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.