What Kind of Food Did the Oneida Indians Eat?

As you study various Native American cultures, you may begin studying the fascinating Oneida Indians. The Oneida culture, including their clothing, pastimes, and diets were inextricably linked to the land on which they lived. Here are a few facts about this unique tribe.

The kind of food the Oneida Indians ate depended a lot on the land in which they lived. Because the land was suitable to agriculture, the Oneida people, like the Iroquois, were farming tribes. Oneida women planted a variety of crops including vegetables like corn and squash, as well as beans, herbs, and berries. Children assisted mothers in farming and harvesting, as well as preparing various soups and stews from these crops.

In addition to agriculture, Oneida diets depended on meat and fish. Oneida men, using spears and arrows, hunted deer, elk, and wild game. They also fished in various rivers and in Lake Ontario.

Largely Oneida women prepared foods by cooking on stone hearths. Meats and fish could also be smoked, dried, and cured.

Today, Oneida families eat foods from supermarkets and grocery stores located on their reservations, much like other Americans. Diets are no longer constrained by geography.

Who Are the Oneida?

The Oneida Indians lived, and many continue to live in New York State. In addition to New York, Oneidas also live in Ontario, Canada and Wisconsin. The term Oneida is pronounced “oh-NYE-dah,” and is derived from the Oneida word for “people of the standing stone.” The Oneida were one of the first tribes in the Iroquois Nation, which also included the following peoples:

• Mohawk
• Seneca
• Onondaga
• Cayuga
• Tuscarora

Today, many of the Oneida live on reservations in New York and Wisconsin and are governed by an elected tribe. They are also subject to American laws and are considered US citizens.

Traditional Oneida Culture

While today life on Oneida reservations is much like contemporary American culture, traditionally Oneida men and women had highly distinct roles. Men did much of the trading and hunting, and they were responsible for defending the tribe and going to war against enemies. Women tended to Oneida homes, planted and maintained the fields, and cared for the families.  

Unlike many other Native American tribes, women ruled Oneida clans. Women made decisions regarding how to utilize lands and resources, while men made war and trade decisions.  

Children in Oneida culture today go to school, but traditionally they did more work and had less time to play, as did their colonial American counterparts. Oneida children liked to play with cornhusk dolls, and enjoyed fishing and hunting with their fathers. They also played lacrosse and took part in various storytelling pastimes.

Oneida Homes Were Longhouses

Much like the Iroquois, the Oneida lived in longhouses, large wood-frame buildings covered in bark. Such longhouses could be up to 100 feet in length, and it was home to an entire clan, which could be comprised of up to 60 people. Most Oneida no longer live in longhouses, which are used more for ceremony than function.  Instead, they live in contemporary apartments and single-family homes like many other Americans.

Unique Characteristics of Oneida Forms of Dress

Like the Iroquois, the Oneida wore clothes made of deerskin, and moccasins on their feet. The Oneida and other Iroquois tribes had some unique traditions as well. Oneida men, in preparation for war, would shave their heads, leaving only a crest of hair down the center of their scalps. This style, known as a “roach,” or a “Mohawk,” could be embellished with deer hair and porcupine that was dyed with bright colors. Men would also add feathers and other items to their Mohawks.