Ancestral Land Returned to Onondaga Nation in Upstate New York
The Onondaga Nation has successfully reclaimed 1,000 acres of its ancestral land in upstate New York. This portion of land is just a fraction of what the Onondaga people believe was wrongfully taken by the state starting from the 18th century. The newly acquired land is located south of Syracuse, close to the Onondaga’s federally recognized territory and encompasses the headwaters of Onondaga Creek.
The transfer of this land was made possible under a federal Superfund settlement related to environmental contamination, with Honeywell International facilitating the process. The Onondaga Nation asserts that the overall land loss amounts to a vast expanse of 2.5 million acres in central New York, a result of what they describe as deceitful actions by New York that violated treaties and federal laws dating back to 1788.
In a statement, Sid Hill, the Tadodaho or chief of the Onondaga Nation, expressed gratitude towards federal and state officials for collaborating to return “the first 1,000 acres of the 2.5 million acres of treaty-guaranteed land taken from us over the centuries.” Hill noted that while this is a modest step, it holds significant importance for the Onondaga people and the broader Indigenous land back movement in the United States.
Having faced setbacks in U.S. courts, the Onondaga Nation has turned to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, a part of the Organization of American States, to pursue their claim. Their case revolves around a stretch of land approximately 40 miles wide running through upstate New York from Canada to Pennsylvania. The hope is that this legal action prompts negotiations that could potentially lead to the return of more land to the Onondaga people.
This significant development marks a positive shift in the ongoing efforts to address historical injustices faced by Indigenous communities in reclaiming their ancestral lands.