 Before this, some scholars argued that the people were the ancestors or direct relations of historic Iroquoian groups in the greater region, such as the Huron or Mohawk, Onondaga or Oneida of the Five Nations of the "Haudenosaunee" encountered by later explorer Samuel de Champlain.Since the 18th century, several theories have been proposed for the identity of the St. Lawrence River peoples.The issue is important not only for historical understanding but because of Iroquois and other indigenous land claims.