“For They Fed Lustily, Drank Heartily, and Were Very Greasy Before They Finished Their Dinner”: The Material Politics of Hospitality at the Lancaster Treaty of 1744

Centring on a diplomatic encounter between the Haudenosaunee and representatives of the British colonies of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia at Lancaster in 1744, this article focuses on instances of hospitality and commensality that occurred in-between their formal negotiations, and the cultural and political implications these had for the wider Anglo-Haudenosaunee alliance. By first examining what cultural significance different forms of sharing food and drink held for these respective groups based on personal recollections of two participants, it will be possible to critically examine the official records that document their interactions and exchanges, especially considering the political manoeuvring both sides engaged in based on these commensal practices. Furthermore, a focus on the material politics of hospitality will enable an analysis of the entanglements of intercolonial competition, intercultural conflicts over resources, and the significance of the Haudenosaunee for the Anglo-French struggle over North America, grounded in the actual material reality of the northeastern woodlands.