How did the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team change its name. What is the significance of the new name Haudenosaunee Nationals. Why is this rebranding important for Indigenous representation in sports.
The Evolution of a Lacrosse Legacy: From Iroquois to Haudenosaunee
The world of lacrosse has witnessed a significant transformation as the renowned Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team embraces a new identity. Now known as the Haudenosaunee Nationals, this change represents more than just a name – it’s a reclamation of cultural heritage and a statement of Indigenous pride on the global sports stage.
The team’s participation in the 2023 World Lacrosse Championships in San Diego marks a new chapter in their storied history. With fresh branding and unwavering determination, the Haudenosaunee Nationals are poised to showcase their athletic prowess and deep-rooted connection to the sport of lacrosse.
The Meaning Behind the Name Change
Why did the team decide to change its name? The answer lies in the complex history of Indigenous peoples and their representation in North America. The term “Iroquois,” while widely recognized, has been a subject of debate regarding its origins and connotations. Many present-day Haudenosaunee associate it with French-derived words for “snake” and “murderer,” highlighting the need for a more accurate and respectful identifier.
Onondaga Chief Oren Lyons, the honorary chairman of the Haudenosaunee Nationals, explains the reasoning behind the name change: “Our proper name is Haudenosaunee, and that means ‘people of the longhouse.’ So, we decided it was time that people got our proper name. It’s a correction of history, basically.”
The Rich Heritage of Haudenosaunee Lacrosse
Lacrosse holds a special place in Haudenosaunee culture, with deep spiritual and historical significance. How long has lacrosse been a part of Haudenosaunee tradition? The sport’s roots in Indigenous communities stretch back centuries, with some estimates suggesting it has been played for over a thousand years.
For the Haudenosaunee, lacrosse is more than just a game – it’s a connection to their ancestors, a method of conflict resolution, and a way to honor the Creator. This profound relationship with the sport is evident in the passion and skill displayed by Haudenosaunee players on the international stage.
The Birth of the Haudenosaunee Nationals Program
The journey to the World Lacrosse Championships began decades ago. When was the Haudenosaunee lacrosse program established? The team’s origins can be traced back to the early 1980s when Chief Oren Lyons, along with the Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee, founded what was then known as the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse program.
Lyons, now 93 years old, is not just an administrator but a legendary goalie in his own right. His vision and dedication have been instrumental in bringing Haudenosaunee lacrosse to the forefront of international competition.
Aspirations and Challenges at the World Lacrosse Championships
As the Haudenosaunee Nationals take to the field in San Diego, their goals are clear and ambitious. Head Coach Lars Tiffany, who grew up near the Onondaga Nation in New York, articulates the team’s objective: “The quest is gold medal. The challenges will be real and large.”
Tiffany’s connection to the team runs deep. He served as the assistant coach during the 2018 World Lacrosse Championships in Israel, where the team secured a commendable third-place finish. Now, as head coach, he aims to lead the Haudenosaunee Nationals to even greater heights.
The Pressure of Performance and Representation
Competing at the international level brings both opportunities and pressures. How do Haudenosaunee players balance personal achievement with cultural representation? For many team members, the honor of representing their people is a driving force that elevates their performance.
Tehoka Nanticoke, a standout player for the Haudenosaunee Nationals, emphasizes the continuity of their mission despite the name change: “It’s awesome now that we have the Haudenosaunee [name], but … it’s always been our people who we’re playing for.”
The Role of Family and Tradition in Haudenosaunee Lacrosse
For many Haudenosaunee players, lacrosse is a family tradition passed down through generations. How does this familial connection influence players’ relationships with the sport? Tehoka Nanticoke’s story provides a poignant example of this generational link.
Nanticoke’s journey in lacrosse began at birth when his older brother presented him with his first lacrosse stick. This early introduction to the sport was further nurtured by his grandfather, Lawrence Nanticoke, affectionately known as Papa Jote, who encouraged Tehoka to pursue his passion for lacrosse.
Preserving Craftsmanship and Cultural Heritage
The Haudenosaunee connection to lacrosse extends beyond playing the game. It encompasses the art of crafting traditional lacrosse sticks, a skill that has been preserved and passed down through generations. How do these handcrafted sticks differ from modern equipment?
Traditional Haudenosaunee lacrosse sticks are made from hand-selected wood, typically hickory, and feature a distinctive curved design. The process of creating these sticks is labor-intensive and requires great skill, with each stick being a unique work of art.
During the World Lacrosse Championships, Head Coach Lars Tiffany was seen holding a traditionally-crafted lacrosse stick, handmade by the renowned stick maker Alfie Jacques, who recently passed away. This gesture serves as a poignant reminder of the cultural significance and artistry inherent in the sport.
The Impact of Representation in International Sports
The presence of the Haudenosaunee Nationals at the World Lacrosse Championships goes beyond athletic competition. What does their participation mean for Indigenous representation in sports? By competing under their own flag and name, the Haudenosaunee Nationals assert their sovereignty and cultural identity on a global stage.
This representation is particularly significant given the historical context of Indigenous peoples’ struggle for recognition and rights. The team’s participation in international competitions serves as a powerful statement of resilience and cultural pride.
Challenges to Participation and Recognition
Despite their skill and cultural connection to the sport, the Haudenosaunee Nationals have faced obstacles in participating in international competitions. What are some of the challenges they’ve encountered? Issues related to travel documents and recognition of Haudenosaunee passports have occasionally hindered the team’s ability to compete abroad.
These challenges highlight the complex intersection of sports, politics, and Indigenous sovereignty. The team’s persistence in overcoming these hurdles underscores their commitment to representing their people and culture on the world stage.
The Future of Haudenosaunee Lacrosse
As the Haudenosaunee Nationals compete in the 2023 World Lacrosse Championships, they carry with them the hopes and dreams of their people. What does the future hold for Haudenosaunee lacrosse? The team’s rebranding and continued success in international competitions suggest a bright future for Indigenous representation in the sport.
The growing recognition of lacrosse’s Indigenous roots, coupled with the increasing visibility of Native athletes, may lead to greater opportunities and support for Haudenosaunee players at all levels of the game.
Inspiring the Next Generation
The Haudenosaunee Nationals’ presence on the world stage serves as an inspiration to young Indigenous athletes. How might this representation impact future generations of lacrosse players? By seeing their culture and traditions honored in international competition, young Haudenosaunee may be encouraged to pursue excellence in lacrosse and other sports.
Moreover, the team’s success can help educate a broader audience about Haudenosaunee culture and the Indigenous origins of lacrosse, fostering greater understanding and respect for Native traditions.
The Broader Implications of Cultural Reclamation in Sports
The Haudenosaunee Nationals’ name change is part of a larger trend of Indigenous communities reclaiming their identities in various spheres, including sports. How does this movement extend beyond lacrosse? In recent years, there has been increased pressure on sports teams at all levels to retire Native American mascots and names that are considered offensive or misrepresentative.
The Haudenosaunee Nationals’ proactive approach to self-identification sets a positive example for how Indigenous communities can assert control over their representation in sports and popular culture.
The Role of Sports in Cultural Preservation
Can sports serve as a vehicle for cultural preservation and education? The case of the Haudenosaunee Nationals suggests that they can. By maintaining their connection to lacrosse and sharing their culture with the world through sports, the Haudenosaunee are keeping their traditions alive and vibrant.
Furthermore, the international platform provided by the World Lacrosse Championships offers an opportunity to educate spectators and fellow athletes about Haudenosaunee history, culture, and contemporary issues facing Indigenous communities.
As the Haudenosaunee Nationals continue their quest for gold at the World Lacrosse Championships, they carry with them the weight of history and the promise of a future where Indigenous excellence is celebrated on the global stage. Their journey is a testament to the power of cultural pride, athletic prowess, and the enduring spirit of the Haudenosaunee people.
The Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team has a new name: Haudenosaunee : NPR
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The Haudenosaunee Nationals walk on to the field before a match against England at the World Lacrosse Championships on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
Alan Nakkash For NPR
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The Haudenosaunee Nationals walk on to the field before a match against England at the World Lacrosse Championships on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
Alan Nakkash For NPR
At this year’s World Lacrosse Championships happening now in San Diego, one team has a new name and a fresh dream: to be the best in the world and showcase its Indigenous excellence.
“The quest is gold medal,” said Haudenosaunee Nationals Head Coach Lars Tiffany ahead of the World Lacrosse Championships. “The challenges will be real and large.”
Tiffany grew up near the Onondaga Nation in New York. He was the team’s assistant coach at the last World Lacrosse Championships in 2018 in Israel, where they placed third.
Then they were known as the “Iroquois Nationals,” but that’s changed now.
The origin of the word “Iroquois” is the subject of debate, but present-day Haudenosaunee connect it to a French variant of “snake” and “murderer.”
The Haudenosaunee Nationals warm up before their World Lacrosse Championship tournament match against England.
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The Haudenosaunee Nationals warm up before their World Lacrosse Championship tournament match against England.
Alan Nakkash For NPR
Supporters hold up a banner displaying the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Wampum as they cheer for the Haudenosaunee Nationals against England match on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
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Supporters hold up a banner displaying the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Wampum as they cheer for the Haudenosaunee Nationals against England match on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
Alan Nakkash For NPR
“Our proper name is Haudenosaunee, and that means ‘people of the longhouse.’ So, we decided it was time that people got our proper name,” said Onondaga Chief Oren Lyons, honorary chairman of the Haudenosaunee Nationals. “It’s a correction of history, basically.”
Sports
An Indigenous lacrosse team is reclaiming its native identity
Lyons, 93, is a legendary goalie. He founded the “Iroquois Nationals” lacrosse program back in the early 1980s with the Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee.
“It’s awesome now that we have the Haudenosaunee [name], but … it’s always been our people who we’re playing for,” Haudenosaunee lacrosse player Tehoka Nanticoke said.
Nanticoke’s family is the reason he became a lacrosse player. His older brother gave him his first lacrosse stick at birth. His grandfather Lawrence Nanticoke, Papa Jote, encouraged him to pursue it.
Chief Oren Lyons attends the Haudenosaunee Nationals match on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif. At 93, he’s a legendary goalie who helped found the team in the 1980s.
Alan Nakkash For NPR
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Chief Oren Lyons attends the Haudenosaunee Nationals match on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif. At 93, he’s a legendary goalie who helped found the team in the 1980s.
Alan Nakkash For NPR
As the Haudenosaunee Nationals listen to their national anthem, Head Coach Lars Tiffany (left) holds a traditionally-crafted lacrosse stick handmade by Alfie Jacques, a renowned stick maker who recently died.
Alan Nakkash For NPR
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As the Haudenosaunee Nationals listen to their national anthem, Head Coach Lars Tiffany (left) holds a traditionally-crafted lacrosse stick handmade by Alfie Jacques, a renowned stick maker who recently died.
Alan Nakkash For NPR
“I write ‘Jote’ on my wrist every time because I tape my wrist up. I write ‘Jote’ with a heart and then I put on the other side ‘Remember why,'” Nanticoke sobs, “Because … No one really knows this. But my Papa Jote, on his deathbed, basically told me to go play lacrosse.
The sport of lacrosse comes from the Haudenosaunee, but many Indigenous nations across North America have their own lacrosse traditions. For centuries, it has been embraced as a sacred gift from the Creator, ceremonially played as a medicine game.
“That game was in our cosmology. That game was played on the other side of the stars, while the Earth was still covered with water,” said Oren Lyons. “It’s a spiritual event and is played for the welfare of the people.”
The Haudenosaunee Nationals warm up before a match against England on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
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The Haudenosaunee Nationals warm up before a match against England on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
Alan Nakkash For NPR
The Haudenosaunee Nationals warm up before their match against England on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
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The Haudenosaunee Nationals warm up before their match against England on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
Alan Nakkash For NPR
At the World Lacrosse Championship, the Haudenosaunee Nationals faced off against England in their first game of the tournament. They triumphed with an 18-5 win. Dazzling highlights display a chemistry, artistry, and spirit unique to the players.
Their second game against the defending champions, USA, was an intense battle that ended with a 7-9 loss for the Haudenosaunee. The Nationals lost to Canada on Sunday and play again Monday night against Australia.
Sports
Iroquois Play Host To 11 Countries At Lacrosse World Championships
“In the past they’ve always just been content ‘Yeah, we’re going to be in the bronze medal game,’ but now they’re hungry,” said general manager Darcy Powless. “They want the gold medal.”
This is about more than striving to be champions, Powless said. This is an opportunity to uplift an Indigenous tradition that survived colonialism and the cultural genocide of Indian boarding schools in the U.S. and residential schools in Canada.
“In the past they’ve always just been content ‘Yeah, we’re going to be in the bronze medal game,’ but now they’re hungry,” said general manager Darcy Powless.
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“In the past they’ve always just been content ‘Yeah, we’re going to be in the bronze medal game,’ but now they’re hungry,” said general manager Darcy Powless.
Alan Nakkash For NPR
Haudenosaunee Nationals goalie Warren Hill leaps into the air in their match against England – a contest won by Haudenosaunee 18-5.
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Haudenosaunee Nationals goalie Warren Hill leaps into the air in their match against England – a contest won by Haudenosaunee 18-5.
Alan Nakkash For NPR
“They always say play for those who can’t, and there’s thousands of kids that never got the chance,” he said. “You add those up to into families, like that’s probably hundreds of thousands of people that never got the opportunity to do anything. “
For him, this is about way more than a sporting event.
“Having 30 teams and this many players come to San Diego to play the game that our guys, our people, our families have created and helped grow to this point. It’s huge.”
Lacrosse is currently shortlisted for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Powless said this tournament is also a chance to show the International Olympic Committee the significance of lacrosse, and the Haudenosaunee’s participation.
Young Haudenosaunee Nationals supporters after the England match on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
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Young Haudenosaunee Nationals supporters after the England match on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
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The Haudenosaunee Nationals shake hands with players from England on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
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The Haudenosaunee Nationals shake hands with players from England on June 23, 2023, at Torrero Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
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