Nadine Hoover brought greetings from Buffalo Friends Meeting to the Haudenosaunee People gathered for the Canandaigua Treaty Commemoration. She delivered our formal greetings recognizing our formal role since Quakers were named as Guardians in the Treaty.
This year's 228th anniversary of the historic, federal Canandaigua Treaty of 1794 Commemoration was held on November 11, 2022 at 2 pm on the front lawn of the Ontario County Courthouse.
The annual commemoration serves to “polish the chain of peace and friendship” between the Hodinöhsö:ni’ (Six Nations Confederacy, known by Europeans as the Iroquois) and the young United States. The treaty was signed by Colonel Timothy Pickering—official agent of President George Washington—and sachems from the Six Nations Grand Council. It signified peace between the two and recognized the sovereignty of the other as distinct nations to govern and set their own laws.
The Hodinöhsö:ni’ sent 1600 representatives to the treaty council - the Seneca sending an impressive 800 representatives. The United States sent both Colonel Timothy Pickering and General Isarael Chapin. Quaker representatives, led by William Savery of Philadelphia, also attended this treaty council. These Quaker mediators had been invited to the treaty negotiations by the Seneca people because Quakers were a trust-worthy, peaceful people who could read English and help to ensure fair negotiations.
The Commemoration opened with the Hodinöhsö:ni’ words:
Greetings to the Natural World, Words Before All Else.
The People. gathered, see the cycles of life continue, to live in balance and harmony
Earth Mother. gives all we need for life, our feet walk upon her, cares for us since
The Waters. quenching our thirst, giving strength, power in …
The Fish. that cleanse and purify the water, give themselves as food
The Plants. vast plant life, sustaining life forms,
The Food Plants. we harvest from the gardens, from beginning grains, beans, veg, berries help people and other life survive
The Medicine Herbs. take away sickness and heal, and the special few who remember
The Animals. that teach us many things, near our homes and in the deep forests
The Trees. families of trees, with their own instructions and uses, shelter, shade, fruit, beauty,
The Birds. move and fly, the Creator gave them beautiful songs, to remind us to enjoy
The Four Winds. we hear their voices whisper and howl, purify the air we breathe, bring the seasons
The Thunderers. western grandfathers, who bring water
The Sun. eldest brother, traveling the sky bringing light and life and fire
Grandmother Moon. lights the darkness, leads the women and the tides, measures time,
The Stars. beauty of the night, bring dew to the gardens and guide our travels
Enlightened Teachers. come to help over the ages, remind us of wisdom, harmony and balance
The Creator. the Great Spirit, the Living Spirit, gives us all we have, all we need, all the love
All that is forgotten or left out, we leave it to each of us to remember the named and the unnamed
… We bring our minds together as one to give greetings and thanks to … Now our minds are one.
The Hodinöhsö:ni’ open and close every ceremonial or government meeting with these words. They welcome anyone to give this address on behalf of their own people or create or remember their own. They believe all people had similar words at some time in our past. The world would be better if we did not take the world for granted but communicated our thankfulness and acknowledgement of all living things to align our minds and hearts with Nature. Jake Swamp hoped that this address would go out to the children of the world in his words “so that later in life when they go out and meet one another they will find that they are all coming form the same place.” Now our minds are one.
We stand in solidarity with the Hodinöhsö:ni’, recognized their claims to land, and are grateful for their beautiful cultures and languages that have instructed the settlers over the years.