Haudenosaunee Confederacy News

• The Haudenosaunee Peace and Trade Committee met on Wednesday, January 26th at the Onondaga Nation cook house. In attendance were: Howard Thompson, Mohawk Nation, Sid Hill (Adotarhoh) Onondaga, Darwin Hill, Seneca, Carl Hill, Cayuga, Chris Abrams, Seneca, Joe Heath, legal counsel and Stuart Patterson, Tuscarora.

The meeting started with an opening address. The first item on the agenda were reports from Darwin, Carl and Howard about the meetings attended while at the Organization of American States Conference in Washington, D.C. from January 16th to the 21st. They reported on the OAS work, the meeting with the State Department, Homeland Security, House of Representative Louise Slaughter’s Aide, and finally a meeting with Obama’s Native American Advisor, Kathleen Tehi. Next on the agenda were reports (updates) from those nations in attendance. The legal counsel gave an update on the cigarette tax issue and the land claims (Onondaga). Chris Abrams gave an update on the Haudenosaunee Standing Committee (Rites and Burials) and mentioned that Haudenosaunee leadership will be attending a consultation meeting in Denver, Colorado at the end of the month. Meeting closed.

The Onondaga Nation started their mid-winter ceremonies this past weekend. Their mid-winter ceremonies will take them into mid-February.

The Mohawk Nation Council of chiefs will be sending two representatives to Denver, Colorado for a consultation meeting about some funerary bones held in the museum in Denver. Other Nations/Tribes have been invited to participate. The bones are believed to be from a Nation/Tribe in Pennsylvania. Any Nation/Tribe can take the bones to rebury. This is part of the work of the Haudenosaunee Standing Committee working on repatriation of artifacts, funerary items and sacred objects.

Did you know that if the Bear side wins the Peach Bowl at Mid-Winter Ceremonies- it will be a short winter. Sorry everyone! The Bears did not win! Guess we can wait for the groundhog and see what he says.

Of course there are other “sayings” that our grandparents told us, such as the cuddly brown and black caterpillars, where the bee’s hive is located (high/low) and many others.

Oh well, January is over, February has only 28 days so spring must be coming.

That’s all my friends.