About
The Ongwehoñwe (ohn-gweh-WHO-wey) Singers & Dancers include members from the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora nations. These six nations made up the powerful native alliance that was centered in an area of what is now New York State. The U.S. government called it the Iroquois Confederacy, but tribal members refer to themselves as Haudenosaunee, which means "the people of the longhouse," or Ongwehoñwe, often translated as "people" or "real people."
Led by Gaehnew Printup, the troupe is comprised of young people who began learning traditional social dances as small children by following along at community celebrations. Now entering adulthood, they formed the Ongwehoñwe Singers & Dancers to share these dances with other, with the goal of strengthening and preserving their culture for the coming generations.
Dance remains central to Haudenosaunee cultural expression. Many dances tell stories of nature, giving thanks to the Creator for the earth and its bounty; others help dancers maintain connections to their ancestors. While ceremonial dances with sacred significance are performed only among community members, social dances like the Rabbit and Old Moccasin Dances can be enjoyed by all audiences, expressing happiness, thankfulness, and good health. One of the more impressive social dances is the Smoke Dance. Highly physical, it is performed over a rapid, intense drumbeat, becoming a vehicle for dancers to show off their skills. The dancers' rapid spinning is said to emulate the rising curls of smoke. Other stories attribute the origin (and name) of this dance to dancers who would move in fast circles to stir the air in community longhouses to clear out smoke.
Haudenosaunee dance survives today through the passion, dedication, and commitment of troupes such as the Ongwehoñwe Singers & Dancers, as well as young dance ensembles that perform at regional and national festivals and state fairs. 2017 marks the first time that Haudenosaunee social dance traditions have been presented at the Lowell Folk Festival.