OGENHERATARIHIENS (also occurs as Ogeratarihen (“Cendre Chaude” meaning “Hot Ash” or “Poudre Chaude” meaning “Hot Powder” in Iroquois), Garonhiagué (“In-the-Sky” or “Celestial”), and Garohiaé), Louis, an Oneida chief according to La Potherie [Le Roy*], a Mohawk chieftain according to Father Charlevoix*; b. c. 1646 and killed 1687.

Charlevoix and La Potherie claimed that he had been one of Father Brébeuf’s torturers. Cendre Chaude was born too late for this to have been possible.

In his village Ogenheratarihiens had married Marie Garhio (Garhi), an Indian girl. In 1676, with her and her entire family, Cendre Chaude received baptism at the Saint-François-Xavier mission at the Saint-Louis Rapids, which had been moved from Prairie-de-la-Magdelaine. He was soon chosen to be the fourth chief of the village, and not later than 1683 he became the first.

A great orator, Cendre Chaude fought effectively against lewdness and drunkenness in the mission. He won over a good number of Oneidas to his cause and extended his influence as far as the Five Nations. In 1677, for example, he joined Kateri Tekakwitha’s brother-in-law and a Huron from Lorette for a missionary trip to the Mohawks. That same year he brought Kateri from Gandaouagué (Fonda, N.Y.) to the Saint-François-Xavier mission.

In 1683, in his role as chief, he declared his attachment to the French when the question of war with the pagan Iroquois came up. He even undertook a diplomatic mission to the enemy. Subsequently the Oneidas invited him to go to govern their canton, and to do so without giving up his faith. He preferred to stay at Saint-François-Xavier, in order to remain a good Christian.

In 1684, unlike the other Christian chiefs, Cendre Chaude refused to take part in Governor Le Febvre de La Barre’s expedition to La Famine. When Governor Brisay* de Denonville assumed the reins of government, Cendre Chaude was among the first to recognize his authority. During his campaign against the Senecas, Cendre Chaude and two other Christian Iroquois were killed 14 July 1687. “Few missionaries,” wrote Father Charlevoix, “won over to God as many unbelievers as he did.”

Henri Béchard