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Stories from Oneida Elders

Storytelling knits generations together. The Oneida oral tradition is filled with wonderful tales from our Elders, guaranteed to scare, interest, or amuse you. Telling and listening to stories strengthens the bonds between people in a community. Storytellers have their own style, reflected in their words, the pace of their stories, and the drama they infuse in every event they describe. And generations go on to tell the same tales, legends, and lore so the future generations to come will learn what’s right and proper. The following is a story from Tamara Rodgers (Turtle Clan):
My grandfather told us that when he was younger there used to be a barn up on one of the side roads. He said that all of the men used to go there and they'd play cards and they'd drink, but basically they gambled a lot. One night this guy came and he was dressed up, all dressed up. He had a nice hat on and he had a black suit on. He was spiffed up really good and he sat there and he played cards with them. They played cards and he kept winning and he kept winning. He would drink and nothing fazed him, nothing fazed him that they could see. No one knew him, they didn't know how he got there or anything. Finally he said, "It's getting towards dawn, I have to go." He got up and he went toward the door and they noticed he had a tail and hoofs. When he got to the door, he turned around and he had horns and red eyes. He went out the door and that's the last they saw of him. That was strange.
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    On Nov. 16, three million people in Japan had an opportunity to read about “Raccoon & Crawfish,” the Oneida Nation’s first animated short. “Raccoon & Crawfish,” an ancient Oneida legend brought to life through 3D animation, was featured in The Nikkei, a national newspaper in Japan. Read more »

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