Haudenosaunee Delegations Meet with King and Queen of Netherlands

By Kaniehtonkie.

With a mandate from the Grand Council, a delegation of Haudenosaunee traveled to Albany to attend a reception to welcome the King and Queen of The Netherlands hosted by the Governor Hochul of New York in the Governor’s Mansion.

The Haudenosaunee Delegation was very visible in their traditional clothing. After an introductory speech given by NYS Governor Hochul, the King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands were introduced to the Haudenosaunee Delegation.

The Haudenosaunee delegation consisted of Sarenhowane – Ernest David: Wolf Clan, Tehanakarine - Curtis Nelson: Bear Clan, Wakerahkatste – Louise Herne: Bear Clan, Deskakeh – Steve Jacobs: Cayuga, and Kenneth Deer, Haudenosaunee External Relations Committee.

Curtis began by presenting an ‘invitation wampum’ to King Willem-Alexander to meet in Onondaga at their earliest convenience. Tehanakarine explained the importance of the wampum and how wampum has a lot of history to it. This wampum is to rekindle the relationship between the Haudenosaunee and the Dutch, King Willem-Alexander understand the meaning behind accepting the wampum.

Next, Deskaheh presented a Two Row wampum belt with Curtis explaining the belts meaning. The king took the belt into his hands and held it. It was explained the belt was not a gift – not at this moment in time – and the wampum belt was returned to the delegation. The Two Row wampum belt is to remind each other of how we work and how we live, with two lines representing each nation and never intersecting.

Speaking in Kanieńkehá – Sarenhowane recited the three first strings of the Condolence with Tehanakarine translating in English, “With this string I wipe away the tears from your eyes. If ever I meet someone, who is in as much grief as I, I would surely express condolences to them, so that they may see clearly again their path here upon the earth. With this string, I clear way the obstruction from your ears. If ever I meet someone, who is in as much grief as I, I would surely express condolences to them, so that they are able to hear the words again, that people are conveying to them. With this string, I take away the parchedness from your throat. If ever I meet someone, who is in as much grief as I, I would surely express condolences to them, so that they may be able to speak to one another again.”

The Royals listened intently and appeared to be genuinely interested in the exchange between the two nations.

Immediately after, Haudenosaunee Nationals lacrosse team representatives Neal Powless and Jim Barnes presented King Willem with a handmade lacrosse stick from Akwesasne. Powless and Barnes gave a brief history of lacrosse, difference between the ceremonial game and a game of enjoyment and physical prowess. They shared the importance of lacrosse to the Haudenosaunee and of our presence on the world stage as our own national team.

Both delegations gather for photos soon after with Governor Hochul joining them.

The Royals listened intently and appeared to be genuinely interested in the exchange between the two nations.

Immediately after, Haudenosaunee Nationals lacrosse team representatives Neal Powless and Jim Barnes presented King Willem with a handmade lacrosse stick from Akwesasne. Powless and Barnes gave a brief history of lacrosse, difference between the ceremonial game and a game of enjoyment and physical prowess. They shared the importance of lacrosse t