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Haudenosaunee
Youth displaying the Hiawatha Belt, which returned to Onondaga
Lake on October 14. (photo by Alex Hamer)
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Before European contact on Turtle Island the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois)
Confederacy was born on the shores of Onondaga Lake in what is now
central New York State. The Hiawatha belt was created to symbolize
the unity between the five nations. The Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga,
Oneida, and Mohawk comprised the original union, before adding the
Tuscarora later on.
New York State was in possession of the belt from 1900 until
1989 when the Hiawatha Belt was returned to the Onondaga Nation
after efforts to reclaim it by Nation leaders. Since its return
the belt has never been back on the shores of the birthplace of
the Haudenosaunee until October 14, 2016.
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The
Hiawatha belt with the Onondaga Nation, the Fire Keepers represented
in the middle. To the right are the Oneida and Mohawk, to
the left are the Cayuga and Seneca. The lines continue out
from the end to extend the rafters of the longhouse. (Photo
by Alex Hamer)
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The historic return of the Hiawatha belt was filmed as a part
of an upcoming PBS series slated for airing sometime in 2017. The
four-hour series produced by Providence Pictures will feature a
section on first democracies, which will include the Haudenosaunee
contribution to the world.
Tadadaho, Sid Hill of the Onondaga Nation told the crowd gathered
that: "We have to educate because there are still people here in
Syracuse that don't know we still exist."
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Tadadaho,
Sid Hill of the Onondaga Nation speaks to the crowd of the
importance of righting environmental wrongs. (Photo by Alex
Hamer)
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Arielle
Logan, Mohawk, stands on the shores of Onondaga Lake, which
is so contaminated she cannot swim in it or eat from it safely.
(Photo by Alex Hamer)
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Mohawk
Elder Tom Porter gives his version of the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving
address on October 14. (Photo by Alex Hamer)
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