Who are the Haudenosaunee?

Haudenosaunee means “people of the longhouse”. The Haudenosaunee were united after the Peacemaker led the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca Nations in ending cycles of conflict. Later, the Tuscarora Nation joined the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. 

The Hiawatha Belt

Named after the Peacemaker’s representative, the Hiawatha belt stands as an enduring symbol of the Great Peace that united the nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. There is a white pine tree in the center. To view or learn more about the Hiawatha belt, visit the Onondaga Nation’s website at: https://www.onondaganation.org/culture/wampum/hiawatha-belt/.

The Good Mind

The Good Mind is a central Haudenosaunee teaching that encourages people to act with kindness, reason, respect, and concern for others. Guided by the Great Law of Peace, decision-makers are to consider how their choices may affect the next seven generations. By looking beyond immediate needs and working for the common good, people help create peace within their communities and the world around them. How might a Good Mind guide your daily actions?

The Three Sisters–corn, beans, and squash–have long been staple foods for many Indigenous peoples in the Americas. These three crops are grown together and provide each other with many benefits. Visit the Three Sisters Garden at the 1719 Museum to learn more about how the crops support each other and provide beneficial nutrients when eaten. The cooperation the plants offer to one another is connected to various stories among Indigenous peoples. Read one story here: https://www.ganondagan.org/legend-of-the-three-sisters