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Seneca Indian Tribe
Clans
In
historical times the Seneca have been by far
the most populous of the five tribes
originally composing the League of the
Iroquois. The Seneca belong in the federal
organization to the tribal phratry known by
the political name Hońdońnis'‘hěn’,
meaning, they are clansmen of the fathers,' of which the Mohawk are the
other member, when the tribes are organized as a federal council; but when
ceremonially organized the Onondaga also belong to this phratry (see
Government). In the federal council
the Seneca are represented by eight federal chiefs, but two of these were
added to the original six present at the first federal council, to give
representation to that part of the tribe which had at first refused to
join the League. Since the organization of the League of the Iroquois,
approximately in the third quarter of the 16th century, the number of
Seneca clans, which are organized into two phratries for the performance
of both ceremonial and civil functions, have varied. The names of the
following nine have been recorded:
Wolf, Hońnat‘haiioń'n‘
Bear, Hodidjioińi’'g’
Beaver, Hodigěn’'gegā’
Turtle, Hadiniǎ‘'děń‘
Hawk, Hadi`shwěn’'gaiiu’
Sandpiper, Hodi'ne`si'iu', sometimes also called Snipe, Plover, and
Kilidee;
Deer, Hadinioń'gwaiiu'
Doe, Hodinon’'deogā', sometimes
Hońnońt' gońdjěn‘
Heron, Hodidoion’'gā’
In a list of clan names made in 1838 by Gen. Dearborn
from information given him by Mr. Cone, an interpreter of the Tonawanda
band, the Heron clan is called the Swan clan with the native name given
above. Of these clans only five had an unequal representation in tho
federal council of the League; namely, the Sandpiper, three, the Turtle,
two, the Hawk, one, the Wolf, one, and the Bear, one.
The books presented are for their
historical value only and are not the
opinions of the Webmasters of the site.
Handbook
of American Indians, 1906
Index of Tribes or Nations
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