Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation

"We give thanks to the creator and everything he has given us," Hill said. "We start each of our ceremonies with this address."

Hill and Onondaga Clan Mother Audrey Shenandoah led the program, "Nation in Our Midst: Onondaga History, Culture and Spirituality," before a crowded audience at Syracuse Stage.

The event was the first in a series of lectures designed to help people understand the nation and its land-rights action.

"This night has been long in the planning," said Philip Arnold, a member of the planning committee.

"Our goal really is to bring together the Syracuse community and the Onondaga Nation to foster a greater understanding in light of recent events."

The nation, which filed a land-rights action last spring, is collaborating with community groups, Syracuse University and the State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry to present the series.

"We are trying to educate people about our way and our way of thinking," Shenandoah said. "Everyone here should pass on what they learn to those people who are apprehensive and have anxiety about what is going on."

Shenandoah said the Onondaga Nation does not want to cause trouble for any of the people living in New York state.

"It's justice that we are seeking," she said.

Hill and Shenandoah said the Onondaga Nation had been planning to file a claim for several decades but didn't because the timing was never right.

"There were things going on around us that pushed us to do this now," Hill said.

"We were seeing everything that was going on in the world and the problems with the environment. There were talks about cleaning up the Onondaga Lake, and we thought that we should be a part of them."

During Monday's address, Shenandoah spoke about the traditional history and culture of the Onondaga Nation.

"We are roughly 1,200 people, and more than half adhere to our traditional ways," she said.

Shenandoah said the other half of the Onondaga people may worship in one of the nation's five Christian churches or on churches off the nation's land.

"No matter where they worship they still respect our traditional leadership and our traditional culture," she said.