The Onondaga Nation and Onondaga Lake

H
R E T I NK
CONNECT
RE
REVIVE
The Onondaga Nation and Onondaga Lake
In April 2010, the Onondaga Nation published a book that describes what it wants the Onondaga Lake watershed to be like in the future: The Onondaga Nation’s Vision for a Clean Onondaga Lake. This book shows
one way that the Onondaga Nation is using its history and culture to plan for the future and to work in partnership with its neighbors.
Culture – the ways of life
followed by members of a society
First Peoples
The area of land that we now call New York State is the homeland
of a group of Native American nations who are Haudenosaunee. In English, Haudenosaunee means “People
of the Longhouse.” Americans and Canadians sometimes call the Haudenosaunee people “Iroquois” or “Six
Nations.” The Onondaga Nation is located at the center of Haudenosaunee territory.
Haudenosaunee people have an ancient and complex history. Over 1,000
years ago, there was a war between five indigenous nations: the Mohawks,
Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas. A spiritual messenger called
the Peacemaker came to them and showed the nations a way to live together in peace. The nations met on the shores of Onondaga Lake and agreed
to bury the weapons of war and follow the Great Law of Peace. They
formed a union called the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The Tuscarora
Nation joined the Confederacy in the early 1700s because Euro-American
colonists had forced them to leave their homelands in North Carolina.
In the past, the lands of the Haudenosaunee included most of the area that
is now New York State. The Haudenosaunee also lived in areas that
became part of modern-day Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Canada. The Haudenosaunee Confederacy was very powerful. Its system of government
impressed Benjamin Franklin and other founding fathers of the United
States. The founding fathers used some Haudenosaunee political ideas
when they created a
system of government for
the United States.
Oren Lyons of Onondaga Nation
speaking at the United Nations
General Assembly, 1992
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Tadodaho Sid Hill of Onondaga Nation
meeting with the President of the
United Nations General Assembly, 2009
UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz
The Haudenosaunee
people suffered greatly
after Euro-American settlers came to their lands. Euro-American settlers brought diseases and they attacked Haudenosaunee settlements. After the American Revolution, Americans illegally took most of the lands of the Haudenosaunee
Confederacy. Many Haudenosaunee people were forced
out of their homelands. The Haudenosaunee people who
remained were forced to live on small pieces of land. Americans tried to stop the Haudenosaunee people from practicing
their ancient ways of life.
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Today, meetings of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy continue to be held at Onondaga Nation as they have
since ancient times. The Onondaga Nation’s current territory is located a short distance south of Syracuse.
The Onondaga Nation is not part of New York State or the United States. The Onondaga people have their
own laws and they are not American citizens. The Onondaga Nation and the United States are neighbors.
Their governments must follow the treaties, or agreements, that they have made together.
Onondaga Lake
The Onondagas have deep spiritual, cultural, and historical relationships
to their homeland. The Onondaga Nation is helping to protect the local
environment, especially Onondaga Lake. It is working with the United
States and New York State governments to help heal the harm caused by
the industrial pollution in Onondaga Lake.
Onondaga Lake is very important to the Onondagas for many reasons.
It is a sacred and historic site. The Haudenosaunee Confederacy was
founded on the shores of the lake. Five nations met there and agreed to
follow the Great Law of Peace. Therefore, Onondaga Lake is important to all Haudenosaunee people, not just the Onondaga Nation. Each
year, some Haudenosaunee people
travel to sacred sites in their
Natural resources –
homelands, and Onondaga Lake is
materials found in nature
an important stop on their route.
that are useful to humans
The lake environment is also imporSnapping turtle
tant because it has
Flickr photo by Laura Padgett
given the Onondagas
food and other materials for many centuries. Using the natural resources
of the watershed is an ancient and vital part of Onondaga
culture. The recent damage to the landscape, animals, and
plants has greatly harmed the Onondaga Nation’s health,
economy, and culture.
Furthermore, the lake is precious to the Onondagas
because it is part of their homeland. The Onondaga Nation
will work to protect this area so that it is a healthy place
for future generations to live.
The Onondaga Nation’s Vision for a
Clean Onondaga Lake
The Onondaga Nation’s Vision for a Clean Onondaga
Lake offers ideas for how to heal the lake. Those ideas are
based on the Onondagas’ beliefs about their relationships
with this area and with the other living things that call this
place home.
The Haudenosaunee believe that all parts of Creation are
Onondaga Lake
Flickr photo by Brent Combs
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connected. No part is more important than the rest. All parts of Creation have a right to exist. The Creator has
given all parts of Creation special responsibilities, or instructions. When the different parts of Creation follow
their instructions, they form correct relationships with one another. When they do not follow the Creator’s instructions, balance and harmony are lost. The Creator wants
the Haudenosaunee people to always do their best to follow
their spiritual instructions.
The Haudenosaunee believe that one of the responsibilities of humans is to give thanks to all the parts of Creation
that are following their instructions. Without the help of
the rest of Creation, humans would not be able to live.
Haudenosaunee people give thanks at the beginning and
end of meetings. They do this by giving a speech called the
Thanksgiving Address. The Thanksgiving Address is also
known as “the words that come before all else.” It reminds
the listeners that all parts of Creation are connected and
depend on one another. The Thanksgiving Address also encourages people to carry out their responsibilities as human
beings. By doing so, they will have correct relationships
with the rest of Creation.
During the Thanksgiving Address, thanks are given to different parts of Creation. The Onondaga Nation’s Vision
Great blue heron
for a Clean Onondaga Lake has a similar structure as the
Flickr photo by auburnxc
Thanksgiving Address. It talks first about the people, then the earth, the waters, the fish,
the plants (including medicine and food plants), the animals, the trees, the birds, the four winds, the Thunderers, the sun, Grandmother Moon, the stars, the
enlightened teachers, and lastly, the Creator.
The book shares ideas for how to heal relationships between all the parts of the lake
community.
The Haudenosaunee believe humans also
have the responsibility to take actions that
will help people living seven generations from
now. Humans should not do things that will
harm future generations.
One way the Onondagas have tried to follow their spiritual instructions is by working
Onondaga Lake
to protect the environment and their culture.
Flickr photo by elh70
The Onondaga Nation’s Vision for a Clean
Onondaga Lake is an important part of that
work. The Onondaga Nation will continue working to meet the needs of its people and to heal relationships
with its neighbors.
To learn more, you can visit the website of the Onondaga Nation at:
www.onondaganation.org
Or you can visit the website of Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation at:
http://www.peacecouncil.net/NOON/
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