My Blood is only a quarter, but my Heart is 100% American Indian. This page is my attempt to give back what was wrongfully taken from my sisters and brothers. May the Great Spirit guide your Journeys.

The Iroquois trace the beginning of human life to a time when SkyWoman fell to an island created by a giant turtle, which grew in shape and size to become North America. There she gave birth to a daughter, whose children propagated the human race.

The Iroquois Confederacy, probably formed in the 1400’s, emerged as the most sophisticated potitical alliance in North America. Five main tribes make up the Iroquois Confederacy (or also known as the Iroquois Nation). Seneca-”The great hill people”, Cayuga-”People of the mucky land”, Onondaga-”The people on the hills”, Oneida- “The people of the Standing Stone”, Mohawk-”The possessors of the flint”. There was also the Tuscarora (after 1722)-”The hemp gatherers” or “The shirt wearing people”.

Archeologists still debate the origin of the Iroquois. One theory they were immigrants from the north of the St. Lawrence river. Recent indications are that they were indigenous to upper New York State. During the 19th and the early 20th centuries a few scholars believed they came from the west of the Mississippi. These Scholars pointed out that the language of the Five Nations seemed similar to that of the Pawnees, whose historic homeland lay west of the great river.

They are known to have inhabited from the west bank of the Hudson river to the shores of Lake Erie. Which they were greatly appreciative of great fertliity and natural beauty. They divided this large rectangle into five north-south strips, one to a tribe. Each area was watered by it’s own lake or river system and governed by its own tribal council. The council site was symbolized by a ceremonial fire: the Irooquois likened the parallel plumes of smoke, streaming heavenwards simultaneously, (from each of the settlements together) to a gigantic Longhouse. More then 200 miles from end to end, the longhouse dominated the entire topograghy of upper New York State. The eastern door of this symbolic longhouse was guarded by the Mohawk tribe, and opened onto the Hudson Valley. The Western door, protected by the Senecas, opened onto the Niagara River and game-rich lands to the west. Spaced out between these two extremities were the Oneidas, the Cayugas and (right in the middle where Syracuse is now) the Onondagas.

The Iroquois are known as Ongwanonsionni and it meant "we are of the extended lodge." It was beyond the capability of the tongue of most white men, but from it came the popular designation "people of the long house."

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