest Living Participatory Democracy on Earth. The current Iroquois Nation consists of six tribes, but the original five are the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. It is thought by some that the Iroquois Nation influenced to some degree our American forefathers as they formed the first representative democracy. Our interest lies with the first five tribes. What was unique about each tribe? What did they individually gain by uniting? Join us as we seek to answer these questions.

Fadden, J. K. (n.d.). The six nations: Oldest living participatory democracy on earth. Retrieved
from http://www.ratical.org/many_worlds/6Nations/


D.L.

Group Assignments

Iroquois Group Assignments are as follows:

• Leader: Dawn (Dee Dee) L.
• Assistant Leader:: Jonatan G.
• IT: Elizabeth (Beth) D.
• Researchers:
• Willie Mae C.: Oneida Tribe
• Caroline A.: Seneca Tribe
• Denisha H.: Onandaga Tribe
• Kristie R.: Cayuga Tribe
• Patricia W.: Mohawk Tribe
• Research Topic: Unique attributes of the five tribes that made up the Iroquois Nation and how they benefited from unification

Link to the Pronunciation of Iroquois

http://bit.ly/dB87FJ