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The Oneida Indian Nation were originally to be found on land that stretched from the St. Lawrence River down to the modern day Pennsylvania border. Archaeological remains indicate that they have been living in this area for up to 10,000 years. The Oneida were members of the formidable Iroquois Confederacy of tribes, along with the Mohawk, Cayuga, Onondaga, Seneca and Tuscarora. This Confederacy, formed around the 14th Century, C.E., was unique among Indian tribes, although it was to be copied by other eastern tribes in an attempt to counter its power. It fully respected the sovereignty of its member tribes, while – at the same time – affording justice and rights for all. The Confederacy had a deliberating council, comprised of head chiefs of the member tribes. The unity between member tribes was such that they symbolically became of one blood.
The member tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy were divided into Clans. The Oneida were made up of three Clans – the Turtle, Wolf and Bear Clans. Clan leadership was firstly nominated by the women of the tribe. These nominees would then be presented for approval by the rest of the tribe.
Like their fellow Confederacy members the Oneida were a farming and hunting people. Corn, beans and squash were their most important crops. In the winter they would head for their hunting camps in search of the bison, dear and bear.
Upon first contact with the Europeans, the Oneida, along with the rest of the Iroquois Confederacy, sought a peaceful co-existence with the strange new comers. The Dutch and French were initially in the hope of finding gold, silver and spices in the New York area. Failing this they hit upon the beaver fur, which soon became a hit in Europe. The Iroquois tribes began a lucrative trade in beaver furs. In turn the Indians received brass kettles, metal tools and ultimately, the gun. Thus a peaceful relationship was forged with the Dutch and then the British.
The American Colonists, however, were not satisfied with British Rule. As they began making moves towards revolt they started seeking out the alliance of the Iroquois tribes. This was to lead to the first major split in the ages old confederacy. While the rest of the Confederate tribes remained with the British, the Oneida and the Tuscarora allied themselves with the Colonists. The Oneida, therefore, fought alongside the Americans in the Revolution. In fact, their participation in a vital encounter on August 6, 1777 was a turning point in the War for Independence. This encounter has become known as the Battle of Oriskany. More than 500 Oneida were to die in this battle, but their efforts managed to prevent the two sides of a British pincer movement from meeting up, which would have crushed the Colonists.
During the bitter winter of 1777-8, when George Washington’s men were starving to death at their encampment at Valley Forge, it was a band of Oneida who carried 600 bushels of corn to sustain them. One of those Oneida was a woman by the name of Polly Cooper. She showed the troops how to get the most value out of their preparation of the corn. For this she was awarded a shawl by Martha Washington. This shawl is still proudly displayed by the Oneida today.
Following the Revolutionary War, the Oneida had to face the wrath of their former Confederacy allies. Their principal village was destroyed and they were driven from their traditional grounds. For five years they wandered as virtual refugees throughout Mohawk country before returning to their home lands. In 1794, they signed a treaty with the United States Government giving them protection over their lands in New York and recognition as a sovereign nation. The treaty gave special recognition to the part the Oneida played in helping the Colonists defeat the British in the Revolutionary War. Typically, however, the treaty stipulations were ignored by the State of New York, which manipulated the Oneida with subsequent treaties of their own designed to rob them of their land. Before long the 6 million acres belonging to the Oneida were reduced to a paltry 32 acres. In the 1830s large numbers of Oneida relocated to Canada and Wisconsin. Many however were determined to stay in their ancestral lands. For over 150 years these people have sought legal redress for the taking of their lands by the State of New York. In 1974 and again in 1985 the United States Supreme Court ruled that the treaties made by the State of New York were illegal and that the Oneida could seek redress through the courts. The legal proceedings in this matter continue to play out in the courts.
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