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Chenango Confederacy: Difference between revisions
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The Chenango Confederacy comprises of three main cultural groups, with the [[List of peoples of Cusinaut#E-H|Great Chenango]] making up a majority of the population, the [[List of peoples of Cusinaut#I-L|Little Chenango]] a sizable minority, and the [[List of peoples of Cusinaut#I-L|Island Honeoye]] a small minority, which was slightly increased by the integration of [[Pachaug]] into the Confederacy. | The Chenango Confederacy comprises of three main cultural groups, with the [[List of peoples of Cusinaut#E-H|Great Chenango]] making up a majority of the population, the [[List of peoples of Cusinaut#I-L|Little Chenango]] a sizable minority, and the [[List of peoples of Cusinaut#I-L|Island Honeoye]] a small minority, which was slightly increased by the integration of [[Pachaug]] into the Confederacy. | ||
The three main ethnicities are the cultural backdrop, rather than the primary organizing element, by which the Confederacy should be understood. Instead, cross-ethnic networks of [[M%27acunism#Ancestral_worship|common ancestor worship]] are the main societal institution within Confederate society. These clan-like groups are called ''Omàmìwi'', a term that means a kind of kinship group that is larger than family but larger than nation, and should not be understood to be synonymous with tribe. The omàmìwi are distinguished from one another by their shared [[M%27acunism#Ancestral_worship|Kānenaka]] or revered ancestor. Crucically, the omàmìwi are cross-ethnicity; the milennia of intermarriage between the three ethnic groups means that many people from all three groups could see a common ancestor as Kānenaka despite their other cultural or linguistic differences. Scholars have observed approximately two hundred and eighty four major omàmìwi within the Confederacy. | The three main ethnicities are the cultural backdrop, rather than the primary organizing element, by which the Confederacy should be understood. Instead, cross-ethnic networks of [[M%27acunism#Ancestral_worship|common ancestor worship]] are the main societal institution within Confederate society. These clan-like groups are called ''Omàmìwi'', a term that means a kind of kinship group that is larger than family but larger than nation, and should not be understood to be synonymous with tribe. The omàmìwi are distinguished from one another by their shared [[M%27acunism#Ancestral_worship|Kānenaka]] or revered ancestor. Crucically, the omàmìwi are cross-ethnicity; the milennia of intermarriage between the three ethnic groups means that many people from all three groups could see a common ancestor as Kānenaka despite their other cultural or linguistic differences. Scholars have observed approximately two hundred and eighty four major omàmìwi within the Confederacy. Due to their prevalence, the Confederacy is sometimes casually referred to as the "Republic of the Omàmìwi". | ||
Due to the nature of elevating a Kānenaka within the M'acunist religious tradition, some omàmìwi are divergent from others by identifying a different ancestor within a same familial line. Though individuals are typically born into the omàmìwi, this conflicting and divergent nature of the group identity means individuals can and do switch omàmìwi to identify more closely with one Kānenaka claimant than the other. These "rival" omàmìwis have generally hostile social relations with one another and do not readily associate, but many omàmìwi are what would be considered "neutral" towards one another due to unrelated ancestry and non-conflicting Kānenaka claims. Accordingly, the omàmìwi groups are not only religious in nature but also political and economic. Different omàmìwi will engage in specific "ancestral" trades, support certain political causes (especially those led by their fellow omàmìwi member) and individuals based on the balance of power between the various omàmìwis, and will often heavily discriminate based on one's omàmìwi affiliation. The omàmìwi ties are understood to be the major social cohesion between the otherwise disparate members of the Confederacy, binding it together as a single society rather than three nations allied together for political reasons. Most prominently, [[Pachaug]] - despite sharing common ethnic and linguistic ties with the Island Honeoye - does not have a significant network of omàmìwis, which is part of the reason why it was excluded from the Confederacy at its foundation. | Due to the nature of elevating a Kānenaka within the M'acunist religious tradition, some omàmìwi are divergent from others by identifying a different ancestor within a same familial line. Though individuals are typically born into the omàmìwi, this conflicting and divergent nature of the group identity means individuals can and do switch omàmìwi to identify more closely with one Kānenaka claimant than the other. These "rival" omàmìwis have generally hostile social relations with one another and do not readily associate, but many omàmìwi are what would be considered "neutral" towards one another due to unrelated ancestry and non-conflicting Kānenaka claims. Accordingly, the omàmìwi groups are not only religious in nature but also political and economic. Different omàmìwi will engage in specific "ancestral" trades, support certain political causes (especially those led by their fellow omàmìwi member) and individuals based on the balance of power between the various omàmìwis, and will often heavily discriminate based on one's omàmìwi affiliation. The omàmìwi ties are understood to be the major social cohesion between the otherwise disparate members of the Confederacy, binding it together as a single society rather than three nations allied together for political reasons. Most prominently, [[Pachaug]] - despite sharing common ethnic and linguistic ties with the Island Honeoye - does not have a significant network of omàmìwis, which is part of the reason why it was excluded from the Confederacy at its foundation. | ||