WAMPUM - Jesuit Belt
This belt tells about the Jesuit visitors who established a foothold on the banks of Onondaga Lake. The Jesuit missionaries began relations with the Onondagas in the 1650's. Eventually there was a meeting between the Jesuits and the Onondagas. There the Onondagas believed that the Jesuits wanted to have the Catholic beliefs be adopted by the people. An Onondaga chief was recorded to say, "Your people believe in many different ways and argue amongst each other as which way is best. We will consider changing to your religion when all of your people agree on which way is the best."

The Onondaga denied their requests to join the Catholic faith. This belt was made to remind the people to continue their traditional ways and to not be drawn into the new religions from across the big water.