MNN. May 21, 2013. We send greetings to our Oklahoma relations, all the people, animals, plants, birds, fish and all that are part of the natural world. We especially send our utmost regards to the four winds – owera – who continue to follow their original instructions to cleanse and bring about change to Mother Earth. Nia:wen kowa.
Trail of Tears. We did not cry. Those who saw us as we passed cried when they saw our pride and our unbowed heads.
We never went to settle in the area of Oklahoma City because we knew it was the birthplace of the strong whirlwinds. The climatic turmoil in Oklahoma’s “Tornado Alley” is natural. We did not have permanent settlements there until we were forced to. We understand the sadness over the death and devastation caused by the fury of our mother. We remember how our people were sent to Oklahoma to die.
The 1830 Removal Act forced the Eastern Woodland nations to move to Oklahoma. The Cherokee legally challenged it. Chief Justice John Marshall ruled in their favor. In 1838 US President Andrew Jackson violated the ruling. He ordered the military to force tens of thousands of our men, women and children to mostly walk from the east coast all the way to Oklahoma across the Mississippi River. The soldier rode horses. They wanted our prime land for setting up their empire. Half of our people died on the cruel “Trail of Tears”.
The following Indigenous nations were moved there: Cherokee, Apache, Sequoia, Seminole, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Caddo, Wichita, Quapaw, Osage, Commanche, Shawnee, Delaware, Kickapoo, Kiowa, Ute, Pawnee, Ponca, Ottawa, Miami, Peoria, Modoc, Wendat, Seneca, Cayuga, Muskogee, Pottawatomie, Absentee, Iowa, Sac & Fox, Tonkawa, Kaw, Otoe Missouria and Arapahoe.
To avenge the genocide of millions of our people, our mother is scouring the earth trying to cleanse it. The devastation is karmic. We send our regards to all our relations for a complete return to the natural way. Our mother is showing us her power. Let us put it in our minds.
MNN Mohawk Nation News kahentinetha2@yahoo.com Thahoketoteh@hotmail.com For more news, books, workshops, to donate and sign up for MNN newsletters, go to www.mohawknationnews.com More stories at MNN Archives. Address: Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0
