Oneida << oh NY duh >> are a Native American people of what is now central New York state. The Oneida are one of the five original tribes that joined together by the early 1600’s to form an organization known as the Haudenosaunee, or the Iroquois League or the Five Nations. The other original tribes were the Cayuga, Mohawk, Onondaga, and Seneca. About 1722, the Tuscarora joined the league, which became known as the Six Nations.
The name Haudenosaunee means People who are building a Longhouse. The name refers to their traditional dwellings. Villages consisted of groups of longhouses. Each longhouse held several related families belonging to a larger clan. Clan membership was determined through the mother’s line of descent.
The Oneida grew beans, corn, and squash. These crops were so important, they were often referred to as the Three Sisters. They also fished, hunted deer and other animals, and gathered wild berries, nuts, and roots. Lacrosse was a popular game for men and boys. Women played an important part in the government of the Oneida. Clanmothers headed the clans and made all of the important decisions about the use of land and resources. Women nominated the males that made up the tribal council. Each tribe sent some of its leaders to the Grand Council of the Iroquois League. The Oneida had three clans, and nine chiefs on the grand council.
The Iroquois League was strained but did not break up during the American Revolution (1775-1783) in a dispute over which side to support. Individuals could join with either side, provided they did not fight against other Haudenosaunee. The Oneida and Tuscarora sided with the colonists. Many of the others sided with the British. In 1794, the remaining Iroquois League signed a treaty with the new United States. The treaty, called the Canandaigua Treaty or Pickering Treaty, was signed by George Washington. It provided for an Oneida reservation (land set aside for Indian use) in New York state. Over time, conflict and lawsuits arose over contested reservation lands and theft. In the early 1800’s, some Oneida moved to Wisconsin and others moved to London, Ontario, in Canada. In Canada, they are recognized as a First Nations people. Today, the Oneida have reservation lands in New York, Wisconsin, and Ontario. Each reservation has its own independent tribal government.
