SALAMANCA, NY — On Friday, the Seneca Nation celebrated the return of legendary Seneca athlete Lewis "Deerfoot" Bennett's jacket after it was housed in the Gowanda Historical Society for 40 years.
The deerskin jacket will be displayed in Salamanca at the Onöhsagwë:de' Cultural Center.
For the Seneca Nation, receiving the jacket after decades is a significant gesture of resiliency to their culture.
"For nonnatives, they're viewed as just these objects. They don't understand that there is a deep-rooted connection to these things that traces back to our families."
Lewis "Deerfoot" Bennett was born in 1830 and gained attention when he ran five miles in 25 minutes, which propelled his career into long-distance running.
From 1861 to 1863, he began a 20-month European tour. He set multiple records — running 10 miles in less than 52 minutes and 12 miles in an hour and two minutes against runners fro Ireland and Britain.
"It should be like a springboard for continuing this work for our indigenous communities," said Hayden Haynes, director of the Onöhsagwë:de' Cultural Center.
The return of the jacket is a reminder of the erasure of the history of Indigenous people but also a moment for the Seneca Nation to embrace and honor their elders.
"Every ancestor matters. Every single one of them matters. All of our relatives matter, and it's up to us to bring that forward every chance we get,"
But most importantly, the return of the jacket symbolizes the importance of the Onöhsagwë:de' Cultural Center.
"The most important to us above all else. It is having a relationship with our community and letting our communities know that we are doing everything we can to provide programs. Supporting and honoring their relatives, our relatives. It's a Cultural Center first before it's a public-facing museum," said Haynes.
