106 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The Minquas of the Dutch were called Andastoes by the Hurons, 

 and Andastoguez by the Iroquois, the latter name probably referring 

 to their style of building. On the map of Creuxius they appear as 

 " Andastoeii, seu perticarum" Mr J. G. Shea defines the name as 

 cabin poles. The Mohawk word, gannasta, is poles for making a 

 cabin. He sustains this by quoting an early Huron vocabulary, 

 where andasta is " perche a faire la voute de la cabane," i. e., pole 

 to make the roof of a cabin. It probably referred to a variation 

 from Huron and Iroquois architecture. Andastogue survives as 

 Conestoga. 



From the long house came the name by which the Iroquois called 

 their confederacy. It would be aside from the present purpose to 

 discuss their other names, their origin and meaning, often curiously 

 misconceived, but this one belongs to the question of habitation, and 

 is illustrated by it. 



From the Onondagas the writer had for this the name Ka-no- 

 se-o'-ne, often written Konosioni, a house made of several houses 

 or families put together; or more simply, ka-no'-sa, house; onzve, 

 real or original ; in both cases referring to the kind of house formerly 

 used. Symbolically this house extended from the Schoharie to the 

 Genesee valley, inclusive, the Mohawks being the east door, the 

 Senecas the west, the council fire burning in the center at Onondaga. 

 It was a long house indeed, with its five family fires. 



The Relation of 1654 said that " the Iroquois had always called 

 themselves Hotinnonchiendi, that is to say, the finished cabin, as if 

 they were only one family." In that of 1660, the French had heard 

 " that the next year will be more formidable than the preceding, 

 because all the cabin — it is thus they speak to express the five 

 Iroquois nations/' were to unite in the war. In commenting on a 

 French letter in 1694, the Rev. Mr Dellius said " Honontonchionni 

 I think do's signify as much as Konossioni, which is the whole house, 

 or all the Indians together." A little earlier Father Bruyas gave 

 hotinnonsioni as the Mohawk word for makers of cabins, and 

 gannonses for a long house in the ordinary sense. A note to Mont- 

 calm's letter of Ap. 24, 1757, says that the Iroquois " compose only 

 one single house, which is called the Iroquois Cabin, or the Grand 

 Village." 



