Auoindaon information

Auoindaon was the native chief of the Wyandot (Huron) at Quieunonascaranas, a settlement in Wendake near modern-day Midland, Ontario, Canada. He made alliances with and became quite fond of French priests serving as missionaries in the area, one of the most notable being Gabriel Sagard. Upon first encountering Sagard, the Huron community at Quieunonascaranas all came out to greet him. Quieunonascaranas was a village settled by the Huron community and led by chief Auoindaon, in 1623 the settlement consisted of about 300 households and almost 40 lodges.

Gabriel Sagard was a French missionary who travelled through New France (Canada) and became the first religious historian in Canada. He spent much time with the Huron and wrote in detail about their customs and beliefs. It was during this missionary work that Sagard met Auoindaon, who was a Huron chief at the time. Sagard’s writings including The Long Journey to the Country of the Hurons is some of the most detailed and complete accounts of older Huron civilizations and lifestyles.^[1][2]

Auoindaon and Sagard bonded well together and Auoindaon welcomed Sagard as a visitor. From Sagard’s own writing he claims that Auoindaon offered to stay the night with him because Auoindaon feared that Sagard would be harmed by Iroquois who had stormed through the village not too long before.^[3]

Sagard accompanied Auoindaon on an annual fishing trip, which was an important part of Huron culture at the time. Documentation of the event describes that fish nets were put out at night and pulled in with catches in the morning. The people attending the event slept in wigwam type structures and set the nets out nearby. A fish- preacher was also present who would talk out to the fish while reciting hymns in the effort to lead the fish to the nets that were set out. Various other rituals were also performed such as throwing tobacco into the fire while reciting hymns and incantations. The fish that were caught during this trip were used for a multitude of things. Many of the fish were boiled for oil, while some others were gutted and hung up to dry. This annual fishing trip was a time of great merryment and celebration for all the members attending.^[3]