Cachointioni
Encyclopedia
Kak¢enthiony (died June 1756), also known as Red Head, was an important member of the Onondaga council, and official speaker of the Onondagas
.
In 1748 he spoke at a conference of Iroquois
with Governor La Galissonière
in Montreal. On behalf of the Confederacy he denied British claims that the Six Nations were vassals of the British crown. The Iroquois "had not ceded to any one their lands, which they hold only of heaven," he was reported to have said.
In July 1751 Cachointioni and numerous other Onondaga chiefs
attended a conference with Governor La Jonquière
. Claiming to represent the Six Nations Council, they apparently intended to sell the portage at Oneida Lake
to the French. Some Oneidas, however, rejected the delegation's claim to speak for the Six Nations. The sale would have been a blow to the British, since the land was on the route from Albany to Oswego, the only British post on the Great Lakes. After considerable dissension within the Confederacy, the land was instead deeded to William Johnson
.
Since 1701, when Teganissorens
and other Iroquois leaders had concluded a treaty with New France
, the official policy of the Confederacy had been neutrality in the struggle between the French and British. In the early 1750s Cachointioni was apparently still attempting to maintain this stand, but efforts to keep on good terms with both sides failed to prevent the Iroquois from being increasingly weakened by the expansion of the European powers. He lamented to Johnson in 1753 that "we dont know what you Christians French, and English together intend we are so hemm’d in by both, that we have hardly a Hunting place left, in a little while, if we find a Bear in a Tree, there will immediately Appear an Owner for the Land to Challenge the Property, and hinder us from killing it which is our livelyhood, we are so Perplexed, between both, that we hardly know what to say or to think."
By the early stages of the Seven Years' War
, Cachointioni appears to have been won to a policy of cooperation with the British. On behalf of Johnson, who had been appointed superintendent of northern Indians, he delivered a speech on June 21, 1755 to a thousand Indians assembled at Mount Johnson (near Amsterdam, New York
). In February 1756 at another major conference Cachointioni, as speaker, presented Johnson with an immense belt of wampum
.
By June 1756 Cachointioni was dead, and Johnson along with the Six Nations chiefs mourned his passing in a condolence ceremony at the Oneida Castle
.
Onondaga (tribe)
The Onondaga are one of the original five constituent nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. Their traditional homeland is in and around Onondaga County, New York...
.
In 1748 he spoke at a conference of Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
with Governor La Galissonière
Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière
Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière, Marquis de La Galissonière, sometimes spelled Galissonnière, was the French governor of New France from 1747 to 1749 and the victor in the Battle of Minorca in 1756.- New France :...
in Montreal. On behalf of the Confederacy he denied British claims that the Six Nations were vassals of the British crown. The Iroquois "had not ceded to any one their lands, which they hold only of heaven," he was reported to have said.
In July 1751 Cachointioni and numerous other Onondaga chiefs
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
attended a conference with Governor La Jonquière
Jacques-Pierre de Taffanel de la Jonquière, Marquis de la Jonquière
Jacques-Pierre de Taffanel de la Jonquière was a French admiral and Governor General of New France from March 1, 1746 until his death in 1752.De la Jonquière was born near Albi...
. Claiming to represent the Six Nations Council, they apparently intended to sell the portage at Oneida Lake
Oneida Lake
Oneida Lake is the largest lake entirely within New York State . The lake is located northeast of Syracuse and near the Great Lakes. It serves as one of the links in the Erie Canal. It empties into the Oneida River which flows into the Oswego River which in turn flows into Lake Ontario...
to the French. Some Oneidas, however, rejected the delegation's claim to speak for the Six Nations. The sale would have been a blow to the British, since the land was on the route from Albany to Oswego, the only British post on the Great Lakes. After considerable dissension within the Confederacy, the land was instead deeded to William Johnson
Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet
Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet was an Anglo-Irish official of the British Empire. As a young man, Johnson came to the Province of New York to manage an estate purchased by his uncle, Admiral Peter Warren, which was located amidst the Mohawk, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois League...
.
Since 1701, when Teganissorens
Teganissorens
Teganissorens was an influential Onondaga chief, orator and diplomat. He played a leading role in English-French-Iroquois relations during the last quarter of the seventeenth and first quarter of the eighteenth centuries.-Biography:He was strongly attached to the French, and in 1682 was placed at...
and other Iroquois leaders had concluded a treaty with New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
, the official policy of the Confederacy had been neutrality in the struggle between the French and British. In the early 1750s Cachointioni was apparently still attempting to maintain this stand, but efforts to keep on good terms with both sides failed to prevent the Iroquois from being increasingly weakened by the expansion of the European powers. He lamented to Johnson in 1753 that "we dont know what you Christians French, and English together intend we are so hemm’d in by both, that we have hardly a Hunting place left, in a little while, if we find a Bear in a Tree, there will immediately Appear an Owner for the Land to Challenge the Property, and hinder us from killing it which is our livelyhood, we are so Perplexed, between both, that we hardly know what to say or to think."
By the early stages of the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, Cachointioni appears to have been won to a policy of cooperation with the British. On behalf of Johnson, who had been appointed superintendent of northern Indians, he delivered a speech on June 21, 1755 to a thousand Indians assembled at Mount Johnson (near Amsterdam, New York
Amsterdam (city), New York
Amsterdam is a city located in Montgomery County, New York, USA. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 18,620. The name is derived from the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands....
). In February 1756 at another major conference Cachointioni, as speaker, presented Johnson with an immense belt of wampum
Wampum
Wampum are traditional, sacred shell beads of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of the indigenous people of North America. Wampum include the white shell beads fashioned from the North Atlantic channeled whelk shell; and the white and purple beads made from the quahog, or Western North Atlantic...
.
By June 1756 Cachointioni was dead, and Johnson along with the Six Nations chiefs mourned his passing in a condolence ceremony at the Oneida Castle
Oneida Castle, New York
Oneida Castle is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 627 at the 2000 census.The Village of Oneida Castle is in the northwest corner of the Town of Vernon...
.