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Bringing Pride to Onondaga Lake - Plans for Historical Skä•noñh Great Law of Peace Center in Motion

Onondaga Historical Association

 
Onondaga Lake is on the road to revitalization with its clean-up in progress, the extension of the loop the lake trail and plans to build an Amphitheater.   But the importance of the lake's history and culture has been added to its continued  rejuvenation with a County Legislature committee approval of $100,000 from  create the  Skä•noñh - Great Law of Peace Center. If approved by all lawmakers, the funding will come from the County's room occupancy taxes.  The center is planned to be located on the former grounds of the living history museum Sainte Marie Among the Iroquois which closed about 3 years ago.  Onondaga Historical Association Executive Director Gregg Tripoli says the new center is a result of different parties coming together.

"It's not about finding where we disagree because there are plenty of places where each of these parties has disagreed in the past. It is about agreeing to disagree civilly and to look to find common ground and consensus where we can build for the future for a much agreeable coexistence."

Credit Onondaga Historical Association
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Onondaga Historical Association
The OHA describes the experience at the new museum: "The grounds will include walking trails with interpretive signage and mobile audio components, as well as a re-created 17th century Jesuit mission representing the first formal European/Native American contact in the region.

    

As proof, Tripoli says a coalition between  Onondaga County which owns the facility and the Onondaga Nation came together for the project as well as the partnership between the Onondaga Historical Association and the Onondaga Nation. Historically these organizations have had trouble seeing eye to eye.  The name of the center "Skä•noñh",  means a greeting of  peace and wellness, which could symbolize the growing relationship between organizations.  Tripoli describes the rich American history that people will learn at the center.

Credit Onondaga Historical Association
/
Onondaga Historical Association

"If people knew that every time they use the phrase 'bury the hatchet.'  If people knew that the founding fathers of this country regularly wrote and spoke about the great law of peace that happened on the shores of Onondaga Lake it instills pride, it gives you chills. It shows how the things that happen right here in our backyard have major impact on how our country was founded."

 
Tripoli says it will be the first facility of its kind that speaks to Native American heritage, history, and values from the perspective of the Center of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.  
 

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.