Native Tribes of the Northeast
As I read Treuer's book, Atlas of Indians Nations, I became intrigued by the tribes of the Northeast. I wanted to learn much as I can but the native’s location and the relationship with the European and American settlers. It’s known that the island of Manhattan was sold to the settlers, but what about the other areas? I’ve traveled to towns on Long Island, New York and it was interesting to learn that some downs in still hold their tribal names. Towns such as Massapequa, Setauket, Manhasset, and Montauk. I’ve even lived in a neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY called Canarsie, which was named after the Canarsie tribe. According to Access Genealogy, the last of the Canarsie tribe died in 1800. It wasn’t clear if they had locations in Brooklyn also, but the tribe was known to have locations on Long Island, NY.
We learned in Treuer’s Atlas of Indians Nations, the majority of New York tribes spoke the Iroquoian language. Known tribe such as Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Shinnecock, and Seneca, settled here in New York. One of which I found to be most interesting, the Mohawk tribe. They were one of the few tribes that had a successful business relationship with the European settlers. They entered into the fur and steel trades, among other tradable goods. They helped with the expansion of several monumental structures in Manhattan today. They were the British strongest allies in the American Revolutionary War. The British lost the war and the Americans gained control, thus gaining access to Mohawk lands and territories.
We learned in Treuer’s Atlas of Indians Nations, the majority of New York tribes spoke the Iroquoian language. Known tribe such as Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Shinnecock, and Seneca, settled here in New York. One of which I found to be most interesting, the Mohawk tribe. They were one of the few tribes that had a successful business relationship with the European settlers. They entered into the fur and steel trades, among other tradable goods. They helped with the expansion of several monumental structures in Manhattan today. They were the British strongest allies in the American Revolutionary War. The British lost the war and the Americans gained control, thus gaining access to Mohawk lands and territories.
Treuer. (2013) Atlas of Indian Nations. Atlas of Indian Nations. Washington DC | National Geographic Partners
Don't forget the Onandaga: Keepers of the Counci Fire of the Iriquois Confederacy!
ReplyDeleteThe other tribe of the Iriquois Leauge are the Tuscarora, who were some of "the younger brothers". The Tuscarora joined the confederacy last, after they fled from war in present day North Carolina before the arrival of the Europeans, seeking protection in exchange for fielty, and becoming the sixth nation.
I grew up all over upstate New York, and there are native names for things everywhere. The town that I went to high school in and which is where my family is from is called Painted Post, NY. The name of the town comes from a native story which tells of a great warrior named Capt. Montour, the son of a powerful Iriquois leader named Catherine Montour. Capt. Montour was wounded in battle and died in a canoe at a point near the convergence of the Tioga, Cohocton, and the Chemung Rivers. All three of those names are Iriquoian, but I only know that Chemug means, "Big Tooth", due to natives finding the tusk of a wooly mammoth. Capt. Beard died and was buried on the spot, with a red post erected as a monument to his courage. On the post were several stick figures, some of which had been decapitated and some which had not. The place, owing to its prime location as a meeting of the water highways, became a common rendezvous and trading location. It was said by Benjamin Patterson(a cousin of Daniel Boone, early Corning settler, and Revolutionary scout/ranger) that the Painted Post was known throughout the Six Nations.Today, there is a statue to the warrior near where the original post was.
I was born in the city of Elmira, New York, which is now a hellhole, but in the 1770's was the sight of the largest battle between the Iriquois and the Continental Army of the United States during the Sullivan Campaign.
In the area where I went to Elementary School, Sulivan's forces were ambushed in modern Groveland en route to destry one of the last Iriquois cities, which is modern Geneseo, but was called then Little Beard's Town, after Little Beard, the ruler of the city. Two of Sullivan's scouts, named Parker and Boyd, were captured, and in retaliation for their participation in the scorched earth campaign, were tortued at a place called Big Tree.
As a kid, I went often to Letchworth State Park, to see the historical marker to Mary Jemison, who is featured in Nabokov.
Where I currently live, there is a huge waterfall which is taller than Niagara Falls called Taughannock Falls. Taughannock was either a Delaware or Cayuga chief who was killed and then thrown off the falls. Within ten miles is Indian Fort Road, on which a small Cayuga fort was found.
In addition to the Iriquois, other native peoples in present day New York incuded the Erie in Western New York, the Delaware in the area around Westchester and adjacent counties, the Mohegan to the East bordering Connecticut, the Hatiroñ′ăks in the Adirondack region, the Wenro and Neutral peoples, and even the Hopewell peoples before them.
Here's a great resource that lists many of the Indian names for the modern towns across our state and a guide to which nations lived there.
https://accessgenealogy.com/new-york/new-york-indian-tribes.htm
I never heard of that Onandaga tribe. I will do some research on that.
ReplyDeleteYes. I would love to go Upstate to see that waterfall. I know other tribes joined the Confederacy. The Mohawk tribe talked them into siding with the British. One interesting fact I learned, the Mohawk tribe were one of the tribes who settled here in and around the city. I read that the mode of transport during the trade routes was on the the Mohawk River. I was surprised to see it was upstate, and it connected to The Hudson river.