Onondaga is a Northern Iroquoian language spoken in Canada and the United States. It is the language of the Onondaga Nation, a member of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The language is commonly used for traditional, religious, and governmental affairs in the Onondaga Nation. It is used to perform the Opening Ritual, which signifies the beginning of an important Onondaga Nation gathering. The Opening Ritual is a traditional way to thank the Creator. It is also used in government affairs to present proposals to the council, which is the main governmental system used within the Nation. It is also used in traditional songs, which are commonly sung at gatherings. In the early 1900s, Onondaga was commonly spoken as the main language in the community. However, Onondaga students were forced to shift to English in school, and they would be punished for speaking their native language. This led to a decrease in the number of speakers, since parents did not want their children to have to be exposed to the same punishments they had been. Now, there are only around 50 native speakers, and they are all 70 years old or older. There have been revitalization efforts, and there are classes in school and for adults. There have also been books written in the language.