Seneca Nation of New York facts for kids

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officer presents an award to Art John, Director of Emergency Response for the Seneca Nation of Indians, 2009

The Seneca Nation of Indians is a federally recognized Seneca tribe. They are based in western New York. They are one of three federally recognized Seneca groups in the United States. The other two are the Tonawanda Band of Seneca and the Seneca-Cayuga Nation of Oklahoma. Some Seneca people also live with other Iroquois groups on the Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario, Canada.

The Seneca Nation has three reservations. Two of these are currently occupied: Cattaraugus Reservation and Allegany Indian Reservation. The third, Oil Springs Reservation, is mostly empty. The Nation has two capitals that switch every election. These are Irving on the Cattaraugus Reservation and Jimerson Town near Salamanca on the Allegany Reservation.

How the Seneca Nation is Governed

The Seneca Nation's government was created in 1848. This happened at a special meeting of Seneca Indians living on the Allegany and Cattaraugus lands in New York. Their Constitution set up a government with three main parts:

• A Council of 16 members.
• Three leaders called Executives (President, Treasurer, and Clerk).
• Court justices (Surrogates and Peacemakers).

These leaders are chosen in elections held every two years. These elections usually happen on the first Tuesday in November. The main leadership roles switch between the two reservations each election. No officer can serve two terms in a row because of this. However, they can serve many terms that are not consecutive.

Who Can Be a Citizen?

The Council has rules about who can be a citizen of the Seneca Nation. Today, nearly 8,000 people are officially citizens. Many Seneca citizens live on the reservations, which are mostly rural areas. However, about half of the citizens live off the reservations. They often live in cities where there are more job opportunities. These citizens can still vote in elections.

Different Ways of Governing

The Seneca Nation has a republican form of government. This means people vote for their leaders. This is different from the Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians. That group kept its traditional government. Their leaders are hereditary chiefs chosen by clan mothers. The Seneca Nation changed its government in 1848. People who wanted to keep the old ways formed the Tonawanda Band.

For a long time, Seneca women could not vote in elections. This changed in the early 1960s. After several votes, the right for women to vote was finally approved.

Recent Elections and Leaders

The Seneca Party has been very influential in Seneca politics for many years. In recent elections, this party has often won most of the offices.

In 2014, Maurice "Moe" John of the Seneca Party was elected President. Todd Gates became Treasurer, and Pauline "Snap" John was elected Clerk. Many Council members from both the Cattaraugus and Allegany Territories were also elected from the Seneca Party.

In 2016, Todd Gates was elected President. Maurice "Moe" John became Treasurer, and Lenith Waterman was elected Clerk. More Council members were also chosen.

In the 2018 elections, Rickey L. Armstrong, Sr. became President. Matthew Pagels was elected Treasurer, and Bethany Johnson became Clerk. The Seneca Party won all the main offices and Council seats.

The 2020 election also saw the Seneca Party win all positions. Matthew Pagels was elected President. Rickey Armstrong, Sr. became Treasurer, and Marta Kettle was elected Clerk. New Council members were chosen from both territories.

How the Seneca Nation Earns Money

The Seneca Nation has many businesses that help its economy. These businesses also create jobs for many people.

Gaming and Entertainment

The tribe owns and runs several casinos and entertainment places. These include:

• The Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in Buffalo.
• The Seneca Allegany Casino in Salamanca.
• The Seneca Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls.

The Seneca Nation also owns Seneca Gaming and Entertainment. This includes smaller places with video slots and bingo. These are located in Irving, Salamanca, and on the Oil Spring Reservation in Cuba.

Other Businesses

The tribe owns a company called Seneca Holding. This company has different businesses. It owns Seneca Telecommunications, which is a phone and internet company. It also owns SCMC LLC, a construction management company. The Nation has worked to start new businesses beyond its traditional ones, like selling gasoline and tobacco.

The tribe has its own brand of cigarettes called Native Pride. They also own a small chain of gas stations and smoke shops called "Seneca One Stop." Many other smoke shops on Seneca reservations are owned by individuals. These businesses do not pay New York state taxes because they are on sovereign land. This gives them a price advantage over other stores. This tax issue has been a long-standing disagreement between the tribe and the state government.

The Kinzua Dam Project

For many years, the Seneca people used their land mainly for farming. The land along the river was very fertile. In the 1960s, the United States Army Corps of Engineers planned to build the Kinzua Dam. This dam was for flood control. However, it meant taking 10,000 acres of the Seneca reservation. This was almost one-third of their land and much of their best farmland.

More than 600 Seneca families had to move from their homes. The tribe received some land and help for these families to move. They also had to move a burial ground. The Seneca people felt this was not enough payment. They believed it broke a 1794 treaty that promised them control of their reservation. The dam also caused more flooding on their land later on.

After the dam was built, the Seneca people became more involved in politics. The money they received for the dam helped some members go to college. This led to a generation of educated Seneca people who now work in the tribal government.

In 2010, the Seneca Nation asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to take over the Kinzua Dam's hydropower operations. The tribe's president, Robert Odawi Porter, said this would help their economy. It would also be a way to make up for the land and environmental losses from the dam. The dam had been making a lot of money for its operators, but the Seneca had not received any of it.

In 2015, FERC gave a new 50-year license to Seneca Generation. This allowed them to continue running the Kinzua Project.

Public Transportation

In 2013, the Seneca Nation started a public bus service. This service helps people travel on the Cattaraugus and western Allegany reservations. It runs along several New York State routes. The service is open to everyone, not just Seneca citizens.

Relationships with Non-Seneca People

Mary Jemison was an Irish girl captured by Shawnee Indians during a war. She was adopted by a Seneca tribe and became part of their culture. She married two Seneca men and raised her children in the Seneca way. Mary Jemison helped connect the Seneca Nation with American settlers. She was especially good at explaining treaty agreements.

The Seneca Nation has the power to ask non-Seneca people to leave their lands. They have used this power in rare cases. For example, in 2016, six non-Native people were asked to leave the Nation's territories.

Land Ownership and Rights

Since the late 1900s, the Seneca have been working more to use their rights over their reservation lands. This has sometimes caused disagreements with non-Native people living nearby.

In the 1990s, the Seneca won a long court case. This case said they owned all the land on their reservation, even land owned by private non-Seneca people. This was a big issue in Salamanca. Non-Native people had owned land there for many years. The city had grown under a 99-year lease agreement with the Seneca Nation.

When this lease ended in 1991, the Seneca Nation asked property owners to sign new leases with the Nation. These new leases would cover both the land and any buildings on it. If people refused, they could be asked to leave. The Seneca Nation asked fifteen property owners to leave their homes because they would not sign. The money from these new leases has helped the Nation give its citizens a regular payment, like a basic income.

In 2012, the Seneca also ordered 80 people to leave their summer cottages at Snyder Beach. These cottages were on the Cattaraugus Reservation. The Seneca Nation said these non-Native residents were living there illegally for a long time.

Seneca Culture and Traditions

The Seneca were the largest of the six Native American nations that formed the Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Six Nations. Their democratic government existed before the United States Constitution.

In the Iroquois Confederacy, the Seneca were known as the "Keeper of the Western Door." This is because they were the westernmost of the Six Nations. In the Seneca language, the people are called O-non-dowa-gah, which means "Great Hill People." The historical Seneca lived in the Finger Lakes area and the Genesee Valley in New York. They lived in longhouses near rivers. Their villages were protected by strong wooden fences.

The Seneca were settled farmers. They grew important crops called the Three Sisters: corn, beans, and squash. These were known as Deohako, or "the life supporters." Women usually grew and prepared the crops. Seneca men hunted and fished for food.

The Seneca were skilled warriors. They were also known for their diplomacy and public speaking. They were willing to join with the other four original nations to form the Iroquois Confederacy.

Today, the Seneca Nation supports its people and helps nearby communities. Their businesses include casinos, hotels, and entertainment, which employ over 3,500 people. They also have convenience stores, construction management, and other business ventures.

Seneca language, songs, art, dance, and sports are important parts of their culture. The number of people who speak the Seneca language fluently is decreasing. To keep the language alive, the Nation has started programs to teach new generations of speakers.

Lacrosse is a sport played by both males and females, young and old. The Nation has two new sports complexes for year-round lacrosse and community activities. Like other Iroquois tribes, Seneca Nation lacrosse players compete internationally. They play on the Iroquois Nationals and Haudenosaunee Nationals teams.

A Faithkeepers' School helps keep traditional teachings, arts, and knowledge alive. The Seneca heritage is celebrated through ceremonies, dances, music, songs, arts, crafts, and traditional foods.

Notable Seneca Citizens

• Governor Blacksnake (c.1740–1859), a Seneca war chief.
• Cornplanter (1750–1836), a Seneca leader and negotiator. He was granted land in Pennsylvania, which was later flooded by the Kinzua Dam.
• Maxine Crouse Dowler, a teacher and the first Seneca member on a local Board of Education.
• George Heron, a former Nation president who opposed the Kinzua Dam.
• Bemus Pierce, an early professional football player and coach.
• Hawley Pierce, an early professional football player and coach.
• Maris Bryant Pierce (1811–1874), a chief, lawyer, and land-rights activist.
• Red Jacket (c. 1750–1830), a Chief who wanted his people to keep their culture and stay peaceful.
• Isaac Seneca, an early professional football player.