The Wyandot were a proud Indian nation with a well-defined governmental system. The Wyandot nation was divided into sub-tribes or clans. Their history is filled with wars, which led to loss of territory and forced many sub-tribes to relocate to safer territory. The Wyandot were not nomadic tribes; they had many great villages each with its own government representative.
The Wyandot lived in communal dwellings consisting of large log style homes . Most log houses ranged between 45-55 meters or 150- 180 ft long. They were made of slabs of bark over pole frames. The longest log house ever found measured 125m and was found in New York. During the peaceful years the Wyandot hunted and fished and used bows and arrows and spears. The Huron were able to catch almost anything they wanted to eat. They were a diverse group of people who lead a very diverse life and had a direct impact on the land and the people who inhabited it.
The Wyandot government was divided into a republican style of government; the larger villages were captains for peace during times of conflict, each large village had a well-defined jurisdiction. The tribes in the Wyandot nation each have their own distinct past and heritage. The Wyandot nation was divided into sub-tribes also called clans. The major sub-nations of the Wyandot are the Arendahronon (rock sub-tribe), the Attigneenongnahac (bear sub-tribe), the Attignawantan (cord sub-tribe), and the Tahontaenrat (deer sub-tribe). The Wyandot nation did not always exist in such peace and harmony. The history of the Wyandot depicts a proud Indian nation that suffered through many wars and lost many people and territory.
At the height of the Wyandot nation, it was a mighty force to be reckoned with and had an extensive territory. The Wyandot territory once spanned from the Niagara River on the east, to the St. Claire River and lake to the west, and Lake Erie on the south. The Wyandot nation lived a peaceful life and maintained their vast territory for many years. The population in 1535 numbered between 30,000-45,000. After years of warring and a epidemic in 1640 their population declines to less than 10,000.
The Wyandot nation, with all its sub-tribes and clans, was forced onto reservations, forced to relocate during the years of wars with the Iroquois nation. The once proud and prominent government was reduced to a few lone tribes who were able to escape the wars and make new lives for themselves on the reservations.
Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not claim expertise on the Huron.
Please send questions, comments, and corrections to emuseum@mnsu.edu and include the URL.
If you are Huron, your feedback is much appreciated.
Wyandot Nation of Kansas: http://www.wyandot.org/
Written by: Katy (Kathryn) Fisher
Encyclopedia. CD-ROM Encarta Electronic publishing 1999
“The Huron Indians.” http://members.tripod.com/paullife/huronindians.html 3 February 2000
“Huron Indian Homes.” http://members.tripod.com/~Blazewicz/Homes.htm 3 February 2000
“The Huron.” Catholic Encyclopedia. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07565a.htm, 8 February 2000.
“Huron History.” http://www.dickshovel.com/hur.html 2 February 2000