2008: Year of the Oneida Princess at the New York State Fair Indian Village

As the first inhabitants of what is now New York State, it is more than fitting that Oneidas — and other American Indians — have a presence at the annual Great New York State Fair.

2008 marked the Oneida Nation’s turn to choose a princess for the fair’s Indian Village.

The crown, which rotates among the nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, is both an honor and a responsibility. The princess, who must be single and between the ages of 16 and 21, must be present at the Indian Village during the traditional dance performances held three times each day during the 12-day fair.

2008’s princess, 16-year-old Kayla Waterman, a member of the Wolf Clan, was well prepared for her role. Kayla is an accomplished dancer who was just 8 years old when she began dancing competitively. Several other Oneidas participated in the traditional dances that included the round, fish, snake, and smoke dances. Traditional dancing remains an important cultural component at the Nation, with weekly social dances held throughout the year at the Nation’s Council House.

The fair also allows Oneidas to showcase their workmanship and artistry in areas from agriculture to bead work and basketwork and much more. Traditional crafts have an ongoing presence at the Nation with generations passing down the culturally significant arts. Multi-generations of Oneida families manned the craft booths around the village, many demonstrating their talents.

The Indian Village at the fair is managed by the Six Nations Agricultural Society — comprised of the members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy that includes the Oneida, Mohawk, Onondaga, Seneca, Cayuga, and Tuscarora nations. The Indian Village was dedicated in 1930, with then-Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt attending the ceremony and giving the Six Nations permanent title to the land on which the Indian Village was erected.