The
Neutral Confederacy were a
North American indigenous people, who lived near the northern shores of
Lake Ontario and
Lake Erie. They were a largely agrarian society and comprised about 40 permanent settlements. The largest group referred to themselves as Chonnonton ("Keepers of The Deer") - partly due to their practice of herding deer into pens. Another group, the Onguiaahra ("Near the big waters" or possibly "The Strait") populated the more southern Niagara Peninsula and are the origin of the word "Niagara". The Chonnonton territory contained large deposits of flint, which was a valuable resource for sharp tools, fire starting and, eventually firearms and was a primary reason they managed to trade with simultaneously with the warring
Huron and
Iroquois.