Tribe of Hemp Gatherers?

Today we are going to talk about the Tuscarora (in Tuscarora Skarù:ręˀ, which means "hemp gatherers" are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government of the Iroquoian-language family, with members today in North Carolina, New York, and Ontario, Canada. When first encountered by Europeans in the 17th century, the Tuscarora occupied what is now North Carolina. They were noted for their use of indigenous hemp for fibre and medicine; their name derives from an Iroquoian term for “hemp gatherers.” The skarorehaka-hemp gatherers are in the west, the kuatenuhwaka-people of the pines in the south, the akwahteka-people of the water in the east and the Gustoweh is in the north. We are of the Bear Clan. Our Seal acknowledges the Skahrooreaga - hemp gatherers, in the West, Kgahtenoowahgah - people of the pines, in the South the agawahntehgah - -people of the water, in the East. The Gustoweh is in the North.

Tuscarora Indians occupied much of the North Carolina inner Coastal Plain at the time of the Roanoke Island colonies in the 1580s. They were considered the most powerful and highly developed tribe in what is now eastern North Carolina and were thought to possess mines of precious metal. Their lifestyle there included hunting and gathering, as well as some farming. Fishing contributed significantly to their diet, as they could fish both in the rivers and gather shellfishand other fish from the ocean

There were two primary contingents of Tuscarora, a Northern group led by Chief Tom Blunt and a Southern group led by Chief Hancock. Chief Blunt occupied the area around what is present-day Bertie County on the Roanoke River; Chief Hancock was closer to New Bern, North Carolina, occupying the area south of the Pamplico River (now the Pamlico River).

The first attacks began on September 22, 1711, beginning the Tuscarora War. on July 8, 1710 the Tuscarora Confederacy even sent 8 wampum belts to Penn. at Conestoga begging for a cessation of the hostilities and atrocities committed against them.By the first belt, the older women and mothers sought that they might fetch wood and water without risk of danger.By the second belt, the children born and those to be born begged for room to sport and play without fear of death or slavery.By the third belt, the young men asked for the privilege to leave their villages without fear of death or slavery, to hunt for meat for their mothers, their children, and the aged ones.By the fourth belt, that the old men and elders and the people ask for peace so the forest and the paths to other Tribes be as safe for them as their forts.

By the fifth belt, the entire Tribe ask for a firm peace that they might have liberty to visit their neighbors.By the sixth belt, The Chiefs ask the establishment of a lasting peace with the Government, people, and Indians of Pennsylvania, whereby they would be relived of those fearful apprehensions these last years they have felt.By the seventh belt, The Tuscaroras begged for a cessation for murdering and taking them that by the allowance thereof they may not be afraid of a mouse, or any other thing that ruffles the leaves.By the eight belt, The Tuscaroras being strangers, came with blind hopes the Government of Pennsylvania would take them by the hand and lead them, and then they will lift up their heads in the woods without danger of fear.But NC Government sent an unfavorable letter condemning the Tuscarora and the Tuscaroras pleas were denied, and the wampum belts were sent to 5 Nations from Conestoga. The Seneca made a place for some of the Tuscarora to dwell and they were added to the cradle board of 5 Nations. To this day the stragglers that went there are still on the cradle board. 250 families migrated north out of 800 families in NC, Of those Tuscarora who remained in NC they signed yet another treaty with VA. It too was broken, the grievances continued until the Tuscarora finally rebelled against the settlers September 22, 1711.

Governor Edward Hyde called out the militia of North Carolina and attacked the Southern Tuscarora and other tribes in Craven County at Fort Narhantes on the banks of the Neuse River in 1712. Many were killed and prisoners, largely women and children, were sold into slavery. Chief Blunt was then offered the chance to control the entire Tuscarora tribe if he assisted the settlers in putting down Chief Hancock. Chief Blunt was able to capture Chief Hancock, and the settlers executed him in 1712.

From 1713 forward the Tuscarora walked north to New York in the early eighteenth century to join the Iroquois Confederacy (Haudenonsaunee). Accepted by the confederacy, they have been part of the Six Nations ever since, together with the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and Seneca. The migration period took approximately 90 years to complete. Some lived in Pennsylvania for a time before moving to New York. Others, who had not been involved in the uprisings, were permitted to remain in their villages in North Carolina, but later most joined the tribe in New York. At that time they adopted more aspects of the Iroquois culture, participating in Haudenosaunee rituals and living in long houses—long lodges that were extended as the families grew, also used for ceremonies and council meetings. Their language also evolved as a branch of the Iroquoian languages.The men also adopted the use of gustoweh, feathered caps constructed with turkey feathers. Each of the tribes in the Iroquois Nation had a different style of gustoweh. The Tuscarora style had no upright eagle feathers, whereas those of the other nations had one, two, or three such feathers in addition to the turkey feathers.

The Indian Woods Reservation was over 58,000 acres in 1717.

The Iroquois believed in a supreme spirit, Orenda, the "Great Spirit," from whom all other spirits were derived. Legends tell of Atahensic (also called Ataensic), the sky goddess, who fell to the earth at the time of creation and was carried down to the land by the wings of birds. After her fall from the sky she gave birth to Hahgwehdiyu and Hahgwehdaetgah, twin sons. She died in childbirth and was considered the goddess of pregnancy, fertility, and feminine skills. Hahgwehdiyu put a plant into his mothers lifeless body and from it grew maize as a gift to humankind. Hahgwehdaetgah his twin was an evil spirit.

The Tuscarora, together all Haudenosaunee, believe that winter is a time of death in which Mother Earth goes into a long slumber and many plants die, but when spring arrives and nature begins to flourish, she has woken up and given life once again. Celebration of the maple sap and strawberries as well as corn planting were considered spiritual in nature. Also, in the winter, there was an important eight-day festival to give thanks and to forget past wrongs

A substantial portion of the Tuscaroras sided with the Oneida nation against the rest of the League of the Six Nations by fighting for the U.S. government during the American Revolutionary War. Those that remained allies of the Crown later followed Joseph Brant into Ontario, Canada. In 1803, the final contingent of the Tuscarora migrated to New York to join the tribe at their reservation in Niagara County, under a treaty directed by Thomas Jefferson. By 1804, only a few scattered families remained in North Carolina. In 1831, the Tuscarora sold the remaining rights to their lands in North Carolina, which had been reduced from their original 56,000 acres (227 km²) to a mere 2000 acres (8 km²).

Their first Chief, Joseph General Jack Cotton of the Southern Band Tuscarora, was one of the elders who brought the Tuscarora back together after the fall of the Tuscarora Confederacy, over 270 years ago and his wife, the Clan Grandmother of the Bear Clan, Rita Rising Sun Cotton have gone down inthe history of the Tribe as the reuniting force of the Southern Band Tuscarora.

Today, Tuscarora live in Canada and New York. Despite their difficult past, they continue as a sovereign nation with the Haudenosaunee government including chiefs, clan mothers, and faithkeepers. They maintain their culture and traditions, such as playing the traditional form of lacrosse called "stickball," traditionally used as a method of setting inter-tribal disputes without the violence of war. We wear the Gustoweh, not a South Western head Bonnet or (war bonnet) as they are called. Their villages or clans went of their matrilineal (mothers) line. They still honor our Clan Mothers even though they feel they cannot go back to the old ways, they still remember and say that the blood always remembers.

Since 1927, Tuscarora have joined the annual Border Crossing Celebration founded by Chief Clinton Rickard to promote the unrestricted crossings between the United States and Canada, as guaranteed in the Jay Treaty of 1794 and the Treaty of Ghent of 1814. Rickard founded the Indian Defense League of America, which sponsors the Celebration, to resist the erosion of native rights and promote their culture.

Today the Tuscarora prosper, living in the reservations of Ontario, Canada and New York state. They continue their culture and traditions, government through chiefs, clan mothers, and faithkeepers. They continue to fish in the Niagara River and play their traditional game of lacrosse (also known as "stick ball"), a part of their heritage that is far more than just a game, serving religious and social purposes as well as being played to settle inter-tribal disputes, and essential function in keeping the Six Nations of the Iroquois together

Today, Six Nations of the Grand River is the most populous reserve in Canada, with a recorded population in 2001 of 21,474. The reserve has both a traditional Iroquois council of chiefs and an elected band council conforming to Canadian government requirements. The Tuscarora Reservation is an Indian reservation located in the Town of Lewiston in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 1,138 at the 2000 census.

We hope you found this article enlightening and that you please stay tuned. Blessings