WYANDOT, or HURON (English adap tation of the French Ottendat, or Hollandale, later written Gurntiotle, from the native name Gendai, signifying, They are is landers'). A tribe composed of the rem nants of several politically lodependent Iroquoian tribes ' • • • rs whose political integrity was ciestroyea oy the Iro the middle of the 17th century. g these peoples may be mentioned the an cient Wendat (or Houandate). or Huron con federacY, ' of four tribes, namely, Lb' Attooikt:Ion,,i,.‘;. he Attignawan tan, the Arendahronotts and : Tohontaenrat (for Tohontaicenral), and also, later, the affili ated tribes known as the Atacouchronons (Atar onchronons), the Wenrahronons, and the Aton thratarhonons (Muskrat people), the last being Algonquian; and the Tionontateronons. the At tionendaronk (Attiouendarankhronon) or Neu ter Nation, and lastly, the Eries. To the At tioeendaronk may be added the small affiliated *riles known as the Aondironon and the Ongni arahronon (Ongmarahronon). The first known habitat of these several peoples was south and east of Lakes Huron and Erie, in the present States of Ohio and Pennsylvania and western New in ; ; ; , . la, and thc north ern shore of the Saint Law. once River as far down as the si' ' ro-4ay the Wyan dots so-called H. C &II ..osianoma, where they amber about 300; and • at Lorene, Quebec, Canada. where some Hurons who are in fact Vs'yandots, dwell, numbering about 400; the whole aggregating about 700. All these tribes
when first encountered by Europeans were or ganised into well-governed communities. The social and political organizations were based strictly on bloodkinship, real or fictitious. Fic titious kinship was obtained through the rites of adoption. These peoples dwelt in lodges con struct/el of bark, which were long in figure, sometimes having as many as 10 or 12 fires with a family on two sides of each fire. The bilges were usually collocated into xillages. many of which were quite strongly palisaded For their sustenance they depended chiefly on agriculture, raising corn and beans of several varieties, squashes aud sunflowers for oil. They tanned and dressed the hides of the animals which they killed. The prepared skins they neatly and skilfully utilized in the preparation of their raiment and their bedding. Reeds and barks.of various kinds were useful in making mattresses and other needed articles. The title to their lands was vested solely in the mothers of the people. The choice of a candidate for chief tor either of the two grades of this office was solely a prerogative of the mothers of the clan to which the chiefship belonged. The chief held his office during his good behavior.