page_title: Onondaga people
section_title: Customs
hierarchical_section_title: Onondaga people / Customs
caption_attribution_description: English: Iroquois Chiefs from the Six Nations Reserve reading Wampum belts in Brantford, Ontario. Left to right: Joseph Snow, Onondaga Chief; George Henry Martin Johnson, father of Pauline Johnson, Mohawk John Buch, Onondaga; John Smoke Johnson, father of George Henry Martin Johnson, Isaac Hill, Onondaga; John Senaca Johnson, Seneca. Photograph taken at Brantford, Ontario. Français&#160;: Chefs iroquois de la réserve des Six-Nations en train de lire des ceintures wampum à Brantford, Ontario. De gauche à droite&#160;: Joseph Snow, chef onondaga; George Henry Martin Johnson, père de Pauline Johnson; le Mohawk John Buch, Onondaga; John Smoke Johnson, père de George Henry Martin Johnson; Isaac Hill, Onondaga; John Senaca Johnson, Seneca.
context_page_description: The Onondaga people are one of the original five constituent nations of the Iroquois Confederacy in northeast North America. Their traditional homeland is in and around present-day Onondaga County, New York, south of Lake Ontario. They are known as Gana’dagwëni:io’geh to the other Iroquois tribes. Being centrally located, they are considered the "Keepers of the Fire" in the figurative longhouse that shelters the Five Nations. The Cayuga and Seneca have territory to their west and the Oneida and Mohawk to their east. For this reason, the League of the Iroquois historically met at the Iroquois government's capital at Onondaga, as the traditional chiefs do today.
context_section_description: The Onondaga practice the sprinkling of ashes when juggling the treatment of the sick. They also do a public confession of sins upon a string of wampum. The wampum is employed on all matters of public importance. Their funerals were known to be quiet and solemn with the females covering their faces. There were also special events such as the Planting Feast which would happen in May or when the Onondaga believed the ground was ready. This was three days for penitential and religious services. One day for the children's dance, and one each for the Four Persons, the Holder for the Heavens, the Thunder, and for gambling. The Strawberry Feast comes when the berries are ripe. This day there are dancing for the Thunder and a feast of strawberries. The Green Bean Dance comes when the green beans are fit for use. This day there are dances for the Thunder and a mixture of war and feather dances. The Green Corn dance always comes after the Green Bean dance. This day there are three days for religious services, one for the children, one for the Four Persons, one for the Holder of the heavens, and one for the Thunder with the feast. The Onondaga's Thanksgiving feast in October closely resembled the Green Corn Dance.
caption: Iroquois Chiefs from the Six Nations Reserve reading Wampum belts in Brantford, Ontario in 1871. Joseph Snow, Onondaga chief, is first on the left.
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