Cayuga Historical Marker Project

Cayuga Historical Marker Project

Forwarded without permission from Jack Rossen of SHARE.

Cayuga Historical Marker Project

SHARE (Strengthening Haudenosaunee American Relations through Education) is coordinating a unique opportunity to provide a space for the Cayuga Nation to present their perspectives on their culture and homeland. There are numerous historical markers around Cayuga Lake that interpret history from many perspectives, with the notable exclusion of Native American points of view. The predominant theme of the current markers is the Sullivan Campaign of 1779, during which 43 Native villages were destroyed, leading to the expulsion of many Cayuga people from their homeland.

We are raising funds for a Cayuga historical marker to be placed on a three-ton boulder at the Sesqui Monument turnout on the corner of Great Gully Rd. and Rt. 90 between Aurora and Union Springs. This location currently has markers commemorating the 17th century Jesuit Mission and the Sullivan Campaign. It is also a culturally important place because of the proximity to Great Gully, ancestral burial mounds, and Cayuga Castle, the largest Cayuga town that existed before the Revolutionary War.

Several years ago, members of the Cayuga Nation expressed their wishes to have a different history told through markers where they could express their voices and stories about their connection to the ancestral homeland. Now we have an incredible opportunity to work together and build a bridge of friendship and reconciliation by organizing the funds and logistics to raise a marker at one of the most significant locations in the Cayuga homeland.

Members of the Cayuga Nation, including Birdie Hill (Heron Clan Mother), Dan Hill (Heron), Tim Twoguns (Turtle), and members of the Cayuga Nation Council are currently working on the text and symbols to be placed on the historical marker. A Commemoration and dedication ceremony will occur at the Sesqui Monument turnout, followed by a reception at the nearby SHARE Farm, in mid-late April (tentatively planned for Sat. April 24th at noon). Check the SHARE website for the exact date ( http://www.share.clarityconnect.com ). We hope this will be the first of many such markers around Cayuga Lake.

Project cost: $4,000.

Contributions for the Cayuga Historical Marker Please make your tax-deductible donations in any amount to:

SHARE
P.O. Box 173
Aurora, NY 13026
tel: 315-889-7371; share (at) clarityconnect.com