Seneca

Seneca, the western-most member of the IROQUOIS Confederacy (now known as the Haudenosaunee), played a major role in the dispersal of the HURON, PETUN and NEUTRAL in the mid-17th century. Much of southern Ontario then became Seneca hunting territory, until OJIBWA expansion into this region confined Seneca influence to south of the Great Lakes. Periodically at war with New France, all Seneca villages were burned by Governor DENONVILLE in 1687. Revenge was extracted through the destruction of Lachine, outside Montréal, two years later (see LACHINE RAID). After construction of the French fort at Niagara in the 1720s, the western Seneca frequently sided with the French in conflicts with the English. These same western Seneca in 1763 joined PONTIAC and his followers against the English, who had taken possession of former French posts in the Great Lakes.

During the AMERICAN REVOLUTION, the full Seneca supported the royal cause, but only a small segment chose to follow Joseph BRANT after the war to the Six Nations Reserve in Canada. Most of the Seneca negotiated peace with the Americans, and still reside on reservations in the US guaranteed at that time. In 1799 the Seneca Chief, HANDSOME LAKE, experienced a vision which still influences the practice of traditional Iroquois religion in both Canada and the US.

See also ABORIGINAL PEOPLE, EASTERN WOODLANDS and general articles under ABORIGINAL PEOPLE.

Author THOMAS S. ABLER

Suggested Reading
A.F.C. Wallace, Death and Rebirth of the Seneca (1969); B.G. Trigger, ed, Handbook of North American Indians, vol 15: Northeast (1978).

Links to Other Sites
Canadian Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge
The website for the Canadian Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge, which features Canada's largest essay writing competition for Aboriginal youth (ages 14-29) and a companion program for those who prefer to work through painting, drawing and photography. See their guidelines, teacher resources, profiles of winners, and more. From the Historica-Dominion Institute.

Six Nations
Extensive site devoted to current and historical issues of importance to the Six Nations community.

Peacemaker
A Heritage Minute about the Iroquois legend of the great Peacemmaker, who created the confederacy known as the League of the Six Nations. From the Historica-Dominion Institute. See also related learning resources.

Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples
The website for the "Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples." Click on the links for feature articles about Canada's many multicultural communities, access to their extensive digital archives collection, learning modules, and much more. From "Multicultural Canada."

Languages of Canada
A comprehensive online database of languages currently in use in Canada. Also provides details about extinct languages. Check out the "language maps" for more information. Based on "Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Fifteenth edition." From SIL International, a US website.

Four Directions Teachings
Elders and traditional teachers representing the Blackfoot, Cree, Ojibwe, Mohawk, and Mi’kmaq share teachings about their history and culture. Animated graphics visualize each of the oral teachings. This website also provides biographies of participants, transcripts, and an extensive array of learning resources for students and their teachers. In English with French subtitles.