History Wyandot people

1 history

1.1 origin, names , organization: before 1650
1.2 european contact , wyandot dispersal
1.3 huron-british treaty of 1760
1.4 emergence of wyandot
1.5 20th century present

history
origin, names , organization: before 1650

early theories placed huron origin in st. lawrence valley, arguing presence near montreal , other st. lawrence iroquoian peoples. wendat iroquoian language. recent research in linguistics , archaeology confirm such historical connection between huron , st. lawrence iroquois, same can said erie people, or of later 6 nations of iroquois, or defunct susquehannocks.

in 1975 , 1978, archeologists excavated large 15th-century huron village, called draper site, in pickering, ontario near lake ontario. in 2003 larger village discovered 5 kilometres away in whitchurch-stouffville; known mantle site. sites each surrounded palisade, typical of iroquoian cultures. mantle site had more 70 multi-family longhouses. historian james f. pendergast states:

indeed, there every indication late precontact huron , immediate antecedents developed in distinct huron homeland in southern ontario along north shore of lake ontario. subsequently moved there historic territory on georgian bay, encountered champlain in 1615.

in 17th century, iroquoian people called wendat, autonym means dwellers of peninsula or islanders . wendat historic territory bordered on 3 sides, waters of georgian bay , lake simcoe. french explorers referred these natives huron, either french huron ( ruffian , rustic ), or hure ( boar s head ). according tradition, french sailors thought bristly hairstyle of wendat warriors resembled of boar. however, these negative etymological meanings conflict bon iroquois attitude held french fur traders , explorers. alternate etymology algonquin words ronon ( nation ), or irri-ronon ( erie or cat nation ). pronounced hirri-ronon french, shortened hirr-on, , spelled in present form, huron. other etymological possibilities come algonquin words ka-ron ( straight coast ) or tu-ron ( crooked coast ).

the wendat not tribe, confederacy of 4 or more tribes mutually intelligible languages. according tradition, wendat (or huron) confederacy initiated attignawantans ( people of bear ) , attigneenongnahacs ( people of cord ), made alliance in 15th century. joined arendarhonons ( people of rock ) 1590, , tahontaenrats ( people of deer ) around 1610. fifth group, ataronchronons ( people of marshes or bog ), may not have attained full membership in confederacy, , may have been division of attignawantan.

the largest wendat settlement, , capital of confederacy, located @ ossossane, near modern-day elmvale, ontario. called traditional territory wendake.

closely related people of huron confederacy tionontate, group whom french called petun (tobacco), cultivation of crop. lived further south , divided 2 groups: deer , wolves. considering formed nucleus of tribe later known wyandot, may have called wendat.

tuberculosis (tb) endemic among huron, aggravated close , smoky living conditions in longhouses. despite this, huron on whole healthy; jesuits wrote huron employed natural remedies , more healthy we.

european contact , wyandot dispersal


le grand voyage du pays des hurons, gabriel sagard, 1632

the earliest written accounts of huron made french, began exploring north america in 16th century. news of europeans reached huron, particularly when samuel de champlain explored saint lawrence river in 17th century. huron decided go , meet europeans. atironta, principal headman of arendarhonon tribe, went quebec , made alliance french in 1609.

the jesuit relations of 1639 describes hurons:

they robust, , taller french. covering beaver skin, wear upon shoulders in form of mantle; shoes , leggings in winter, tobacco pouch behind back, pipe in hand; around necks , arms bead necklaces , bracelets of porcelain; suspend these ears, , around locks of hair. grease hair , faces; streak faces black , red paint.

the total population of huron @ time of european contact has been estimated @ 20,000 40,000 people. 1634 1640, huron devastated eurasian infectious diseases, such measles , smallpox, had no immunity. epidemiological studies have shown beginning in 1634, more european children immigrated families new world cities in france, england, , netherlands, had endemic smallpox. historians believe disease spread children huron , other nations. many huron villages , areas abandoned. half two-thirds of population died in epidemics, decreasing population 12,000.

before french arrived, huron had been in conflict haudenosaunee confederacy (five nations) south. several thousand huron lived far south present-day central west virginia along kanawha river late 16th century, driven out haudenosaunee, invaded present-day new york in 17th century secure more hunting grounds beaver trade. once european powers became involved in trading, conflict among natives intensified struggled control fur trade. french allied huron, because advanced trading nation @ time. haudenosaunee tended ally dutch , later english, settled @ albany , in mohawk valley of new york territory.

trek of huron diaspora

introduction of european weapons , fur trade increased competition , severity of intertribal warfare. while haudenosaunee obtain guns in exchange furs dutch traders in new york, wendat required profess christianity in order obtain gun french traders in canada. therefore, unprepared, on march 16, 1649, when haudenosaunee war party of 1000 entered wendake , burned huron mission villages of st. ignace , st. louis in present-day simcoe county, ontario, killing 300 people. killed many of jesuit missionaries, have since been honored north american martyrs. surviving jesuits burned mission after abandoning prevent capture. iroquois attack shocked huron.

by may 1, 1649, huron burned 15 of villages prevent stores being taken , fled refugees surrounding tribes. 10,000 fled gahoendoe (now called christian island). fled island starved on winter, non-productive settlement , not provide them. after spending bitter winter of 1649–50 on island, surviving huron relocated near quebec city, settled @ wendake. absorbing other refugees, became huron-wendat nation. huron, along surviving petun, villages iroquois attacked in fall of 1649, fled upper lake michigan region, settling first @ green bay, @ michilimackinac.

huron-british treaty of 1760

on september 5, 1760, preceding capitulation of montreal british forces, brigadier general james murray signed treaty of peace , friendship chiefs of wendat residing @ lorette, present day wendake. text of treaty reads follows:

these certify chief of huron tribe of indians, having come me in name of nation, submit britannick majesty, , make peace, has :been received under protection, whole tribe; , henceforth no english officer or party molest, or interrupt them in returning settlement @ lorette; :and received upon same terms canadians, being allowed free exercise of religion, customs, , liberty of trading english: --  :recommending officers commanding posts, treat them kindly.


given under hand @ longueil, 5th day of september, 1760.


by genl s command,
john cosnan, ja. murray.
adjut. genl.

the treaty recognized huron-wendat distinct nation , guaranteed british not interfere huron-wendat s internal affairs. in 1990, in r. v. sioui, huron-british treaty of 1760 found supreme court of canada continue valid , binding on crown. accordingly, exercise of huron-wendat religion, customs, , trade benefit continuing canadian constitutional protection throughout territory frequented huron-wendat @ time treaty concluded.

emergence of wyandot

three huron-wyandot chiefs huron reservation (lourette) called wendake in quebec canada. after defeat iroquois, many huron fled quebec french allies, reserve set aside use. others migrated across lake huron , st. clair river, settling in ohio region , midwest.



huron-plume group – spencerwood, quebec city, 1880

in late 17th century, elements of huron confederacy , petun joined , became known wyandot (or wyandotte), variation of wendat. (this name related french transliteration of mohawk term tobacco.) western wyandot re-formed in area of ohio , southern michigan in united states.

in august 1782, wyandot joined forces simon girty, british soldier, , on 15-19 aug 1782 unsuccessfully besieged bryan station drew kentucky militia lower blue licks, wyandot defeated kentucky militia led daniel boone. wyandot gained high ground , surrounded boone s forces.

also in late 1782 wyandot joined forces shawnee, seneca, , delaware indians in siege of fort henry on ohio river unsuccessful.

during northwest indian war, wyandot fought alongside british allies against united states. under leadership of tarhe, signatories treaty of greenville in 1795.

in 1807, wyandot joined 3 other tribes – odawa, potawatomi, , ojibwe people – in signing treaty of detroit, major land cession. agreement between tribes , michigan territory (represented william hull) ceded united states part of territory in today s southeastern michigan , section of ohio near maumee river. tribes allowed keep small pockets of land in territory. in 1819, methodist church established mission wyandot in ohio, first native americans.

in 1840s, of surviving wyandot people displaced kansas indian territory through federal policy of forced indian removal. using funds received lands in ohio, wyandot purchased 23,000 acres (93 km) of land $46,080 in wyandotte county, kansas delaware (lenape). lenape had been grateful hospitality wyandot had shown them in ohio. more-or-less square parcel north , west of junction of kansas river , missouri river. united states government treaty granted wyandot nation small portion of fertile land located in acute angle of missouri river , kansas river, purchased delaware in 1843. in addition, government granted 32 floating sections, located on public lands west of mississippi river.

in june 1853, big turtle, wyandot chief, wrote ohio state journal regarding current condition of tribe. wyandot had received $127,000 lands in 1845. big turtle noted that, in spring of 1850, tribal chiefs retroceded granted land government. invested $100,000 of proceeds in 5% government stock. after removal kansas, wyandot had founded libraries along 2 thriving sabbath schools. in process of organizing division of sons of temperance , maintained sizable temperance society. big turtle commented on agricultural yield, produced annual surplus market. said thrift of wyandot exceeded of tribe north of arkansas line. according account, wyandot nation contented , happy , , enjoyed better living conditions in indian territory in ohio.

by 1855 number of wyandot had diminished 600–700. on august 14 of year, wyandot nation elected chief. kansas correspondent of missouri republican reported judges of election 3 elders trusted peers. wyandot offered of floating sections of land sale on same day @ price of $800. section composed of 640 acres (2.6 km). altogether 20,480 acres (82.9 km) sold $25,600. located in kansas, nebraska, , unspecified sites. surveys not required, title becoming complete @ time of location.

the wyandot played important role in politics of kansas. on july 26, 1853, william walker, wyandot, elected provisional governor of nebraska territory (which included kansas) @ meeting @ wyandot council house in kansas city. elected wyandot, white traders, , outside interests wished preempt federal government s organization of territory , benefit settlement of kansas white settlers. walker , others promoting kansas route proposed transcontinental railroad. although federal government did not recognize walker s election, political activity prompted federal government pass kansas-nebraska act organize kansas , nebraska territories.

an october 1855 article in new york times reported wyandot free (that is, had been accepted citizens) , without restrictions placed on other tribes. leaders unanimously pro-slavery, meant 900 or 1,000 additional votes in opposition free state movement of kansas.

in 1867, after american civil war, additional members removed midwest oklahoma. today more 4,000 wyandot can found in eastern kansas , oklahoma.

the last of original wyandot of ohio margaret grey eyes solomon, known mother solomon. daughter of chief john grey eyes, born in 1816 , departed ohio in 1843. 1889 had returned ohio, when recorded spectator restoration of wyandot s old mission church , wyandot mission church @ upper sandusky. died in upper sandusky on august 17, 1890. last wyandot live in ohio bill moose (1836–1937).

some descendants of wyandot nation of anderdon live in ohio , michigan. others live in toronto , brantford, ontario, on 6 nations reserve, have intermarried cayuga , other indigenous peoples. federally recognized tribes located in oklahoma , kansas of united states.

20th century present

interior of longhouse, near toronto

beginning in 1907, archaeological excavations conducted @ jesuit mission site near georgian bay. mission has since been reconstructed sainte-marie among hurons, living museum adjacent martyrs shrine, roman catholic shrine consecrated north american martyrs.

a program founded in 1940s address grievances filed various native american tribes allocated $800 million rectify promises broken settlers invaded territories. wyandot settlement based on 1830 indian removal law, required native americans move west of mississippi river. wyandot paid 75 cents per acre land worth $1.50 acre.

in february 1985 u.s. government agreed pay descendants of wyandot $5.5 million. decision settled 143-year-old treaty, in 1842 forced tribe sell ohio lands less-than-fair value. spokesman bureau of indian affairs said government pay $1,600 each, in july 1985, 3,600 people in kansas , oklahoma prove wyandot descendants.

on august 27, 1999, representatives of far-flung wyandot bands of quebec, kansas, oklahoma , michigan gathered @ historic homeland in midland, ontario. formally re-established wendat confederacy.

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