The town of Middlesex honors the heritage of the Seneca Nation of Indians Saturday at its annual Seneca Heritage Day, hosted by the Middlesex Heritage Group.
The Senecas settled in the area around Canandaigua Lake hundreds of years ago, and Win Harper with the Historical Group says it’s important that their stories continue to be told.
Jemison’s talk will be titled “Who owns history? We are still here.”
According to the official Seneca Nation website, “the historical Seneca occupied territory throughout the Finger Lakes area in Central New York, and in the Genesee Valley in Western New York, living in longhouses on the riversides. The villages were well fortified with wooden stake fences, just one of the many industrious undertakings.
The people relied heavily on agriculture for food, growing the Three Sisters: corn, beans, and squash, which were known as Deohako,(pronounced: Jo- hay- ko) “the life supporters.” In addition to raising crops, the early Seneca were also subsistence hunters and fishers.”
The event is Saturday from 2-4 p.m. at the historic Overackers Corners Schoolhouse on Route 364, south of Canandaigua, at the corner of North Vine Valley Road. Bill Crouse and the Allegany River Dancers will perform in authentic Seneca regalia, and there will be free ice cream. The event is free.
Listen to my full Inside the FLX conversation with Win Harper below.
