Onondaga
The Onondaga tribe of Native Americans originally lived near Onondaga Lake in what is now central New York State. Along with the Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca, they were one of the five original tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy.
The Onondaga lived in villages containing about 20 to 50 longhouses, the traditional dwelling of the Iroquois. Built from wood and bark, longhouses were large enough to house several related families. The Onondaga moved their houses from time to time in order to plant new gardens, to seek firewood, or to be closer to fishing areas and hunting grounds. Women grew corn (maize), beans, squash, sunflowers, and tobacco, while men hunted deer and other wild game.
The Onondaga were divided into several clans named after animals, such as the wolf, bear, beaver, and turtle. People always belonged to the clans of their mothers. Clan leaders were chosen by the elder women of the group.
The Onondaga homeland was in the center of Iroquois territory. To the east lived the Mohawk and the Oneida. To the west lived the Cayuga and the Seneca. Every autumn, representatives of all five tribes gathered in the Onondaga's main village for the Grand Council of the Iroquois. The Onondaga sent 14 out of the 50 council members, more than any other tribe.
The Onondaga were responsible for tending the council fire, which burned as a symbol of Iroquois unity. They were also entrusted with the council's wampum belts. These belts were made from purple and white shell beads. The patterns in the belts recorded what was discussed at the council meetings.
In the 17th century, French traders began arriving in Onondaga territory. The French converted some Onondaga to the Roman Catholic religion. The Indian converts moved to Catholic mission settlements the French established along the St. Lawrence River.
During the French and Indian War (1754–63) the Onondaga sided with the French against the English. But after Americans attacked their villages, the tribe supported the British cause during the American Revolution. The war split the Iroquois Confederacy. The council fire, which was said to have burned continuously for 200 years, was put out.
After the American colonists won the war, some Onondaga moved with other Iroquois who had supported the British to the Six Nations Reserve in what is now Ontario, Canada. Those who stayed behind were forced to surrender most of their land to Americans in a series of treaties. They were left with only a small reservation near the present-day city of Syracuse, New York.
The Onondaga, like the Mohawk, are frequently employed as ironworkers. But more than any other Iroquois tribe, the Onondaga have tried to preserve traditional ways. They have also fought to retain their political independence from the United States and from New York State.
There were about 1,500 Onondaga living in the United States by the end of the 20th century. An estimated 3,000 Onondaga made their home in Canada.
