While the Mohawk Indians are typically called by this name today, they actually call themselves the Kanien'kéhaka— People of the Flint. Colonists quickly nicknamed them 'Mohowawogs' which translates to ‘man-eaters’ in Italian, and it has stuck for the last four centuries.

The Kanien'kéhaka were one of the six tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy living in upstate New York. Along with being known as People of the Flint, they also called themselves Keepers of the Eastern Door because they lived within the eastern region. Today, it is known as Albany, NY.

During the American Revolution, the Kanien'kéhaka fought for the British, causing a split from the rest of the Iroquois nations. They eventually retreated to Montreal, Canada around 1794, which is where the majority of them live today.