The Onondaga Council is the traditional government of the Onondaga Nation, a sovereign nation, one of six nations of the Haudenosaunee people, that lives on a portion of its ancestral territory and maintains its own distinct laws, language, customs, and culture.
The "nation" is not governed by a republican Council of Chiefs since the notion of federalism and proportional representation was strictly adhered to. After the dissolution of the League, interests lie only in external matters such as war, peace, and treaty-making to further the unanimity of the United States government. Since Tadodaho was appointed to the council fire and given weapons to protect the sacred fire within the house, the Grand Council could not interfere in the internal affairs of the tribe. Their role was limited to matters between themselves and other tribes; they had no say in matters that were traditionally the concern of the ability of the clan names.
Present day The Onondaga Nation is an independent nation. A Confederacy of Haudenosaunee exists but without formal political function. The Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee League is composed of 56 Hoyaneh, also known as chiefs or Sachems. The Hoyaneh are all considered to have an equal voice. The seats on the Grand Council are distributed among the Six Nations as follows:
14 Onondaga 10 Cayuga 9 Oneida 9 Mohawk 8 Seneca 6 Tuscarora
The Hoyaneh make decisions to protect their people, looking forward seven generations to the future in each decision. The Great Peacemaker leads the Council in effigy. He is the embodiment of supreme sacrifice since it is Ionhawatha who was held to the Mohawk fires. As the Tadodaho reigns to resolve Ionhawatha's dead children, so will The Great Peacemaker be held to relevancy in light of universal suffrage.
Within the Onondaga Council, the fourteen Onondaga Hoyaneh are divided into three separate benches, which must each reach consensus before a motion can advance. A decision made by the three branches in consensus is said to be "Of One Mind". A person serves as Hoyaneh for life and the Clan Mother helps to identify leaders in the community to serve in this position. The Clan Mother can remove the Hoyaneh from office if she judges him to have acted outside his responsibilities.
See also Onondaga Nation Onondaga people Onondaga Reservation Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council
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