Write a commentThis past Wednesday, Perry Ground, a Turtle Clan member from the Onondaga Nation, visited the Oswego Public Library to tell stories from the People of the Longhouse.
Before diving into the stories, Ground began with the story of his own lineage. While his father is from the Seneca Nation, Ground is identified by his mother’s clan and nation—as are all Haudenosaunee. This culture of matriarchy is deeply rooted within the creation story of Turtle Island, which has been told for hundreds of years and continues to be told today. In fact, Ground explained, the story is so long and complicated, it takes a full week to tell in its entirety!
The storyteller then explored the history and original settlement of Oswego itself, and the wider history of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The word “Oswego” comes from a Haudenosaunee word that refers to a pouring out—but of people, not water. Many centuries ago, the Haudenosaunee people migrated up the Ohio River, then headed up the St. Lawrence before being captured by the Algonquin-speaking peoples living in that area. When they escaped their captors, the Haudenosaunee came back down the St. Lawrence, finally settling at the mouth of the Oswego River and then spreading out across what is now New York State.
After establishing the context for himself, the confederacy, and its six nations (the Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, Oneida, Mohawk, and Tuscarora), the master storyteller dove into a much-condensed version of the story of the creation of Turtle Island. The story includes many twists and turns, and Ground’s vivid, interactive, and highly emotive presentation kept both kids and adults captivated. After the Turtle Island creation story, Ground also told the story of how the stars and the constellations came to be in the night sky. Throughout, the storyteller encouraged audience participation, guiding children to act out key characters and actions and giving the entire audience refrains to chant.
Ground is available to visit schools, festivals, museums, and more. For more information, visit his website, TalkingTurtleStories.com, or his Facebook page.
