Seneca–Cayuga Nation facts for kids
Flag of the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma
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| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 5,059 (2011) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States ( Oklahoma) |
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| Languages | |
| English | |
| Religion | |
| Longhouse | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Haudenosaunee, Wyandot, other Iroquoian peoples |
The Seneca–Cayuga Nation is one of three federally recognized tribes of Seneca people in the United States. Being "federally recognized" means the U.S. government officially acknowledges them as a sovereign Native American tribe. This nation includes people from both the Seneca and Cayuga tribes. They are based in Oklahoma, United States.
In 2011, the tribe had more than 5,000 members. They have a special area where their tribal laws apply, located in the northeast corner of Oklahoma. Their main office is in Grove. The Seneca–Cayuga Nation's ancestors were Iroquoian-speaking people who moved to Ohio from New York in the mid-1700s.
Two other federally recognized Seneca tribes are located in New York: the Seneca Nation of New York and the Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians.
Contents
How the Seneca–Cayuga Nation is Governed
The Seneca–Cayuga Nation has an elected government system. This system includes two main groups: the Reservation Business Committee (RBC) and the Grievance Committee.
The Reservation Business Committee (RBC)
The RBC acts like the tribe's main council. It makes laws and manages the tribe's daily activities. It has seven members: a Chief, a Second Chief, a Secretary-Treasurer, and four other RBC Members. The current chief is Charlie Diebold.
The Grievance Committee
This committee acts like the tribe's court system. It helps resolve disagreements and ensures fairness. It has five members.
Elections for Leaders
Members of both committees are elected for four-year terms. Elections happen every year, with different positions being voted on in odd-numbered and even-numbered years.
Who Can Be a Member of the Seneca–Cayuga Nation?
To be a member of the Seneca–Cayuga Nation, people must meet certain rules. These rules help decide who belongs to the tribe.
- People whose names were on the official tribe list from January 1, 1937, when the tribe was reorganized.
- Children born after that date, if both of their parents are members of the Nation.
- Children born to a Seneca–Cayuga Nation member and a member of another Native American tribe, if they choose to join the Seneca–Cayuga Nation.
- Children born to a Seneca–Cayuga Nation member and any other person, if the tribe's Council agrees to let them join.
Today, there are 5,059 enrolled members in the Nation. About 1,174 of these members live in Oklahoma.
Programs and Services for the Community
The Seneca–Cayuga Nation offers many programs to help its members. These programs support education, housing, and family well-being.
- Administration on Aging Program (helps elders)
- Adult Education Program
- Adult Vocational Training Program (helps with job skills)
- Child Care and Development Program
- Higher Education Program (helps with college)
- Housing Improvement Program
- Indian Child Welfare Program (protects children)
- Johnson O'Malley Program (supports Native American students)
- Social Services/Child Protection Program
- Tax Commission
- Tribal Enrollment
The Seneca-Cayuga Language and Cultural Society also holds special events, like Stomp dances, to keep their traditions alive. The tribe has a community building in Grove for public gatherings.
How the Nation Supports Itself
The Seneca–Cayuga Nation has developed businesses to support its community and provide services for its members.
Businesses and Income
The tribe runs a casino near Grove, Oklahoma. They also have a factory that makes their own brand of cigarettes called Skydancer. By putting a lot of their earnings from these businesses back into the community, the Seneca–Cayuga Tribe has become much more successful since the late 1900s.
The tribe also issues its own special tribal vehicle tags for cars. It is estimated that the tribe's businesses bring in about $751,000 each year. In 2009, they also gave $98,000 to charities.
History of the Seneca–Cayuga Nation
The Seneca and Cayuga people have a long and interesting history.
Early Homes and the Iroquois Confederacy
The Seneca, whose name means "People of the Great Hill," traditionally lived in what is now New York. Their lands were between the Genesee River and Canandaigua Lake. The Cayuga, meaning "People of the Great Swamp," also lived in western New York.
Both tribes spoke Iroquoian languages. The Seneca were the largest tribe of the Five Nations, also known as the League of the Iroquois. This powerful group traditionally lived in New York. The original Five Nations were the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. The Seneca were known as the "Keepers of the Western Door" because they lived the furthest west. In 1722, the Tuscarora joined the group, making it the Six Nations.
Moving West and the American Revolution
In the mid to late 1700s, many Iroquois groups were forced to move west. They wanted to escape from colonists who were taking their land. These groups included the Mingo, Susquehannock, Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Tuscarora, Onondaga, and the Seneca of Sandusky.
After the American Revolution, many Iroquois nations had sided with the British. When the British lost the war, they gave up their claims to Native American lands. This meant the Iroquois were forced to give their lands to the United States. Most moved to Canada after the Treaty of Canandaigua in 1794. Some small groups were allowed to stay on reservations in New York.
Journey to Oklahoma
A group of Seneca–Cayuga ancestors, known as Mingoes, had already moved to Ohio in the mid-1700s. They were independent groups, not controlled by the Six Nations in New York. Around 1800, some Cayugas from New York joined these Seneca in Ohio.
In 1831, this tribe sold their land in Ohio. They agreed to move to a new reservation in the Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory (which is now Oklahoma). Their journey was very difficult, lasting eight months and facing many problems like blizzards and disease. When they arrived, they found their new land overlapped with the Cherokee's land.
In 1832, a new treaty was made. This treaty adjusted the boundaries and created the "United Nation of Seneca and Shawnee."
The Civil War and Later Changes
During the American Civil War, the Indian Territory became a place of fighting. Many Seneca and Cayuga people who supported the Union (the North) fled to Kansas for safety.
After the war, in 1867, the government sold some of the Seneca–Cayuga lands to other tribes. The Shawnee people also separated and became the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma. In 1881, a group of Cayuga from Canada joined the Seneca Tribe in Indian Territory.
In 1902, before Oklahoma became a state, 372 members of the tribe received individual land plots. This meant they became U.S. citizens and left the traditional tribal system, which helped Oklahoma become a state.
Today, the tribe has about 5,000 members. Many live in Ottawa and Delaware counties. The tribal headquarters is near Grove, Oklahoma. In 2014, the tribe officially changed its name to the Seneca–Cayuga Nation.
New York Land Claims
Even though the Seneca–Cayuga Nation left New York a long time ago, they have been interested in land claims cases there.
Claims in New York Courts
The Seneca–Cayuga Nation tried to join the Cayuga Nation in a lawsuit about land claims in New York. They argued that they were also descendants of the Cayuga Nation. However, the U.S. Indian Claims Commission ruled in 1973 that the ancestors of the Seneca–Cayuga were not part of the treaties made between the Cayuga Nation and New York after the American Revolution. This was because their ancestors had already left New York before 1794. So, the Seneca–Cayuga Nation could not claim land based on those treaties.
The Seneca–Cayuga Nation also tried to get involved in a land claim lawsuit by the Seneca Nation of New York against New York, concerning land near Cuba, New York. Again, the courts decided that the Seneca–Cayuga had no right to be part of this case. Their ancestors had left New York and settled in Ohio long before these treaties were made. The Seneca Nation of New York eventually settled their claim for the land around Cuba Lake.
Future Plans in New York
The tribe has asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs if they can buy land in New York and have it held in trust for them. They hope to open a casino near major cities in New York. The U.S. Department of the Interior is still reviewing this request.
Some groups in New York have opposed these land claims, especially when tribes from outside the state try to claim land based on old treaties.
Images for kids
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Flag of the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma
