EDITORIAL: ?GANIENKEH? RECLAMATION OF 33 YEARS AGO

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GANIENKEH? RECLAMATION OF 33 YEARS AGO

MNN. Feb. 5, 2007. MNN interviewed a participant in the historic reclaiming of ?Ganienkeh? in so-called New York State on May 13, 1974: ?It started out as a Warrior?s project. We had always talked about this. After the evictions of non-natives in Kahnawake, there was so much turmoil we felt we were on the brink of civil war. Brothers, cousins and friends were at odds. We saw no reason to fight our own people.

?There have been splits throughout our history. Time always healed these divisions. We discussed how we were willing to put our lives on the line for our beliefs. The real struggle was not with our own people. So we focused our sights on our real enemies, the colonial governments. If we want our land, asking for it won?t bring it back. Our chances of winning a land claim in a colonial court were nil. Believing in ourselves, we decided to reclaim our land. So we said, ?Let?s do it?.

?It was not a new idea. Our people had always moved about on our territory. Ti?res had taken back Tiokweroton/Doncaster in the Laurentian Mountains north of Montreal around the 1920?s for the Mohawk Nation.

?Our grandparents had taken us to Mohawk Valley in the late 1950?s to reclaim some of our territory there. There had been a village there a long time ago called ?Kahnawake?. Beforehand we visited all our Mohawk communities for their support in repossessing our land in the name of the traditional minded Onkwehonwe. We settled there as Mohawk Nation people. Eventually we were dragged into their courts and evicted from our lands. We returned to our original communities.

?The dream to repossess some of our land never died. In 1974 we decided to build a new community. About six or more months was spent in planning this. We needed people who were good organizers, who knew how to speak to the people and how to keep the spirit alive. The group was made up of people of all ages. Grandfathers , grandmothers, mothers, fathers and children. There was representation from many nations such as Onondaga, Seneca, Oneida, Anishnawbe, Odawa, Sac & Fox, Lakota, Inuit, Dene, Algonquin and others who came from all over to join us.

?We declared there would be no drugs, alcohol, foreign religions or laws. It would be a totally Onkwehone controlled.

?We had a back up system. We knew that our project was going to be costly. To stretch our funds, we decided to use the natural resources. We chose to do without comforts by using kerosene lamps and wood burning stoves. We stored non-perishable food. As part of our backup those who remained in our communities would support us by sending food and medicine and help with public relations and political assistance.

?We sent people far and wide throughout Kanion?ke:haka territory to find the right place. We needed water, forests, land for planting and an isolated terrain we could defend. We found such a place. Only four of the scouts knew where this location was. They would each guide one of the four caravans. We planned to approach the site from the four directions. We had to keep this information secret because we knew that spies would be sent in to find out where we were going. We gave ourselves four chances to get to this place safely. If one did not make it there, surely another would. The caravans comprised several hundred people.

?We met three times a week to plan. Each of us would put in $2 or whatever we could into a hat to build up some funds.

?We had support because they knew we were strong in our goal. Not wanting to be labeled as radicals or criminals, we asked for the Mohawk Nation and the Six Nations Confederacy for support. The Mohawk Nation sanctioned our project from the beginning. Due to secrecy of the location, when the confederacy was sure that the land was Kanion?ke:haka they gave us full sanction.

?Moss Lake was chosen. It is 60 miles northeast of Utica in what is known as New York State. The day before our departure three of the four caravans gathered in Akwesasne at the home of Ann Jock and left from there. The fourth caravan left from Onondaga to approach the site from the south. The food, tools and equipment had been gathered long beforehand. It was a quiet moment. When we started on our way, we told the public that we were going to Vermont. We were informed that 250 extra border patrol and state police were placed at the border to stop us when we arrived there.

?We got to Moss Lake at approximately 5 am. It was still dark. We immediately secured the area. People were tired. We made sure the women and children were taken care of. Then we further explored the area. There was only one road which made it defensible. We had the necessary equipment to do that. We found more abandoned houses of a former exclusive girl?s summer camp and moved in.

Part of our strategy was to simultaneously hand deliver the ?Ganienkeh Manifesto? to every member of the United Nations in both New York City and Montreal. We did not want the U.S. to isolate us with a media black out. The world must know and make sure the U.S. conducted itself responsibly. They had to work with us to resolve this land dispute according to the Two Row Wampum and the formula set out in Article 7 of the 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua.

?Later that day forest rangers from the Department of Environmental Conservation arrived. They were curious. We explained we were coming back to our homeland to rebuild our community. Initially the locals were ready to welcome us. This depressed area relies mainly on tourism. They thought we would be selling Indian trinkets and souveniers and dancing for the tourists.

They were disappointed to learn that we were not from Hollywood and that we were more interested in farming and rebuilding our communities. They formed an organization called ?Concerned People of the Adirondacks? who campaigned to remove us from the area.

?The colonial authorities started to treat us as ?trespassers?. Then incidents and attacks against us began. After almost 20 shootings into our community by vigilantes, we requested that the outside authorities control their people. No action was taken. We had no choice.

Our elders, children and people were constantly being shot at. We could not risk the lives of our people. The women held a council. They decided that, should anyone shoot at us, the men were to stop their vehicles and apprehend these people.

Our intent was not to bring injury to them but to stop their attacks. Two individuals unfortunately got shot by stray bullets. Only then did the outside authorities decide to intervene. They tried to arrest the Onkwehonwe. They tried to serve ?John Doe? and ?Jane Doe? warrants on our people, which we did not allow.

To investigate and resolve these shootings peacefully they had to comply with the guidelines set out in article 7 of the 1794 Canandaigua Treaty. It was in line with the Two Row agreement between ourselves and the colonial governments. This is the basis of international law today.

?It was historic. We forced the U.S. government to deal with us according to Article 7 which clearly defines our relationship. If there is any problem between any part of the Confederacy and the U.S, either side could lodge a complaint to the other nation. It would be investigated by the respective nation. All issues are dealt with on a nation-to-nation level.

It took a while. Good minded U.S. President Gerald Ford decided Article 7 was probably the best way to go. He appointed Forest Gerard to act as his special agent to comply with article 7. We worked jointly with the U.S., the people they appointed, our people and the Confederacy to resolve this in the manner that was prescribed by our ancestors. The attacks stopped.

Even though it was resolved, the folks still wanted us out of the area. They gave us ultimatims to leave. We refused. We told them their governments had no jurisdiction on us or our land. We were part of the Confederacy. They tried to dispute our title to the land and failed.

Our informant recalled, ?When we arrived at Moss Lake, we put in gardens and fixed up some houses. We called it ?Ganienkeh?. After trying for several years, we decided that this location was not viable. The rain was too acidic and the growing season was too short. We had to find another place. In 1979 we moved to another part of our homeland, to Miner Lake near Plattsburg. We told the state not to interfere. We thanked them for their offer and did everything ourselves. We set up a new ?Ganienkeh?.

?New York State, U.S. citizens, committees, counties and towns tried to sue Ganienkeh, in Moss Lake and Miner Lake. When the charges against us went to court, they lost. Both decisions found that they had no jurisdiction over us. We continue to enjoy sovereign immunity. After 250 meetings with New York State and the U.S. governments, they finally got it through their heads that we weren?t leaving and we weren?t going to back down.

?After the initial reclamation we got support from the public, international organizations, countries, students and activists. Sweden and other countries put pressure on New York State and told them they were watching the situation closely. We constantly sent people out to speak to churches, organizations, colleges and universities to bring awareness locally, nationally and internationally. We did interviews on the radio, television and newspapers.

People like Ed Hale of the Lake Placid News did many good articles between 1974 and 1979. Our message was, ?We want to rebuild our nation. We know how to do it. We want to survive as we were intended. We want to save our people, our language and our culture. We are the only people who can fix our problems. We did not want their tax monies or their handouts or anything from the U.S., Canada or state governments. We look to our families and friends. If you want to help us, do so.

We rejected Bureau of Indian Affairs involvement with us. We refused to comply with ?federal Indian law?. We would not let New York State have any jurisdiction. We constantly reminded them that this is our land that we never surrendered and that they have no jurisdiction over us.

U.S. and New York State made their claims based on two fraudulent treaties, Joseph Brant Treaty of 1796 and the Seven Nations Treaty of 1797. None have treaty making powers according to the Kaianereh?ko:wa/Great Law. Joseph Brant was a British subject and deposed as a translator by the Confederacy. The Seven Nations of Canada was a religious congregation of Christian Indians who had alienated themselves from the Confederacy.

“A peaceful interim resolution was established. New York State wanted to save face. We were not going to relinquish our inherent rights. An entity was set up that became a buffer between us. It was an agreement between New York State and “Turtle Island Trust”. We are not signatories to this agreement so it is not binding on the Mohawk Nation and the Confederacy. The state wanted to tell its constituents it was adhering to their laws while not interfering with us.

?New York State Governor Mario Cuomo respected our position that this land is not held in trust. We asserted our jurisdiction. They left us alone. Since then politicians have tried from time to time to interfere with us. We always fight them off and they back away.

?Today Ganienkeh is self-sufficient and employs native and non-natives. The original mission is still there. It continues to need the involvement and participation of the Nation and the Confederacy, our friends and allies to support and make the dream of self-determination come true. We re-established an Onkwehone state independent of the colonial government.

?What did we learn? The only way to get our land is to go there and physically take it back and keep it. In the end New York State and the U.S. finally accepted the fact that we had a formula to avoid a confrontation between us, the Two Row Wampum.

?We have to assert our sovereignty by using our own laws and our birthright based on natural laws. We must not depend on colonial institutions, courts and corporate governments. It was successful because we asserted our identity as the indigenous people of this land. We originated here. This is our world. We must follow the path that was carved out for us and our ancestors before us.

For more information and speakers about the “Ganienkeh Reclamation”, contact 518-236-7100 info@ganienkeh.net www.ganienkeh.net

Kahentinetha Horn
MNN Mohawk Nation News
Kahentinetha2@yahoo.com katenies20@yahoo.com
For updates, workshops, speakers, to sign up, go to
www.mohawknationnews.com
Please sign the Women Title Holders petition. Nia:wen

poster: katenies

 

Fraudulent Land Claim Settlement of “City of Toronto”

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WOMEN TITLE HOLDERS OF SIX NATIONS CONFEDERACY CHARGE CANADA FOR VIOLATING TWO ROW WAMPUM, SILVER COVENANT CHAIN AND INTERNATIONAL LAWTHE WOMEN ARE THE TITLE HOLDERS of the land of Turtle Island as recalled by Wampum 44 of the Kaianereh’ko:wa, constitution of the Rotinonhsonni:onwe

TO: THE MISSISSAUGAS OF NEW CREDIT,
THE CITY OF TORONTO, MME. MICHAELLE JEAN, GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CANADA gg@gc.ca, HON. STEPHEN HARPER, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA
PROVINCE OF ONTARIO, UNITED NATIONS

RE: PROPOSED FRAUDULENT LAND CLAIM SETTLEMENT OF SIX NATIONS LAND KNOWN AS THE “CITY OF TORONTO” WITH THE MISSISSAUGAS OF NEW CREDIT

WE FIND YOU GUILTY OF THE FOLLOWING:

1. THE FRAUDULENT PURCHASE OF SIX NATIONS LAND KNOWN AS THE “CITY OF TORONTO” BY THE BRITISH COLONIAL GOVERNMENT AND THE SUBSEQUENT LAND CLAIMS SETTLEMENT IN PROGRESS WITH THE MISSISSAUGA OF NEW CREDIT WHO DO NOT OWN THE LAND;

2. THE VIOLATIONS OF KAIANEREH’KO:WA, TWO ROW WAMPUM, SILVER COVENANT AND INTERNATIONAL LAWS.

DATE: February 7, 2007

In a Six Nations meeting with the Mississauga on May 22, 1784, Pokquan the Mississauga Speaker told the British that:

“We have considered your request Father. We the Mississauga are not the owners of all that Land laying between the three Lakes, but we have agreed and are willing to transfer our right of Soil & property to the King our Father…”

In 1784 the British were aware that the Missisauga had no interest in the land now known as the “City of Toronto”. “Toronto” is a Mohawk name. “Ontario” is also a Mohawk name. So is “Canada”. In 1787 this Purchase of Toronto by the British was found to be fraudulent because it is Six Nations land and the Mississauga admitted to not owning it. The British got the Mississauga to sign a blank agreement and paid them 10 shillings for 392 square miles of Six Nations Land. After the signing the British inserted the dimensions making it larger than agreed upon. Throughout the Mississauga knew they could not sell land that belongs to the Six Nations.

According to the Kaianereh’ko:wa Joseph Brant, who witnessed this theft, had no position with the Iroquois Confederacy. He was appointed as a Pine Tree Chief by the Confederacy to act as a translator. It was a ceremonial position without any power. Joseph Brant was an officer in the British army and a British subject, not a Mohawk of the Confederacy. He signed as a British subject to sell land to his colonial friends. All these alienations by Joseph Brant are illegal. Our lands cannot be alienated. Any transactions of any kind to do with land have to be sanctioned by all the nations of the Confederacy at a Grand Council meeting. This has always been our law and it is consistent with modern international law as affirmed by International court of Justice in the Western Sahara case.

We have the responsibility to protect our mother and our mother has to be there to take care of our future generations. It is the birthright of every generation to have their mother there to take care of them. It is not ours to sell.

No nation legitimizes foreigners to sell their land. The British would not themselves nor let Germany put up England for sale on the world market! Neither does France or Japan or China! Whenever a peoples’ homeland is threatened by occupation or other means, the Indigenous people of those lands take it as an act of aggression and an act of war. Canada is a colony and does not have title to our land. Evidence of their anxiety is this proposal to illegally “settle” the Toronto land claim.

The Mississauga told the British in 1784, “We don’t own anything, but since you want to buy what we own, which is nothing, we are willing to sell it”. Today their successors, the colony of Canada and its corporate agents, are attempting to “correct” their oversight of 1784. They now want the Mississauga to once again fraudulently transfer Six Nations lands to the British successors. Extensive evidence and documents are available to support our position. Canada is trying to make us think that an original wrong can be corrected by a subsequent wrong.

The British and the Mississauga both knew that the Confederacy would never relinquish our rights to any of our land. So they made the fraudulent deal between themselves and Joseph Brant, a British subject, was their witness.

The thief now wants to legitimize the original theft. Stealing is illegal anywhere in the world. There is no statute of limitation on theft. Colonial powers cannot ratify their original theft. The present Mississauga are an incorporated band set up under the illegal Indian Act, which is ultra vires the Constitution. Any dealings between two colonial government agencies is illegal and fraudulent.

Canada, Ontario and Toronto, whose money are you going to use to pay the Mississauga? It will be our money from the land and resources you have stolen from us. You are using stolen money to buy stolen property. You have to sit down with us, the owners of the land, the Six Nations Confederacy, and nobody else. You cannot deal with the Mississauga. They came under the protective umbrella of the Confederacy and are tenants on our land. The tenant cannot sell the land out from underneath the landlord. Only the true title holders have a right to deal with land issues.

It is fraud. It is theft. Everybody, native and non-native, can see it for what it is.

THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND ITS AGENTS ARE IN VIOLATION OF THE FOLLOWING COVENANTS THAT IT CLAIMS TO UPHOLD:

UN Resolution 1514 affirms the independence of Indigenous people. This fraudulent land claim of the British for the city of Toronto is a colonial act that violates international law. Canada is “squatting” on Turtle Island. UNTS 1021 condemns colonial states that force such policies on us as constituting genocide. [The Mabo case in Australia];

The title of Noongar Aborigines of Australia to Western Australia including the city of Perth were affirmed on September 21, 2006, in Bennell v. State of Western Australia. They proved they continue to exist and are still part of the land. The Six Nations Confederacy and our title to what is now known as the city of Toronto and beyond continues to exist.

The UN Charter requires that its members cannot use armed force to resolve international differences. Starving and then waving money in front of the Mississauga constitutes coercion, violence and use of force.

Canada is a colonial state that must respect the political rights of the Six Nations Confederacy as set out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

General Assembly Resolution 1541 (XV) requires the informed consent of a people before they are included in another state [Western Sahara case]. We are not Canadians. We have never surrendered our jurisdiction over ourselves and our lands. Britain and its successor, Canada, are violating our jurisdiction. We must be dealt with on a nation-to-nation basis.

The United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination found on March 6, 2006 that the United States was denying the Western Shoshone people “their rights to own, develop, control and use their land and resources”. Canada continues to live in the past and refuses to stop colonialism even though it is illegal.

International law rejects colonial encroachment on our land. Our land cannot be developed without consultation with us and our consent. Our perspectives cannot be ignored. Even the Supreme Court of Canada recognizes that.

WE, THE ROTINONHSONNI:ONWE WOMEN TITLE HOLDERS demand an end to the breach of our rights.

a). Our governance is based on relations of equality and mutual respect as affirmed by the Kaianereh’ko:wa, our Great Law of Peace. Our relationship with the colonists is based on the Guswentah, the Two Row Wampum. We agreed to travel on different paths on the same river without interfering with each other. Canada cannot usurp our vessel.

b). We are the trustees of our land for the future generations of our People. Our land cannot be alienated. Colonial states cannot remove us to exploit our land and resources.

c). Colonial states have failed to stop their encroachment on our land and in our lives. Squatters illegally occupy our land, steal our resources and poison our water and air almost beyond repair. Corporate governments and their entities have imposed their destructive agendas on us.

d). Canada’s justice system functions to keep the stolen property, to continue the theft, to undermine us and to continue its genocide.

WE, THE ROTINONHSONNI:ONWE WOMEN TITLE HOLDERS WISH TO PROTECT OUR PHYSICAL INTEGRITY AND OUR LEGAL RIGHTS THROUGH PEACEFUL MEANS.

1.That Canada uphold freedom, justice and peace including our inherent right of self-determination. Canada cannot “settle” this fraudulent land claim of the Six Nations without our fully informed consent and consensus of the majority of our people.

2. That we be dealt with on a nation-to-nation basis. Colonial states cannot deal through their unlawfully imposed corporate puppets known as the Mississauga band council.

3. The “rule of law” comes from Creation. It encompasses all that is good for humanity, that of being of one mind based on natural righteousness. To create peace we must live in balance with the natural world, according to our own teachings, direction, language and culture. Foreigners to Turtle Island must respect the Indigenous law of our land. They cannot legislate over or judge us.

4. Colonial states cannot criminalize us for upholding our obligations. We have an inherent right to preserve our land for our coming generations. Our acts have been defensive and peaceful.

WE, THE ROTINONHSONNI:ONWE WOMEN TITLE HOLDERS, insist that in keeping with our right to self-determination, we shall deal with our lands, rights and possessions, including the Six Nations land that the city of Toronto is sitting on.

For 500 years we resisted colonial efforts to do away with us and impose your unnatural institutions on us. The colonizers need to meet with us peacefully according to the principles of the Two Row Wampum agreement. The colonizers must remain on your ship and not steer our canoe. The formula to peace is the Kaianereh’ko:wa.

We, the Women Title Holders, insist on an immediate end to this false initiative to have Canadian government corporations settle a fraudulent claim to our land. Colonization has changed the natural world on Turtle Island, the plants, the animals, and the air we breathe. We can’t even drink the water anymore without filtering it. Some people in the colonial society seem to think that just because the first treaties like the Two Row Wampum and the Silver Covenant Chain are inconvenient for you, you can forget about them. They are still the foundation of our relationships, an irrevocable part of modern life. We must initiate a dialogue to work toward a solution acceptable to the Rotinoshonni:onwe.

Signed on this day of February 7, 2007.

Katenies /s/ _________________________
Kahentinetha /s/ _____________________
Box 991, Kahnawake of Mohawk Territory (Quebec) J0L 1B0 450-635-9345 katenies20@yahoo.com kahentinetha20@yahoo.com

poster: katenies

 

ONKWEHONWE YOUTH FEARLESSNESS AND RESTLESSNESS! COLONISTS, WHATCHA YA GONNA DO NOW?

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ONKWEHONWE YOUTH FEARLESSNESS AND RESTLESSNESS! COLONISTS, WHATCHA YA GONNA DO NOW?

MNN. Feb. 1, 2007. Rumor mongering by non-natives that Onkwehonwe are barbarians, still running around in loin cloths, carrying tomahawks, sneaky, untrustworthy and drunk is the culturally entrenched way of looking at us. This is fiction. This false image is a reality we face all the time.

Today when our Onkwehonwe youth try to get a job, they have a lot to overcome. The mainstream stereotypes of our people as “drunken”, “lazy” and “won’t show up for work” keeps us from getting jobs. Our women and men are seen as lascivious and easy marks. There is a presumption that social services has to intervene in our homes because we don?t know how to take care of our kids, or that we let them hang out on the streets in druggie gangs. Where did all this come from?

Someone wants to make sure our Onkwehonwe youth won’t achieve anything. What are they afraid of? The film “Apocalypto” by Mel Gibson gives us some clues. It is stereotyping at its most vicious. It melds together the colonizers’ fantasies of letting loose according to their false sense of what’s natural and their simultaneous disgust and fear of their own lusts and base desires that they project on us. They are so subject to hierarchical control that they believe if there wasn’t someone lording it over them, they would behave badly. This means they don’t believe in their own ability to control themselves. it’s not our nightmare, it’s theirs. They want to see us as barely civilized barbarians. It gives them a false feeling of superiority. At a visceral level they’re still desperately seeking justification. Or maybe they’re trying to avoid responsibility for the genocide they committed and for their destruction of the environment of Turtle Island. They know their own ability to commit atrocities and fear those who restrain themselves when attacked. They are assuming that the ax is going to fall when they least expect it.

Colonial society creates hopelessness. This way we will have no leadership and they can continue to be the “great white fadder”. Waneek Horn Miller described recently on APTN how the coach of the National Women’s Water Polo Team asked her if she was going to be like all the other “Indians” by not showing up for practice and being irresponsible. The interviewer commented, “The usual stereotypes were pinned on you?” For 15 years she got up at 5:00 am to train and in 2000 went on to compete in the Olympics in Australia.

There are many like her. Ted Nolan is now a coach of the New York Islanders hockey team in one of the most competitive areas in the world. He was fired after a sensational year. He had brought the Buffalo Sabres up from nothing to the pinnacle of success. For 9 years no NHL team would hire him. Why? They thought he was too independent minded. They were afraid he was going to poison the minds of the other players against management, which was untrue. Nolan, just prior to being rehired, took a Nova Scotia junior team to the Memorial Cup and almost won it. This proves that his Onkwehonwe methods of coaching work. One year after taking over the Islanders they are at the top.

Because of this stereotype being flung at us universities have to hire Onkwehonwe ombudsmen to bring our people into these mainstream institutions.

What are some of positive traits of our young people? For one, they show tremendous self-restraint in the face of adversity. Otherwise we would never have survived. We do not react instantly. We think about what we are going to do.

So why can’t we get jobs. Nobody will hire us. Some of us go into cigarette manufacturing and sales. For this we are criminalized. If our businesses are successful, we are pursued to pay taxes to the very corporate colonial governments that stole our lands and resources and work to keep us down. If we get any kind of money into the community, Indian Affairs sends in their “handlers” so that we never know what’s happening to our funds. Businesses are set up in our communities by non-natives using us as fronts to take advantage of our sovereignty and tax-free status and jeopardizing our rights. This is creating hatred by Canadian taxpayers against Onkwehonwe.

Creating apathy among our young people is a product of the colonial society. The idea has always been to keep us as an uneducated working class who can be used for low paying jobs that no one else will do. It did not work. Onkwehonwe have a way of expressing very deep meaningful ideas. If trained they can do this publicly. Some of the greatest natural orators in history were Onkwehonwe who came from among people who were totally uneducated in the colonial system. Statements of Cornplanter, Geronimo, Sitting Bull, Seattle and many others have stood the test of time.

So what do we do? We take our positive traits, our knowledge of our rights and create our own way. There has to be encouragement of entrepreneurial skills among our youth. Many are already doing that.

The public is made to think that we don’t care about our youth. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Last weekend the Kahnawake Youth Center had a “Radiothon” to raise money to cover a deficit of $40,000. In the end the community and our supporters raised $200,000. What’s the message? The people will back up our youth and a good idea.

What about our youth? Their minds are open and sharp. They are not brainwashed to bend down to non-natives. The old methods of attacking their self-esteem just doesn’t work with this generation. They walk with their heads up and chests out. They know their rights and history. At the same time they have an uphill battle to take off the iron cloak of “stereotypism” that has been and continues to be strewn over us.

Remember, whatever we believe we are is what we become. If our youth are convinced they are victims, they will become victims. The residential school system was one of the most successful brainwashing strategies devised by the colonists. They destroyed generations with this “victim mentality”. The Onkwehonwe are no longer victims. Now we are conquerors. We are going to be in charge. No one is going to abuse us anymore.

Unfortunately the surrounding mainstream society hasn’t caught up with us or accepted our new attitude. What’s the reaction? Today the police and predators are gathering our youth and killing them. Our young men in Saskatoon and Edmonton were left outside of town to freeze to death. Hundreds of our young women are “disappearing” without a trace and they don’t think its worth looking into.

On the other hand, many see ourselves as being more capable than the colonizers we deal with. Our innate talents have yet to be utilized. The natural ability of Onkwehonwe has never changed. Thinking back about 50 years ago the big corporations and banks in Montreal used to recruit our Onkwehonwe women to be their executive assistants to help them run their corporations. They knew they were the best administrators. Some of them were my cousins. It was common back then.

Our men were able to do construction work that others could not do. In the U.S. it was known if you want to put up a skyscraper you had to call up the Mohawks who will make sure it gets done. Our men were top iron workers running big projects in the U.S. They came home and started successful businesses by translating their abilities into other directions.

How are the colonial government, their agents and mainstream society going to deal with us now? May we suggest that they talk to us? Threats won’t work anymore. Our ancestors and our older people proved that in Oka, Ipperwash, Gustafssen Lake, Six Nations and elsewhere. In the past we were necessary in their battles. They had to negotiate with us because of our positions of strength.

We can’t be ignored anymore. We want control over what is ours and benefits from anything that is happening to us and our land.

Yes, it’s hard to deal with all our educated people. The colonists don’t like it because they have to come to terms with us. They have to govern themselves according to the laws, past accords and solutions that benefit us on a long term basis. Trust funds, education, guarantees and benefits to us and our goals have to be all written down and dealt with fairly. They can’t keep closing the doors on the title holders of Turtle Island anymore.

Our youth is an important part of all this. They don’t have any of the fear that was built into the older generations. We have raised them in an atmosphere where fear wasn’t put into them. We stopped whining on and on about “doom and gloom” and how bad everything is. Indian Affairs promotes this in their ‘kneeling and healing circle” programs to push hopelessness among our people.

The powers that think they are know that if we are afraid then we are inviting people to attack us. They will get away with it if we are running scared. This is how we invite trouble onto ourselves. Canada and the U.S. raised a whole nation of terrified people that was supposed to be scared of everything. Now that’s over. We buried it. Our kids are bold, brave and talented. They want to be Onkwehonwe, not citizens of the colonial societies that are occupying our land. They’re going to find a way around these obstructions. So watch out, world!

Kahentinetha Horn
MNN Mohawk Nation News
Kahentinetha2@yahoo.com katenies20@yahoo.com
For updates, workshops, speakers & to sign up go to Please sign the Women Title Holders petition. Nia:wen

poster: katenies

 

ELIZABETH JOHNS’ “YELLOW JOURNALISM” DEMONIZES ONKWEHONWE!

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ELIZABETH JOHNS’ “YELLOW JOURNALISM” DEMONIZES ONKWEHONWE!

MNN. Jan. 25, 2007. Elizabeth Johns suddenly came on the scene in Cornwall Ontario. She is 21 years old, a recent Ryerson Journalism graduate still wet behind the ears. In no time at all, she has become a front page banner reporter for the Cornwall Standard Freeholder. She writes sensational stories, and we do mean ‘stories. The main plot and theme of these imaginative presentations focus on discrediting the Mohawks, Cornwall’s neighbor across the river.

Young Miss Johns has presented what she called “objective fact” but in fact was a biased opinion on just about every story that trickles off her computer. Most are unsubstantiated rumors, innuendos and charges. She must have gotten “A” in “yellow journalism” 340 at Ryerson.

She wrote about the two young cousins from Cornwall Island who had been murdered by two “hit men” sent in by the Bikers. These men were caught. A sensational story appeared starting on the front page giving extensive information on the leads, evidence and police reports. This eventually led the defense to declare that their clients could not get a fair trial in Cornwall or anywhere. They might get off scott free! Whose agenda does this serve? How did this sweet looking girl get ahold of police files that should have remained confidential to protect the integrity of the justice system?

The Cornwall Standard Freehold has come to be known as the editor?s mouthpiece. It publishes only the facts that the editor thinks are fit to print, rather than a full account that would be fair to everyone.

This L’il Miss Poison spread the story of a Mohawk lawyer on the front page with a photo. He had been falsely charged with sexual harassment. The story was written in a way that effectively destroyed the man’s reputation and tried to ruin his business, with the editor’s approval, of course. She stuck her knife into him and took slices off him. She did not double and triple check her sources or read between the lines of what she was told by the band council. They wanted to get rid of him and made up the charges that they thought would stick, but did not. So what’s she going to do about it now?

Her story was highly destructive and almost ruined his life. For all the harm done, this “cracked” reporter didn’t even bother to attend his trial. When the case finally got heard, he won, but at what cost? The result was acknowledged on the front page. It was too little too late. The damage was already done. Can he be given back those five years of hell on earth?

This young lady’s initiatives don’t stop here. She also wrote a disparaging story about the daughter of an Akwesasne activist who has been constantly harassed at the border at a port that is right in the middle of the community. She finally brought complaints against them before the Canadian Human Rights Commission. The story tore that young girl up and questioned her integrity. Did little Miss Muffet report on the appeal to the Human Rights Commission? We don’t think so.

Who benefits from all this demonization of the Mohawks? One theory is that there is a fight between the Ontario Provincial Police with the local Cornwall Police over control of the city. It sounds like a turf war by street gangs. But these are the cops!! How are they protecting the citizens? We all know that newspapers depend on the police for tips on their stories and so they maintain a close relationship.

It started in April of 2006 when the New York Times came to Akwesasne to do a story on one of our business people. They got all kinds of information that could only come from police sources. The entire story was engineered for one purpose. The Mohawks have to be neutralized. Our spokespeople have to be discredited.

There is an attempt to stymie the position of the Mohawks as defenders of Onkwehonwe rights. In the 1920?s Paul K. Diabo, an iron worker, working in the U.S. brought a case to stop the colonial governments from stopping us from going into the U.S. to live and work. It went to the Supreme Court of the United States. It established that all Indians have a right to cross into the U.S. without hindrance because we are the original people of Turtle Island. We have continued our yearly demonstration of this right to cross this imaginary line at Niagara Falls.

For the conglomerates that are trying to run the world, multinational corporations, banks and the governments they control must neutralize all their opposition. The New York Times is one of their major mouthpieces. That’s why the yellow journalism started there. And the rest are following in hot pursuit.

Many reports on Onkwehonwe have been inaccurate or biased and the public has little means of verifying what was written. The newspaper wields a lot of political power. Little Miss Intrepid and the Freeholder often exploit their position with regard to the Onkwehonwe by putting out flamboyant and irresponsible approaches to news. The Freeholder has taken a lead in presenting distorted stories, sensationalism and misleading images for the sole purpose of boosting newspaper sales. Or could they be supporting another agenda? One of the agendas could possibly be the purported removal of the Mohawks from Akwesasne, a strategic area.

Because of the internet, newspapers are losing circulation, advertisers and money. Yellow journalism appears to be making a big comeback in this climate. Johns appears to be willing to produce this kind of journalism of fabricating a story to fit someone’s agenda.

Something’s missing in this kid’s education. Her editor and Ryerson should both be ashamed. She’s only 21 and she’s already destroyed the reputations of so many people.

Kahentinetha Horn
MNN Mohawk Nation News
Kahentinetha2@yahoo.com katenies20@yahoo.com
For updates, workshops, speakers, to sign up, go to
http://www.mohawknationnews.com
Please sign the Women Title Holders petition.
Nia:wen

poster: katenies

 

SEXUAL HARASSMENT/CHILD MOLESTATION STRATEGY OF CHOICE TO ATTACK ONKWEHONWE MEN

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SEXUAL HARASSMENT/CHILD MOLESTATION STRATEGY OF CHOICE TO ATTACK ONKWEHONWE MENMNN. Jan. 25, 2007. There is a tried and true strategy being used by Indian Affairs, corporate governments and their agents to get rid of our men who question their corruption and whom they want to “get under their control”. It?s called the ?Let?s-get-him-charged-with-sexual-harassment-or-child-abuse? strategy.

Back in 1990 a band council out west received multi millions of dollars on behalf of their people. It was a settlement for a claim. Indian affairs parachuted in a blond long legged woman to become the auditor. Her salary was $1.4 million a year. She didn?t audit the money. She audited the men. Before long, fights were going on among them. One man eventually committed suicide. This auditor approached one dissenter that the Indian Affairs was particularly anxious to shut up. She tried to get him into a compromising situation so she could charge him with sexual harassment. When he confronted her about what she was trying to do, she said, ?Nobody will believe you?. He knew that too. He reported her attempts to the RCMP.

In the 1980?s there was a young warrior who was speaking out about the corruption of Indian Affairs against his people and how Onkwehonwe can assert our rights. Suddenly a woman and her daughter made charges of sexual harassment against him. He eventually won his case at the Supreme Court of Canada level. It was too late. His reputation had been destroyed. He moved away and started again somewhere else.

In the early 1990?s a warrior, who could not be faulted, was asking the corporate government too many questions they did not want to answer. He adopted children. Next thing the local social services in the community falsely charged him with child molestation. Again it was almost impossible for him to defend himself. The child accusers were protected and nothing could be revealed about them and their family background. Social Services had created the situation. Eventually the RCMP told him if he didn?t move out of the country, he would spend many years in jail.

Then recently a former ironworker turned lawyer got a job in the band council to clean up the office and get the employees working. He was charged with sexual harassment by four women. They were protected by a publication ban and could say anything they wanted. With hard work and a deft lawyer, he was able to prove that these charges were false. But his reputation and his professional practice had already been almost destroyed.

There have been many other similar instances. A common threat runs through these cases? They all threatened the powers that be. The charges were almost impossible to defend. The accusers could remain anonymous. The aim was to defame the victim for the rest of his life and to destroy their credibility with their people.

Another covert Indian Affairs operation that victimizes Onkwehonwe men is the ?Let?s-get-them-crying-at-the-healing-circles? tactic?. The courts play along by ordering our men to attend them. There they have to confess everything while being assured that whatever they say is privileged. This is not so. Sometimes when a Onkwehonwe comes forward and spills the beans on something he did 40 years ago, the next thing he knows he is charged, arrested and thrown into jail. Or he could be blackmailed into silence about the goings on that Indian Affairs wants to keep quiet or even made to do something illegal.

These circles get the information and the goods on people that can destroy them. It would seem that Indian Affairs set up these circles to get control over our people. They even train and certify those who run them. It started in 1990 after the Oka Crisis as the ?Kumik Lodge? program in the lobby of Indian Affairs? ?Tower of Terror? in Hull. They selected ?healers?, brought them in for three weeks for ?training? and then sent them out to the Onkwehonwe communities to do their ?stuff?.

Some ended up in far worse condition than when they started. The circle has no confidentiality agreement such as one would have with a lawyer or psychologist, which is on a one-to-one basis. The healers are not in positions of trust. What a setup! The Canadian government has put $350 million into the ?historical-molestation-in-residential-schools? strategy. We?ve been told by more than one person that some are offered $20,000 to say they were molested even if they weren?t. Then they have to go for ?healing?. Suddenly social services arrives on the scene and grabs their children to get them ?out of danger?.

Does this story sound familiar. This is a new version of the old genocidal scheme to get our guys and break up our families in order to weaken our society. They want to keep us so busy that we can?t ask the obvious question of why they are here and why they won?t go home to the land of their own ancestors.

Kahentinetha Horn
MNN Mohawk Nation News
Kahentinetha2@yahoo.com katenies20@yahoo.com
For updates, workshops, speakers, to sign up, go to
www.mohawknationnews.com
please sign the Women Title Holders petition. Nia:wen

poster: katenies

 

“IMAGINARY LINE” ISSUE FOR ALL ONKWEHONWE OF NORTH AND SOUTH TURTLE ISLAND

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At the request of various interests, this has been reposted to register our objection to the Haudenosaunee Task Force on Border Crossing representing us in “talks” with the US and Canadian colonial governments. We also provide more contacts at the end for you to put pressure on those who are making deals with the colonists over our heads.

“IMAGINARY LINE” ISSUE FOR ALL ONKWEHONWE OF NORTH AND SOUTH TURTLE ISLAND

MNN. Jan. 9th 2007. The international situation between Canada, U.S. and Mexico is not very complicated. There are two peoples involved. It is us (the Onkwehonwe) and them (the colonists).

We Onkwehonwe, also known as “Indigenous” people, have an inherent right to traverse Turtle Island. When human beings first appeared, Creation gave us the original instructions to be respectful, to live in harmony with the rest of the natural environment and to always adhere to the original ways.

The Haudenosaunee Task Force on Border Crossing [made up of Curtis Nelson, Oren Lyons, Leo Henry, Paul Williams, Darwin Hill and others] was set up without consultation with us. They appear to be cooperating with the colonists who want to issue “smart cards”, something like a credit card. Everything about us will be on that card. This is another straw to try to break the back of the Onkwehonwe.

Many of us who have been active and concerned for a long time found out for the first time this past weekend this committee was set up. They’ve already met with U.S. Homeland Security and Canada Customs and Immigration to work out compliance with colonial terms. We have not been allowed to question this committee. We resist their attempts to pressure us into accepting the colonial timelines and the proposed card which is a de facto recognition of the “imaginary line”.

Preamble

We Onkwehonwe face the US-Canada-Mexico border almost every day. Our nation-to-nation relationship with the colonists is through the U.S. President and the Her Majesty the Queen of Canada. It is governed by the principles of the Two Row Wampum Agreement. One condition of tolerating the presence of the colonists was that we would continue our pre-contact right to conduct trade and commerce and travel anywhere in the Western Hemisphere.

Jay Treaty (proviso)

The Jay Treaty of 1794 is a third party agreement and can have no binding effect on us. Traveling around on our homeland is a birthright, not a “privilege”. Colonists cannot interfere with our crossing of their imaginary line they call the Canada-U.S. and U.S.-Mexico borders. The Jay Treaty created the imaginary line on the 49th parallel. The Iroquois Confederacy said at the time, “It is for you, not for us”. The Confederacy would not agree to this as we were looking out for all Onkwehonwe, our friends and allies. The line between the colonies of Mexico and the U.S. was created by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. These lines allowed the colonists to illegally implement privileges and tariffs.

Article III of the Jay Treaty is a violation of international law.

“the right of aboriginal peoples (people indigenous to Canada and/or the US) to trade and travel between the United States and Canada, which was then a territory of Great Britain. This right was restated in section 289 of the 1952 Immigration and Naturalization Act: Nothing in this title shall be construed to affect the right of American Indians born in Canada to pass the borders of the United States, but such right shall extend only to persons who possess at least 50 per centum of blood of the American Indian race.

The Jay Treaty was made between two colonial corporations, Britain and the United States, to provide privileges for the colonial subjects. It did not include our political position. It contradicts itself when it stipulates that it would not be “construed” to affect who is and who is not an Onkwehonwe. In fact, it stipulates that this article applies to those who are “naturalized”. So an immigrant who becomes an American, Canadian or British is subject to the rules and privileges of the “corporation”.

Colonists and their “Indian” representatives speaking to band or tribal councils or incorporated “Indian” entities is not consultation. Once they thought they had pacified us and diminished our population, the colonists put these restrictions in place without informing, consulting or getting our consent. Now new restrictions are being imposed according to their “might makes right” paradigm.

We will tell the colonizers what we want, not what they want us to do. It tells us we can travel with personal belongings, not with “bales”. They wanted to extinguish trade and commerce between all Onkwehonwe. “Bales” referred to the fur trade. It meant anything that is more than one, and could not be resold. They set up a system of extortion to interfere with our ancient rights to sustain ourselves. It was similar to the killing off of all the Buffalo on the Plains.

The colonists have demonstrated their disregard for universal human law. Every human has the right to their existence, their own nationality, their land and their government.

The colonizers are trying to blackmail us into recognizing their borders between Canada, U.S. and Mexico. We have our own territories, our own understandings and respect for each other. We did not need standing armies to protect the borders of our territories because we practiced respect for those who inhabited the particular area. We still do.

Passports and Citizenship

Canada and the U.S. are trying to push us into getting Canadian or US passports to restrict and control our movements. We have a right to maintain a connection to our Onkwehone people throughout the Western Hemisphere. The colonizers are trying to class us as American or Canadian or Mexican “Indians” by illegally and violently forcing us to alienate ourselves from our birthright. They cannot make us something we are not. Today they tell us we need a card. Next they will tell us we need a mark on our forehead.

We are not members of any of these colonial entities. We cannot carry passports of foreign corporations of which we refuse to be members. These colonists are trying to make us commit an illegal act. As independent Indigenous peoples we have a right to deal with such issues based on our own laws. The colonizers are bound by agreements they have entered into such as the UN Charter of 1948 and the International Covenant on Cultural and Political Rights.

The concept of “citizenship” does not exist for us. We are Kanion’ke:haka, not citizens. A “city” is a corporation which one becomes a part of with privileges that can be taken away by the hierarchical governing body. No nation has a right to denationalize another nation.

ID Cards

There is no consistency as to what ID the colonists want. When we produce ID they punch our name into the computer and information comes up on that screen. Now they are pushing for us to have a specific ID which they will decide on and authorize. The advisors of the colonists are conforming and misleading our people. The colonists have already made a decision and are relying on the ignorance of our people to implement it. This violates international law because we were not genuinely consulted. Our laws do not allow us to give away the birthright of our children and future generations.

We have a right to decide how we will be identified. Phil Fontaine of the AFN [Assembly of First Nations] has suggested that we use their government-issued “Indian status cards”. Many Onkwehonwe don’t have such a card. A lot of imposters do.

The colonists want the micro chip in the card to contain our DNA, retina scan and finger prints. They will put this into a data base where a satellite GPS tracking system will know our whereabouts at all times. The European countries have rejected this and still require paper passports because the U.S. recommendations violate human rights.

Today the colonial governments are forcing us to shoulder the burden of threats to their national security by bringing us under their rules. Why should we? We’ve never carried out terrorist threats or acts of violence anywhere in the world.

More and more these border guards are bullying our people, trying to ensnare and control us. Intimidating tactics are being used to entrap our people into doing something that will give them a reason to detain or charge us. Cavity searches are being carried out by the customs goons which violates human rights.

Jurisdiction

The Two Row addresses the jurisdiction issue. We never surrendered our jurisdiction over ourselves or our land. Legality requires proper procedures. If they have cause to stop one of our people they can do so according to the Two Row Wampum Agreement. They can turn them over to us. It is our responsibility to deal with those who are in violation or committing a wrong and to restore the peace between our peoples.

The colonists have no right to order us to have these pass ports or anything by January 2008 or anytime. We will tell them whether we will do something or not. To follow the rule of law, the protocol is for them to meet with us. We must polish the Silver Covenant Chain and dust the Two Row Wampum. The Two Row Agreement governs our nation-to-nation relationships with the colonizers through their heads of state.

Conclusion

We Onkwehone are here to fulfill our duties and responsibilities as the Indigenous sovereigns of Turtle Island. The colonists are trying to kidnap our people from our canoe and force us to row their boat. We are being held hostage against our will in violation of the Two Row Wampum Agreement. We can only leave our canoe by our own free will. Those being forced to live under the illegal Indian Act and federal Indian law system are hostages forced to live under an alien social, economic, political system.

When times get rough the colonizers use these violent tactics to try to control us and make us lose confidence in ourselves and our traditional system. In the past when they could not defeat our people, they destroyed the things we needed to sustain us. They disconnected us from our mother, the earth. She is always there to sustain us. We continue to stand by her to protect her.

We are not afraid to defend our birthright and to protect the next generations. Onkwehonwe throughout the world are presently fighting to protect our children, our people and our land. This entire process to undermine us is a continuation of the genocide that the colonists initiated 500 years ago. Only the names and faces in the corporation have changed.

Kahentinetha Horn kahentinetha2@yahoo.com
MNN Mohawk Nation News
http://www.mohawknationnews.com

**Send your comments to anyone or any entity that you think is affected or should be concerned. Ask them about the action they are taking or know is being taken to protect Onkwehonwe independence:

Canada-US line: Haudenosaunee c/o haudenosaunee_online@yahoogroups.com;

Onondaga nosneaks2@msn.com;

Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force joyceking@westelcom.com

Ganienkeh Territory info@ganienkeh.net

On the US-Mexico line: International Indian Treaty Council http://www.treatycouncil.org

B.Norrell b_norrell@yahoo.com

poster: katenies

 

URGENT! KATENIES WILL NOT “WALK THE LINE”

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URGENT! KATENIES WILL NOT “WALK THE LINE”

MNN. January 5, 2007. All Katenies [gaw-den-yes], a Kanion’keha:ka/Mohawk, did was ask Her Majesty the Queen to explain how all her foreign corporations got jurisdiction over her and her land. They won’t tell her because they can’t. They have claimed power over her in a way that violates the principles of international law that Canada has agreed to uphold.

This youthful looking grandmother has had it up to the eye balls with the colonial abuse that our people continue to suffer. Katenies obeys the laws of the land meticulously. The problem for the colonial Canadian courts is that the laws she follows are the legitimate laws of the land. They are founded on the Kanion’keha:ka participation in the Rotinhsonnion:we/Iroquois Confederacy.

Katenies never had any problem with the law before and is being attacked with everything the colonizing corporate-judicial-military forces can throw at her. Her crime! She simply pointed out that the Queen is guilty of genocide, violations of our freedom and our inherent right to self-determination. She ordered her to return to us all her stolen money, trusts, lands, rights and possessions that were made or taken from our lands.

On December 27th, 2006 Katenies received a document that had a medieval name. It seems to be an artifact of some quaint customs that were brought here on the sailing ships by the colonizers. It is a Notice of “Estreat”. Apparently it’s a copy from their records which they will use to extract everything she has. The Court Hearing is to be in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Katenies will be sued for every question she?s asked about their illegal actions.

The Queen’s corporation has ordered her to appear at the Cornwall court on January 18th 2007 to [have a cup of tea with her and] tell her why she shouldn’t throw all the books at her. Katenies told her that we own Canada, lock stock and barrel. Their document has stamps, dates, numbers, signatures and fingerprints of the Queen’s slaves all over the paper and envelope.

In effect, it’s just another paper noose being put around our necks at gunpoint. Will the Queen be at the execution wearing dark glasses and taking pictures with her phone to be shown on the internet?

On January 3rd 2007 Katenies received a letter dated December 18th 2006 from Ronald J-L Turgeon, the Crown prosecutor, informing her that she has been charged under ?this and that? [S.11(1), 153 (c) & 153.1] of the colonial Custom’s Act. At the hearing on December 18th 2006 they quickly closed down the court when she read her questions and charges against the Queen. she had already filed and served to everyone involved. She did appear, refused to stand and then left. She then sent her document by mail to the Queen and the Governor General of Canada.

The court jesters got all flustered when she refused to stand up according to their master-slave protocol. The letter to her stated, “As you left prior to your matter being dealt with” [which is not true. They were busy ejaculating all over the courtroom and pretended she wasn’t there]. Justice of the Peace Stewart has a Bench Warrant for her arrest. Does this mean they’re going to handcuff her to some bench, or hit her with a bench?

Katenies was told that if she does not “relinquish” herself she will be jailed probably until her trial on August 10th 2007 in Alexandria. What’s this supposed to mean? It sounds like they want to institutionally rape her and beat her into submission. If these guys didn’t wear those medieval black robes, the “character” of their actions would be clearer for all the world to see. They want to confine her for their own perverse pleasure to torture her.

These weird voyeurs even asked Katenies to bring along witnesses for their “peep show” of “See Katenies in Bondage”. What is the purpose of this circus? They want to prove that they have might by pointing guns at us and being able to imprison us. This is so they can distract attention from the fact that they simply do not have jurisdiction. Corporate Canada, the charge is rape.

This whole thing started in 2003 when she was driving through the checkpoint to visit her daughter as she does every day. Then they started to harass her daughter. Why these rapacious predators decided to land on this ordinary grandmother is really difficult to understand. Now they are even scaring her 6 year old granddaughter by making her sit outside in the cold while they harass her parents. The guards want the higher ups to give them guns to make their scare tactics more effective. We can expect worse. That checkpoint should never have been there in the first place. They constantly advise us to go along with it to “make it easier on ourselves”. What do you think?

What is going on here? Katenies wants to be at the forthcoming birth of her grandchild. Are they trying to make her the female “Deskahe”? In the 1920’s he asked a similar question about the Indian Act being ultra vires the constitution of Canada. He went to the League of Nations. Canada would never let him return to Six Nations. He died in Tuscarora near Buffalo New York in 1925.

We Onkwehonwe are confronted by the US-Canada-Mexico border every day. We don’t need passports to travel freely anywhere in the Western Hemisphere. One condition of tolerating the colonial presence was that we would continue to travel anywhere on Turtle Island. We all have some kind of ID. Only we can decide how we will identify ourselves.

The AFN [Assembly of First Nations] wants us to use their government-issue “Indian status” cards. A lot of us who are real Onkwehonwe don’t have such a card. A lot of imposters do. Many of us refuse to be incorporated into Canada and become’ members of a foreign company. Incorporate means “in”. A corporation makes Canada into a “body”. We don’t want to become part of the polluted body of Canada. It all smells awful to us and we want no part of it.

Traversing our homeland is a birthright, not a “privilege” granted by them. We demand that the colonists stop interfering with our travel over their imaginary line. The Jay Treaty 1794 was a trade agreement between the United States and Britain. Ever since then the colonists have been trying to make us “walk the line”, to impose that phony line on us. They haven’t been able to do it. So now they’re trying to tie it around our necks and squeezing it as tight as they can. They are trying to drive us to desperation. But it’s not working.

No one can make us citizens of a nation we don’t want to be citizens of. No nation has a right to denationalize another nation. As independent Onkwehonwe nations we have a right to deal with such issues based on our own laws.

Under International law, we are not members of any of these colonial foreign corporations. Therefore, we cannot carry passports of foreign corporations of which we are not citizens. These drooling jackals are trying to make us commit an illegal act. If all the mystification were removed everyone would see that this all grand standing. They are creating illegal policies to determine our existence as a people. They have no right whatsoever to do this. It’s an international issue. We know many Canadians an Americans have good sense and want to belong to a decent law abiding entity.

Legality requires proper procedures and remedies. Katenies raised a legitimate legal question which has to be answered. She asked where they got their jurisdiction. The Queen and Governor General have not answered. According to law, they have to meet us on a nation-to-nation basis to polish the Silver Covenant Chain and dust the Two Row Wampum Agreement. We have to stop the ongoing theft of our lands and resources and the destruction of the environment.

Why is this ongoing bullying and threatening of Katenies continuing? The policy is probably to give resisters and their families a hard time. If these people believe in the rule of law, the next procedural step is for them to produce the proof that they have jurisdiction. That’s it!

To help and for comments, contact katenies20@yahoo.com

Kahentinetha Horn

MNN Mohawk Nation News

poster: katenies

 

New York land?

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New NYS Governor Eliot Spitzer is about to sign our land into “trust” to build a casino. It is illegal. We would appreciate as many of our native brothers and sisters and our friends and allies registering our opposition on his site before he signs it into “law” on Jan. 1, 2007. Thank you.
Kahentinetha Horn
To: Mr. Eliott Spitzer, Governor of New York State

December 29, 2006.

Before you became Governor of New York State, you were the Attorney General of New York State. At that time you fought against fraud, crime and corruption at all levels. We are now asking you to abide by the laws of the land.

The department of the Interiors’ Bureau of Indian Affairs has just signed off on the environmental assessment. You, Governor Eliot Spitzer, are about to sign off on January 1, 2007 to illegally change our land into “federal trust”. This is a major fraud. Now the proposed St. Regis Mohawk “Tribe’s” casino can go ahead at Monticello Raceway in New York State on our land without our consent. This violates international law. We oppose this. New York State law does not supersede the U.S. Constitution, which you would be violating. As you know, this is treason.

We the Women Title Holders of the Kanion’ke:haka/Mohawk Nation are informing you of the following objections to this project:

1) to the usurpation of our jurisdiction over “New York State” and beyond by the U.S., New York State, non-Indigenous entities, corporations, foreign federal, state, county, boards, state tribal “governance” agencies and all other “outsiders”.

2) to the illegal placing of our sovereign territory into federal trust with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, including lands known as “Monticello” and “Sullivan County” to build casinos on or to do any development.

3) to enforcing “Federal Indian law” which violates the nation-to-nation relationship worked out between our constitutions, the Kaianereh’ko:wa, and the U.S. Constitution. As you will recall, in 2005 New York State failed to fraudulently claim our lands. You know very well that the signing in Albany on Feb. 1, 2005, with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Inc., the Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs Inc. and Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Inc. to settle so-called land claims was fraudulent and fell. Your concurrent transactions such as taxation, casinos, developments, revenue sharing and other ploys are all illegal and scandalous.

4) to foreign government and corporate entities usurping jurisdiction over us and our unsurrendered land that is respected by Article II of the U.S. Constitution. We Indigenous people still own outright all the land and resources of Turtle Island (that you call North America). These foreign corporations cannot legally put up our land as collateral to solicit public funds for their developments on our land. This is fraud.

Only the Rotinonhsonnion:we/Longhouse People, who abide by the Kaianereh’ko:wa/Iroquois Constitution, are the legitimate voice of our nation. All land, commerce and Kanion’ke:haka Nation issues are the responsibility of the People and not that of outside corporations such as those you have set up like the “tribal” and “band” councils. Any agreements entered into under federal Indian law or state law with the St. Regis Mohawk Council Inc. or any of it’s affiliated departments for the sale, purchase or transfer of our lands under the guise of the Mohawk Nation is illegal, null and void.

The U.S. must abide by the international law principle that there can be no development on Indigenous land without consulting and getting the consent of the true Title Holders.

Our objections to this illegal assumption of jurisdiction by United States, New York State and St. Regis Mohawk Tribe have been registered in the United States Supreme Court case No. 05-165: 2005.

We require you to intervene in the theft of our jurisdiction over our Indigenous territory now called “New York State” and beyond. Do not sign this fraudulent transfer of our land into federal trust and all its attendant underhanded business deals. You vowed as the former Attorney General to stop all corruption. Now that you are the Governor you cannot now knowingly break the law.

Signed: Kahentinetha Horn /s/ ________________ Kanionkeke’ha:ka/Mohawk Nation kahentinetha2@yahoo.com, P.O. Box 418, Akwesasne (New York) 13655 1-613-575-1550

Please register your objection by going to http://www.transitionny.com, click the yellow box “participate”; click “ideas for NY”; to “please click here”. Nia:wen/thank you.

poster: Thahoketoteh

 

SANTA THREW JIM “JONESTOWN” PRENTICE DOWN THE CHIMNEY – HEY! HARPER! THE DAY OF THE “MONSTER” OF INDIAN AFFAIRS IS OVER!

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SANTA THREW JIM “JONESTOWN” PRENTICE DOWN THE CHIMNEY – HEY! HARPER! THE DAY OF THE “MONSTER” OF INDIAN AFFAIRS IS OVER!

MNN. Dec. 27, 2006. Wow! There must be a Santa. Jim “Jonestown” Prentice got kicked out as Minister of Indian Affairs. Why? We hear the Indians were clobbering him for his “red neck” stances everywhere he went. He was committing political suicide. Big Daddy, Stephen Harper, had to hang on to all those connections that “Jonestown” has to those big oil companies in Calgary who backed his last election.

More important is that nobody has any business being a “Minister” of Indians or being our “great white father”. Putting a white fool from the colonial government over Indigenous people and our lands and resources is like putting the fox in the henhouse.

It’s time to get rid of the “Indian Act” and the Department of Indian Affairs and go back to the beginning to the real nation-to-colonist relationship. Don’t get any ideas that we will become Canadians. No way! We can and will handle our own affairs. So get out of our way while the going is good.

The Minister’s job is to keep us in our place so that the colonists and their corporations can steal everything we have. The Minister is just an overpaid concentration camp guard. The reserves are the penitentiaries without walls. They have guards there called “Indian” police who are trained and paid by the colonists.

Canada, you know everything belongs to us. We?re getting it all back. You, the corporation of Canada, have no business overseeing us. We are exposing your evil every single day and we aren’t going to stop! It is going to intensify by putting more truths out there for everyone to see.

Brown noser, Phil Fontaine, doesn’t want to stray too far from his master. He said that he wants “Jonestown” to stay on because he “knows so much about Indians, about our land claims” and about our faults!

“Jonestown” Prentice was the chairman of the Indian Land Claims Commission. He walked out because, he said, “Nothing was being done”. What he really meant was that he was put in as Minister of Indian Affairs after he came from his political appointment on that Commission. He stalled all land claims. Indians refused to deal with the Commission.

“Jonestown” Prentice, you’re supposed to be the one with the biggest clout [or is it “mouth”] in the Prime Minister’s “inner” cabinet/sanctum. Indians Affairs was a major portfolio that Prime Minister Harper wanted to keep under his big size XXL belt. He was trying to bulldoze major pipelines, dams, oil and mineral leases on Indian lands for his friends. Prentice, you became powerless because the Indians stood up to you.

Right Phil! You and all the other sell-outs, especially the “band councils” should get on that ship and go down with your colonizer handlers. You can’t have a foot in each boat according to the Guswentha/Two Row Wampum. We’d like to see you take off those fancy buckskins and put on those pantaloons, ruffles and capes that the colonizers wore. And those guns you’re pointing at us, they’ll be shooting nothing but blanks.

Recently the Cape Croker Indians decided that they wanted their land back from the non-native cottagers. The leases had run out and the Indigenous people did not want to extend their stay. The cottagers formed a protest group to put pressure on “Jonestown”. He backed them and told them to stay where they were because he was “gonna take care of things!”

For your information, there should be no next Minister of Indian Affairs because the “Tower of Terror” in Hull is coming down. The fright and threats just won’t work anymore. We demand that your illegal invasion, trespass, occupation and assumption of authority and jurisdiction over us and our land by your Crown Corporation, federal, provincial, private and all your subsidiaries, Canada Incorporated et all and your Queen get off our backs and take a flight off our land. In other words, stop the genocide!

We the Kanionke:haka/Mohawks will carry out our duties as the caretakers of Turtle Island because we are rooted here. We will not allow you to continue to impose your laws and corporations on us. Canada is illegal. [Arrest it!] We never agreed to become a part of the corrupt colonies of either Canada or the U.S.

We are a separate people from you and this land is our birthright, not yours. Stop usurping our natural tie to the land of our past, present and future generations. The law of the land is the Kaianereh’ko:wa, the Great Law of Peace.

According to your own laws you do not have jurisdiction over territory that is not a part of the foreign corporation called “Canada”. There is no evidence that our territory is part of Canada.

You are nothing but leeches who won’t stop sucking the life blood out of our people. We’re going to decolonize you with the truths for the whole world to know.

Do not put in another Monster of Indian Affairs from among one of your squatters. This is “our” table you’re sitting at. We’ll decide what to do with our people, our land and resources.

Next, you can relinquish to us all the stolen money, trust, lands, rights and possessions that you took from us. As well, turn over to us the entire GDP for the year 2006 which was created totally out of the exploitation of us, our land and our resources which are being fraudulently controlled by the Department of Indian Affairs at gunpoint. This is why we want Indian Affairs disbanded and everything turned over to us. We don’t need a minister. The hoax is over, men!

Toodle-oo and ta ta, Jim “Jonestown” Prentice. Let’s hope you’re the last Minister of Indian Affairs. Shucks! We thought we had you out of our hair. But we can still kick you around as Minister of the Environment [taking over from Rona “hair” Ambrose] because of the great big mess you’ve made of our land.

Harper, if you have your wits about you, you won’t appoint anyone to that position. The Indian act is ultra vires the BNA Act 1867, now known as the Constitution Act 1982. Section 91(24) says that “Indians and lands reserved for the Indians” is a federal responsibility only for the purpose of negotiating with us on a nation-to-nation basis. If you want to use our land, you have ask us. Canada cannot makes laws and impose them on us, like whether our rez dogs can run loose and who is an Indian.

Let’s all sing together now: “We thought we’d washed that man right out of our hair. We thought we’d washed that man right out of our hair, and sent him on his way. We heard he’s taking over Rona Ambrose’s hairdressing contract. We heard he’s taking over Rona Ambrose’s hairdressing contract, and sent her on her way!” Jim “Jonestown” Prentice, you’re a joke and you’re gone. Bye bye.

Kahentinetha Horn
Please sign the Women title Holders petition on the website. Thank you.

poster: Thahoketoteh

 

Creation of the Great Peace: part 13

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Creation of the Great Peace: part 13
Thereupon Tekanawita’ said, “I decree that when they arrive there, the ones walking on the road, at the place where one has made a fire for them (near the thorny bushes), then they will stand up on the different sides of the fire, the chiefs, according to their Confederacy moiety affiliation. Thereupon the people, the old people and youths and children, everyone will stand up, lining up according to ranks.Thereupon on the other side of the fire will be the bereaved, these having appointed one who will walk back and forth alongside of the fireplace, doing so repeatedly and he will have a cane along.”Thereupon Tekanawita’ said, ” I decree that when he begins walking back and forth, this is what he will say; ‘Today, I suddenly became aware of your voices sounding across the forest. Approaching, moving across, barriers you saw it coming, traces of
them, our ancestors. As if just barely, it is becoming ominous, for smoke should still be rising at the place, the place where they used to smoke and where, formerly, we gained wisdom. There, as you came, you saw numerous signs of our
ancestors; and this, indeed, how can it be at ease, your mind, with teardrops falling as you came, my father’s kinsmen. We give thanks that now you have crossed the forest. Presently, together we assemble and then together we shall sit, my
father’s kinsmen. This in fact is ominous, for possibly, these might have killed you, the water holes. And these beings, actually, are everywhere, they having claws all over. This, possibly, might have killed you, where the ax is raised repeatedly,
This possibly might have killed you. We give thanks that, just so, indeed, now you have crossed the forest.’ How ominous, had it happened thus: had you fallen on the trail back then and they suddenly noticed, coming to a stop, they, becoming
horrified, saying, ‘Over yonder, bodies are lying there, they even have antlers on’ and they wondering, what, apparently, was done? We give thanks that now you have reached us safely. This is what they have decreed, our ancestors: They will kindle a fire for them near the thorny bushes and they will console them with the few words’.
Yonder where they referred the matter, they will cause it to lead them by the arm, toward the Council House. There they will seat them, at the Council House. There all matters will get accomplished, as they will rub down their bodies. Now moreover, you, the principals of your clans whose fireplaces were abandoned, where submerged
bushes tremble in gathering waters of rough currents. Thus the number of your clans: Wolves, now you two are Confederacy moiety brothers, the people stand they of the cattail place they of the sand place, the Oswego people thus the number of your clans, you two moiety brothers. Now your children: They from Oneida, Standing Stone,
the white one, and the Cayugas , thus the number of your clans of ancient times.”Thereupon Tekanawita’ said, “Now I decree that these will speak first, the bereaved, saying, ‘On this day, at this time as he himself created it, a number of persons, you all, are arriving, my father’s kinsmen, and now we are assembled with you who
have walked on the path as decreed by our founders, our ancestors, Moreover your tears fell as you came, following the path, reaching the place they indicated, (Here begins the Wiping of the Tears Ceremony the requickening) the place where one will lay a fire near the thorny bushes, for the few words to complete them. Now, moreover, my father’s kinsmen, you will keep in mind what they will say, the Four Brothers; and this is the wonderful news, that now you have reached us here you, the
Three Brothers, who shed great tears, as you were coming on the road. Moreover, you
will keep in mind that he passed his hand through his tears, they wiping your tears
with this white, soft cloth they use when they wipe your tears. Then, moreover, you will look around calmly, and you will see them all about you, roaming around, your nephews and nieces, and then you will see the land again. Thereupon you will begin to think calmly again; moreover for at least one day, you should be thinking peacefully.’ That, perhaps, is how they will do it, the Four Brothers

Thereupon the wampum will cross over the fire towards the Three Brothers who will grasp hold of it, and continuing on, secondly, he will say, ‘My father’s kinsmen, thus it happens and it is dreadful that it should happen to one, that repeatedly
ones ear becomes plugged so that one cannot hear anymore, moreover, thus it has happened to you, my father’s kinsmen. So now they are carefully reopening your ears.

Now, moreover, they will be restored, and you will hear them speaking again, those moving about near you, your nephews and nieces. Now, also, you will hear again about how things are going at the settlement. Now, moreover, you will think calmly, and for at least one day you should continue thinking calmly.’ That, perhaps, is how they will do it, the Four Brothers.

Thereupon it will move across the fire, the wampum, and continuing on, thirdly, he will say, ‘This is the way it happens, it is dreadful for it to happen that one is overpowered by unhappiness. Thus it is repeatedly obstructing the throat, one grief, so that it happens to you that your throat becomes clogged by grief. So now they
free it from grief, your throat. Then, moreover, you will think calmly again, and then you will once more breathe peacefully, speaking out calmly, as we give thanks.

Thereupon you will think calmly in the future, and you should continue to think calmly for at least one day.’ That, perhaps, is how they will do it, the Four
Brothers. Thereupon he will end his speech and it will cross the fire, the wampum.

Thereupon the Three Brothers will answer, and their speaker will first say, ‘ We accept what you are doing, you who are downstream from us; moreover, you will attend to what is happening concerning your various words.’ Then, moreover, they will speak up, the Three Brothers; first they will say, ‘Indeed, it is not a one-sided matter
what has happened to you, for this is what brought them, the Three Brothers, this dreadful thing that has happened to you, the Four Brothers, which has caused a vacant spot in your relationship group, for now he has died, he in whom they used to place their trust, his now has become a vacant space. Now, moreover, a time of great tears has come to you, the Four Brothers.’ Then, moreover, the Three Brothers will say, ‘We are removing your tears.’ Moreover a handkerchief is what they use, and
‘when we wipe your tears, you will look around again, and then you will notice them near you, moving about, your nephews and nieces, and then you will once more see the land, and you will hear again what is going on in the settlement; you will be happy in the future and you will think peacefully for at least one day.’ This, perhaps, is the way they will do it, the Three Brothers.

Thereupon one strand of wampum will go back across the fire, they taking it back, their word. The Four Brothers, and the matter will continue on; then he will say, ‘It happens, and it is a dreadful thing, that repeatedly they get plugged, one’s
ears. Moreover this is what happened to you, for you cannot hear because your ears have become clogged.’ Moreover, the Three Brothers will say, ‘Now we will clear out your ears. Then you will hear them talk as they move about near you, and then you will hear everything that is going on where they live; you will be happy again in the future; Moreover, for at least one day you will think peacefully.’ That, perhaps, is how the Three Brother will do it.

Thereupon it will come across the fire, the wampum, the matter will continue on, and thirdly, he will say, ‘Thus it happens, and it is dreadful what will happen to one: repeatedly it may fail, one’s life, for repeatedly it gets clogged up, one’s throat, with grief; that is what happened to you, it got clogged, your throat, with grief.’

So the Three Brothers will say, Now we will remove the grief -caused obstruction from your throats, our uncles, you chiefs of the Four Brothers, and then you will rejoice again, then it will improve, your breathing; your bodies will get strong
again and also your mind. Thereupon you shall speak calmly. Thereupon we will thank one another. Moreover, in the time ahead, for at least one day, you shall think peacefully again.’ This, perhaps, is how they will do it, the Three Brothers.
Thereupon it will go back across the fire, the wampum. Thereupon he will say, ‘These are the number of words they speak – oihokua’ a few words – the Three Brothers, and now I have finished it.’ Thereupon Tekanawita’ said, “When all of them have found their way back to them, the wampum strings, to the Four Brothers, the bereaved ones, then the speaker will say, ‘ Now we have completed the task of reciting the Few Words, we have rubbed each other down. It is now done, the task of the invitation wampum which leads you towards the Council House where they will seat you and where everything will be completed that remains to us.

Thereupon the appointed ones, the warrior chiefs, these two will lead you there, and seat you where they had gone to prepare a seat for you. Thereupon the Great Hanging Tobacco warriors will cross over the fire, and the two will stand up in front where the other two are standing, the ones who will lead the procession, the singers for the Three Brothers. Thereupon the Four Brothers chiefs and the people will go back there towards the appointed place, and when they arrive back in the house, they will sit on one side, the Four Brothers will.

“Thereupon the appointed ones, the Great Hanging Tobacco warriors, then they will say, ‘Let us get started.’ Thereupon the one who followed the path(recited on the journey) will continue on from where he left off in his recitation when they got
back to the place where a fire was made for them near the thorny bushes: he will continue singing, and say ‘—‘ those name s of the chiefs that were not sung before are sung now in a complete way (if the road traveled happened to be short)

“When they arrive inside the house, the two leaders, the Great Hanging Tobacco warriors, they will go where seats are prepared, and there they will sit down, the Three Brothers chiefs, and there they will stand, the two who lead them by the arm;
then they will sit down, the chiefs, on one side of the house where all of them will be seated, all the People of the Three Nations, indeed, as they say, the Mohawk, the Seneca, and the Onondaga.” Thereupon Tekanawita’ said, “And this one, who is
following the path, walking on the road, now he will, he will repeat from the beginning the narration of the founding of the League and he will walk back and forth inside the Longhouse, naming the chiefs of the several nations, the groups of tribal colleagues and of the opposite tribal moieties, and of the Confederacy moieties on both sides of the fire, repeating it in its entirety, naming them all,
and ending at the place when the task of establishing the League was completed.

Thereupon he will move back and forth inside the house. Moreover, when he gets to the part where he says, ‘That used to be the number of you who collaborated’, thereupon the chief, now he will shout, saying, ‘yo-heeee’. Thereupon all of the
chiefs of that Confederacy moiety, now all of them will say, ‘iiii.yeee.’. Then those on the other side of the fire, the Four Brothers, when he gets to the part where he says, ‘this used to be the number of you, you who used to collaborate, the chiefs will shout, saying, ‘yo-heeee’ Thereupon all of the chiefs will say ‘iiii..yeeea’ and that is how it will be until he completes the enumeration of their
several nations. Thereupon he will sit down again.”

Thereupon Tekanawita’ said, ” I have decreed that a blanket will be strung up halfway between their two sides of the fire, where on one side of the fire sit the bereaved, the Four Brothers, and on the other side of the fire the Three Brothers, the condolers. Thereupon they will put all of the fourteen strands of the Condolence Wampum up on it. (Previously they only talked of thirteen strands, this is the first time they have mentioned all fourteen strands)

Thereupon Tekanawita’ said, “I decree that they will draft one man from the side of the condolers, the Three Brothers side, and then they will sing the Six Songs. Moreover, they will draft this one to raise up the song, and singing alone, he will
say:

(Kayanerehsra tes knohro hn e )’ ‘The Law, I come again to greet it,’

completing one song. Thereupon another man will repeat it from the beginning. Thereupon the chiefs, his Confederacy moiety brothers, all of them will sing and these, also, these will say

(Kayanerehsra tes khe nohro hn e )’The laws, I come again to greet them.’

And they will complete the song. Thereupon the song leader alone will sing again, saying this:

(Khe ya’t awe h tes khe nohro hn e) ‘My offspring, I come again to greet them.

And when he completes the song, thereupon the chiefs then all will sing the same song, saying,

(Khe ya’t awe h tes khe nohro hn e) ‘My offspring, I come again to greet them

And they will complete the song. Thereupon the song leader will sing by himself again, saying:

(yo ye kw ot o tes khe nohro hne) ‘Great Hanging Tobacco warriors, I come again to greet them.

And then the chiefs, all of them, will sing the same song, saying:

(yo ye kw ot o tes khe nohro hne) ‘Great Hanging Tobacco warriors, I come again to greet them.

Thereupon the song leader, alone, will say:

( Yak sa ha tes khe nohro hne) ‘My women, I come again to greet them.’

And he will finish the song. Thereupon the chiefs, all of them, will sing this same song saying:

( Yak sa ha tes khe nohro hne) ‘My women, I come again to greet them.’

And they will all finish the song song. Thereupon the song leader, now he again, will sing alone, saying,

(Ne ee Rhakstah’ha tes khe nohro hne) ‘They are our grandfathers, I come again to greet them.’

And he will complete the song. Thereupon the chiefs, all of them will sing the same one, saying:

(Ne ee Rhakstah’ha hoti rihw a’ ke) They are our grandfathers, their works

And they will complete the song.”

Thereupon Tekanawita’ said, “I decree that this is to be the principal one, when they are singing the other five songs to their completion. Thereafter one man, the chief they appointed on the side of the condolers, that one will walk back and forth
the full length of the house and that we will call Over the Forest. Moreover, when he begins it will get raised up, the curtain. (the blanket)

Haih, he is my grandfather, haih, you two should listen, when they seek it, they who are the grandchildren that which now has grown old, that which you established, the Great Law.

Haih, he is my grandfather, haih, truly, it may happen that one listens again.

Haih, he is my grandfather, haih now, at present, in some way, I may perform it improperly compared to the way he used to do it.

Haih, he is my grandfather, haih all matters you have taken back with you, into the ground where you are lying again, on your mat, the Great Law.

Haih, he is my grandfather, haih is it not this that you have said: ‘This will endure, they shall carry on with it, our grandchildren.’

Haih, he is my grandfather.

Then all the Lords repeat the song,

You keep listening to them,

You keep listening to them,

You keep listening to them,

You keep listening to them,

They are our grandfathers, you keep listening to them,

They are our grandfathers, you keep listening to them,

You keep listening to them,

You keep listening to them, yo’ee

Then all the Lords repeat the song

Thereupon it will get raised up again, the curtain”

Thereupon Tekanawita’ said, “I have decreed that then he will stand up again, the appointed one, and he will move around, chanting, ‘Over the Forest.’ Continuing on from where he ended, saying:

‘Haih, he is my grandfather, haih; was it not this that you all said? ‘This is what they will use to strengthen the League, what we have accomplished, our symbols, the antlers we conferred on the chiefs; and if, presently, we are caught yet unaware as we return, then this, in fact, will disappoint us again.’

Haih, he is my grandfather, haih was it not this that they said? ‘As to this, as soon as someone is shaking with fever, then we will take care of the antlers, on the inner wall they will place them; actually, it is prohibited, for them to lie scattered underground. Should someone take them back there, he wearing the antlers in death, if thus it happens, we perish. Henceforth it will be the Law for this to be used to strengthen the League: We will add other persons to them or perhaps one
will make a mistake and one will suffer the consequences when we extend their body
therewith near the wall where it will rest in the dark.’

Haih, he is my grandfather, haih; was it not this that they said? Moreover, what indeed, if it happens that in broad daylight, someone meddles just everywhere they come from – perhaps then one will see it, beside the wall where it rests in the
darkness, and perhaps, standing up again, one is extremely frightened, and then one will ask questions, saying, ‘What has happened here unexpectedly? The (?antlers) near the wall, resting in the darkness, this actually, one may not understand, and when one asks questions then one will find out, and at once it will twist it in circles, one’s mind. Moreover, this, again will harm us

Haih, he is my grandfather, haih; was it not this that they said? Moreover, thus it will happen, we will uproot a pine tree, it taking much of the earth with it, whereupon we will drop it down into the intensely swift current, which will carry it
away, and then we will replace the pine, so that never again should they see it, our grandchildren.’

Haih, he is my grandfather, haih; was it not this that they said? ‘What we have accomplished, this is what they will use to strengthen the League; thus we all have on symbols of status, we, wearing antlers. Moreover, this is ominous, if presently,
we are caught yet unaware as we return, just then we will become quiet again.’

Haih, he is my grandfather, haih this is what they said: Thus, moreover, is how we shall do it: We shall extend a pole, we shall hang a pouch there of spotted fawn skin. Thereupon we will drop a strand of wampum there the short strand, for the ones
who are bereaved, Moreover, the clear-minded ones, this, now, they will remove, and they will take it to the road, walking there, to the place where they are in mourning, and there at the edge of the ashes, there one will stand up, saying words
of sympathy to raise their spirits. At once they will begin to feel relieved, the bereaved, and they will resume the path of the Great Law.

Now moreover, you principal one of the League, you Tehena’kaine’, and his offspring, it is you two who are the principal chiefs of your nations, you Ho’tatshehte’; and he who is father’s kinsmen to the former, you are the two principals chiefs of your
nations, you and Thatotaho’; and he who is son to the preceding, you two are principal chiefs of your nations, you and Haka’eyuk: and he who is fathers kinsmen to the preceding, you two are the principal chiefs of your nations, you and Skanyataiyo’: and he who is of the opposite tribal moiety you two are the principals chiefs of your nation, you and Tsha’tekaehyes. Now this is what they have considered carefully: adding to the rafters again. Haih, he is my grandfather, haih, now they
are humbled, they are your grandchildren, haih, he is my grandfather, haih.

Thereupon he will sit down again, the speaker on the side of the clear-minded.

When he stands up, that one, resuming the Thirteen Matters, he will say: it happens
in this way, and it is dreadful that thus it should happen to them repeatedly there is a great twisting around within ones body, there being much bile in addition to the displacement of the organs within the body, and eventually it will fail one’s spirit and one’s strength. Thus, moreover, it has happened to you, you who are downstream from us, and just so it twists around in circles, your mind, and there is
a lot of bile, your organs being displaced within your body. Moreover, they have ordained, our ancestors, the principal remedy for this is what they call (?) Then, moreover, they will pick it up, the Three Brothers. Then, moreover, they will say,
Now we are pouring in the liquid, the (?). Moreover, when the liquid settles down, it will begin to work in your body; it will strengthen your mind, and it will wipe away the widespread jaundice and readjust the twisted organs within your body. Thereupon you will begin to be happy again, and it will come right again, your mind and your future life. Moreover, for at least one day you should keep thinking calmly, you who are downstream from me.’ That, perhaps, is how they will do it, the Three Brothers. Thereupon it will cross the fire, one strand of wampum.

Then again it repeatedly happens in this way, and it is dreadful that thus it should be happening to them, that, repeatedly, red marks are forming where oone has one’s space. Moreover, this has happened to you, red marks have formed at your space. Moreover the Three Brothers will say, ‘Now we are wiping off your red marks from where you have your space.’ Moreover they are using a handkerchief to wipe the red marks from your ceremonial seat. Moreover, now your space will be fine again, and only on certain days will they become divided again, our minds. Moreover, when you get back to where you have your antlers, it will be very peaceful once you take your ceremonial seat.

Thereupon you will think calmly in the future. Moreover, for at least one day you should be thinking calmly, you who are downstream from me.’ That, perhaps, is the way they will do it, the Three Brothers. Thereupon it will cross the fire, one strand of wampum, and the matter continues on.

Next another matter, ‘It happens, and it is dreadful that it will happen that way; thus, one may faint repeatedly, and one does not recognize things by daylight. That, moreover, is what happened to you, my uncle, you the chief, it has become dark for
you, and you can no longer see the light of day.’ So now the Three Brothers will say, ‘ Now we are wandering about your vicinity, your nephews and nieces, and you will see the earth and you will be happy from then on. Moreover, for at least one
day you should be thinking calmly.’ That, perhaps, is how they will do it, the Three Brothers. Then it will cross the fire, one strand of wampum, and the matter continues on.

Now, another matter, It happens and it is dreadful that it will happen to one in this way; thus, the sky disappears for one. Moreover, that is what is happening to you, my uncle, you the chief, the sky has become lost to you, and you don’t notice
the sky.’ So then the Three Brothers will say, ‘ Now we are clearing the sky for you. Moreover, you will see the sky. Thus when the sky is clear again, you can keep watching there. This, too: you will think calmly. Moreover, for at least one day you should continue to think calmly.’ This, perhaps, is how they will do it, the Three Brothers. Then it will cross the fire, one strand of wampum, and the matter continues on.

Then another matter. ‘It happens, and it is dreadful that it will happen to one in this way; thus, repeatedly, one loses track of the sun. That, Moreover is happening to you, my uncle, you the chief, you have lost track of the sun and you can’t
perceive the movement of the sun.’ So then the Three Brothers will say, ‘We are restoring the sun to you.’ Moreover, the next day when the sun rises, when it moves up over the forest, you will keep watching the sun move along. Moreover, when it is in the center of the sky, the sun, then it will shine all around you, and this, at the same time, will remind you – as it carries it here and there, your mind – you will remember your work for the people’s welfare, and then you will think
peacefully. Moreover, for at least one day you should continue to think peacefully.’ That, perhaps, is how they will do it, the Three Brothers. Then it will come over the fire, one strand of wampum, and the matter continues.

Then, again, there is another matter. ‘It happens, and it is dreadful that thus it happens to one. Thus, repeatedly it is there, one’s mind, something causing it to roll there, to the place where the grave is located. Moreover, this keeps happening
to you, my uncle, you the chief, it having rolled there, your mind, to the grave of the one you used to depend on, and there repose your minds, you of the Four Brothers. Moreover, now you will keep in mind that they are doing it properly, the
three Brothers, when they say, ‘Now we are stirring up the earth where the grave is,’ and they reach out and grab all kinds of vegetation, and throw it there, and just there they put up a piece of dressed lumber. Indeed, this is to accomplish two
things: on the one hand, great heat should not penetrate, and on the other hand, great rains should not penetrate, thus, peacefully, his bones will rest there, the one you used to depend on. Now you will think peacefully in future. Moreover, for at least one day peacefully you should be thinking.’ That, perhaps, is how they will do it, the Three Brothers. Then it will cross over the fire, the strand of wampum, and the matter continues on.

“Again, there is another matter: Every day it threatens us with a pole raised to the level of our heads, the Great Destroyer, who lurks in the darkness near the house, overpowering us with magic, scattering things about. Thus it is doing it, the Great Destroyer. Then the Three Brothers will say, ‘ We are restoring your land. Moreover, when they jumped away, we gathered up your bones, for this is what they decreed, our ancestors, that it will require the twenty matters. Indeed, when they pick it up, that is what we will use to tie up your bones, the twenty matters. Moreover, you will think peacefully in the future. Moreover, for at least one day you will continue to think peacefully.’ Thus, perhaps, is how they will do it, the Three
Brothers. Then it will cross the fire, one strand of wampum as the matter continues on.

“Again, another matter: Indeed, every day its pole is raised, it is exceedingly powerful, and transforms itself, the Great Destroyer, so that one cannot recognize its features; it teases us, the faceless one, the Great Destroyer, they call it. Moreover, it is ominous, for it points at the place of the Standing tree Trunks, that is, the chiefs, it will carry off those they rely on. Thus it has happened to you, the Four Brothers, it grabbed someone you depend upon, and now it has caused a vacant space. Moreover, this one is doing it, the Great Destroyer; this is what cavorted there, and from the fire container it caused the firebrands to scatter; so now this has disappointed you, and you are bowing your heads, for it is dreadful, that thus it has happened to you. Moreover, we, the Three Brothers sway, we are gathering together firebrands again for your fire container. Moreover, when we rekindle it, smoke will rise again, beautiful smoke will pierce the sky again, and one will see the number of fires we have rekindled in the vicinity. Moreover, now we are raising your spirits again, you chiefs. We have repositioned you in the ranks at the fires we rekindled for you.’ Then, moreover, they will say, ‘Now you two should
work again in behalf of the Great Law. Moreover, you will think peacefully in the future, and for at least one day you should continue thinking peacefully.’ That, perhaps, is how they will do it, the Three Brothers. Then it will cross the fire,
one strand of wampum, and the matter continues on.”

“Now there is another matter; this concerns your nieces and nephews, the women and the men. Indeed, he intends it, he who has created us, he has ordained, having so decided, that there shall be faithkeepers on earth he saying, “It shall be
established as I have decreed,” and this is how he has proceeded, the Creator. Moreover, he has given special importance to the women, decreeing that they will busy themselves around the fire, they being in charge of the foodstuffs. And this,
especially, he decreed that women will be the source of newly born persons, they being the one’s who will take care of raising the children. Moreover it is dreadful if death takes her from her lineage of related women, for it is just this that will create vacancy in ongoing relationship groups. This might have come to pass had things not happened as he had ordained. Moreover, when it dissolves, (she floating away) then they become saddened, our mothers minds. Moreover, there the people are
left standing around, the men who were formerly their partners, and who are now depressed in their minds. Moreover, now we, the Three Brothers, say, “Now we are raising their spirits again, those of the women and the men, so that now they may
think peacefully again and take in hand again whatever are their responsibilities, for from now on they will be thinking calmly again. Moreover for at least one day you should continue thinking calmly.” That, perhaps, is how they will do it, the Three Brothers. Then it will cross the fire, the one string of wampum, and the matter continues on.”

“Then, again, there is another matter: You, my uncle and your two nepotic relatives should continue to listen to one another for actually, it is a serious matter if it happens thus, that you leave your path from where it ought to lead you, you chief,. If this happens, she will look at you, your niece, for, actually, it is a fact that he has given her wisdom. This one, you will notice with surprise, standing in front of you, she will speak up, saying, “It is an amazing matter, my uncle, you who are chief, now you are straying from your path and you are not consulting with your colleagues; over there the people are left standing while you are alone, and now you are straying from your path; so I will ask you to return to your path, my uncle, you who are chief,” and that is how she will do it, she will warn you and it is a dreadful thing for you to disregard her warning.

And this man, your nephew, he will see you, you who are chief, willingly working toward the extinction of the people. Thereupon you will notice with surprise that he is standing there in front of you; then he will speak up, saying, “My uncle, you who are chief, it is an amazing thing that you are working towards the extinction of the entire group, for you are the one who is alone, you are not consulting them or working together with them for the Great Law. Moreover, I ask you to return to your path, for it is your responsibility towards your colleagues.” Thereupon he will turn back, for it is a dreadful thing if once he disregards the warning, for then it will be there, over the earth’s edge, that all of the people will come to hang their feet. As to that, no one is able to lift them up when it happens in this way, except just this one is able to lift them up, our Father, our Creator, the Ruler.

Moreover, when they see you – your two nepotic relatives – doing the same thing despite both of them having warned you to your face, you who are chief, then trying to cause you to return to your path, and you not having obeyed, thereupon they will summon the Great Warrior; they will all meet and you will notice them with surprise, standing up in front of you, he speaking up, the great Warrior, saying, “It is amazing, my uncle, you who are chief, indeed you have not accepted their warning which was spoken by both woman and man, indeed, you have not accepted it. I am removing your antlers and handing them back to her, the deaconess of the title name.

Moreover, you are free now, and cannot wear antlers again; now you are an ordinary person. Now, moreover, you can go away, wherever you wish to go. Thereupon the people, the number of your followers, now they will notice that you no longer are wearing your antlers, and then they will let go of you.” Moreover, the Three Brothers, they will say, “You two listen to each other, you and your nephew and niece.” Indeed, now, you should be thinking calmly in future days to come. Moreover,
for at least one day you should continue to think peacefully.” That, truly, is how they will do it, the Three Brothers, and then it will cross the fire, one string of wampum, and the matter continues on.

Then, again, another matter, this they will tell about the dreadful thing that is happening to you, my uncle, you who are chief; don’t let it cause you to lose control of your mind, for it is a dreadful thing if ti should happen that this will end your sanity. Actually, the earth is immune to majic, but of all the plants growing there, any one of these can kill one. Moreover, that is the reason that then
the Three Brothers will say, “We forbid it, don’t do it, for it will cause you to lose control of your minds, those of you who are still surviving among colleagues and those of your group who depend upon you.” So you shall think calmly from now on, and for at least one day you shall continue to think calmly. That truly is how they will do it, the Three Brothers.

“Then, again, there is another matter: Your torch has gone, and it is a dreadful matter that thus it has happened to you. Then, moreover, the Three Brothers will say, ” Now they should put their two poles together again, and there, on the poles,
they should replace the torch, and thus we are all of equal status. And so it will happen at some time that one will see that which causes our death; then we will take it down, the torch, and, without leaving any traces, one will run throughout the
territory of the League, reaching in a short time the Leagues borders, to inform the entire number of the Leagues fireplaces. Moreover, you will think peacefully from now on. Indeed, for at least one day you should continue to think peacefully, you
Four Brothers who are downstream from us.” That, truly, is how they will do it, the Three Brothers. Thereupon the last strand of wampum will cross the fire, the matter continuing, as you listen on, you Four Brothers, and then they are finished with
their speech, the Three Brothers.

“Then, moreover, they will tell you about what they have done, our ancestors, the Founders. This is what our ancestors have ordained: on either side of the fire there will be a chance that one of the Standing Tree Trunks, the chiefs will go down, and
their will be a vacant space where he used to have his seat, the one who is now dead. Indeed, they have said this is an opportunity to turn his face towards the chiefs and also the people, the one they will raise to replace this one, calling him
by the dead man’s title name. Moreover, this is what caused them to come, the Three Brother, that a seat has become vacant where he use to sit, the one they used to depend upon. Now as to that, it has gotten dissolved, his body, and been taken back. Moreover they will say, the Three Brothers, “Now, moreover, show us our new
colleague. Moreover, we shall keep him in mind that it has happened according to our custom. Moreover, it gets returned, our notification wampum and you will keep in mind that completes the number of our words.” Now, moreover, the Three Brothers have completed their speech.

Moreover, you will keep in mind that when they will pick up the cane again, starting to come back out of the Longhouse, to go to the edge of the forest, where they will crouch down again. Thereupon the Four Brothers speaker will stand up to say, ” My
father’s kinsmen, Indeed, be patient for a little while longer.” Thereupon the Three Brothers will sit down again. Thereupon it will get lowered again, the curtain, and the Four Brothers will place in front of them the thirteen strings of wampum, the
words of the Three Brothers. Thereupon the Four Brothers chiefs will appoint a song leader; this one will raise up a song, and they will sing the Six Songs.

Thereupon the song leader will sing by himself saying,

Singer: hai hai (nine times)

The Great Law, they come again to greet me (twice)

hai hai (four times)

hye’

Chiefs: same song

Singer: hai hai (nine times)

My father’s kinsmen, they come again to greet me

Hai hai (four times)

hye’

Chiefs: same song

The song leader will sing again, saying, Hanging Tobacco warriors they come to greet me

Singer: hai hai (nine times)

Hanging Tobacco warriors, they come again to
greet me (twice)

Hai hai (four times)

Hye’

Chiefs: same song

Singer: hai hai (eight times)

My women, they will come again to greet me
(twice)

Ai’ ai’ (four times)

Hye’

Chiefs: same song

Singer: ai’ ai’ (eight times)

Our Granparents, their works (twice)

Ai’ai’ (four times)

Hye’

Chiefs: same song

Keep listening to them,

Keep listening to them,

Keep listening to them,

Keep listening to them,

Our grandfathers, keep listening to them,

Our grandfathers, keep listening to them,

Keep listening to them,

Keep listening to them, hye’

Thereupon it will get f raised up again, the curtain. Thereupon the speaker will stand up, saying, “He has made this day, the Creator, the one who made daylight on earth, the one who has fashioned us humans, and as to that the number of us, who
will assemble, we and my father’s kin. So now you have finished your speech.”

“So now first they will answer, the Four Brothers, Moreover, this is what you will keep in mind, that we have accepted it, what you did in completing your words to us. Moreover, this is what they ordained, our ancestors who originated our custom that whichever side of the fire suffers the death of a chief, the clear-minded side shall go to the door of the bereaved. This, moreover, is the path you are following, my father’s kinsmen. Moreover, the matter is not one sided, for it happens to both our
moieties. Moreover, every day someone falls who is near to you, and they keep dying, your nephews and nieces and also your grandchildren. So then it continuously twists around, your mind. Therefore they pour medicine which settles down there and cures your entire body, and then you will think calmly in future, moreover, for at least one day you will continue to think calmly. That, truly, is how they will do it, the Four Brothers

Then the Four Brothers repeat the thirteen strings exactly as given by the Three Brothers

“Thereupon the Four Brothers speaker says, ‘Now your words are completed, my father’s kinsmen. You have not, indeed, acted thus, so that there is an opportunity, here among the people, for them to show his face? From among the people, they will
raise him up in front of the chiefs, who will call him by the title-name of the dead chief when they stand up the other one. Moreover, my paternal kinsmen, you will be aware that it will happen in the way you specified when you said, “Now show us our
new colleague!” So now, be prepared, this is the real thing, now you will see him; now we will show you your new colleague.”

“Thereupon they will call him, the appointed one, and they will stand him up there in front of them, and the speaker will say, Now you two, look this way; in front of you is the one they have appointed – they and the deaconess of the titles of their
clan – where a seat has become vacant, where the former chief sat. Moreover, as to
this one standing in front of you, they crowned him with the antlers, and he is the
one they will rename with the title of the deceased chief.’

Thereupon the speaker will say, Moreover, now their words will cross the fire, and they are unanimous, the deaconess of the title name, the tribal moiety colleagues, the cousins in the opposite tribal moiety, all have approved, as well as the Confederacy moiety colleagues, all have approved unanimously, the nations comprising
the Four Brothers.

“Moreover, now it will pass across the fire, it is on its way, their word, notifying you, my father’s kinsmen, you Three Brothers. Moreover, she is his guardian whom they placed at his back, and they were unanimous about this, all the deaconesses and
matrons of the title name, its joint owners, that this is one who will stand side by side at the head of their family’s clan when he stands up to become chief. Thereupon he will name her (Head Female of the Deceased’s family).

“Thereupon it crosses the fire, the wampum. Thereupon the Three Brothers will pass it around the group, the wampum, and all of the chiefs will take hold of it, the entire group of them.

“Thereupon the speaker of the Three Brothers will stand up, saying, Now, indeed, the matter is fulfilled: We are looking at the one to whom you have newly given antlers, the chief, and the one who is guarding him, the matron of the title, and both we accept as we were notified by your word. Now, moreover, the Three Brothers confirm you, whom they have raised up. Moreover, now listen well, you whom they newly conferred antlers upon, you chief.

“First the Three Brothers will say, ‘They thickened your skin which is now seven inches thick, which means that your mind will be strong and it will not let it pass through, a pointed object meant to puncture you when you work for the Good Message,
the Power, the Peace, and the Great Law. Indeed, actually now you are the one who protects your family and the various nations.’ Moreover, they will say, ‘You shall be a good person, and, especially, you shall be kind to all of the people, not differentiating among them, the people who are wealthy, and the poor ones, and the good natured ones, and the evil ones who sin readily; all of them you shall treat kindly, and you shall not differentiate among them. And as to your own fireside, never consider only yourself, you must always remember them, the old people, and the
younger people, and the children, and those still in the earth, yet unborn, and always you will take into account everyone’s well being, that of the ongoing families, so that they may continue to survive, your grandchildren. That is the number of words.

“Moreover, the one that guards you, the chief, that one you shall continue to obey. And as to you, you also must never spoil the affairs of the Great One of your family.

” ‘Moreover, you chiefs, be of one mind with the new one who has stood up, cooperating in your work of the Great Law.’ Moreover, that is the number of words; now they have finished their message, the Three Brothers.”

The Beginning to an End

poster: Thahoketoteh