A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
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By Kaniethonkie. The Cornwall Armed Forces Day started with a friendly exhibition lacrosse game played at the A'nowara'ko:wa Arena. Opening remarks were said by Grand Chief Abram Benedict immediately after the Ohenton Karihwatehkwen was recited by Tarihowaneh, Tehohkanion, Wahohshnoratste and Teiohonstiakwente. Bank of Montreal (BMO) Vice President Elias Bakakis dropped the ceremonial ball for the face off. BMO was the title sponsor of the day long tribute to Canada's Armed Forces. Bakakis said...
By Kaniehtonkie. The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe held their annual elections on Saturday, June 1, 2024. This year, the SRMT presented voters with four referendum questions, along with voting for three positions of Tribal Clerk, Tribal Sub-Chief and Chief. In a community of 9735 eligible voters, less than 600 community members choose to place their ballot. Referendum question #1, Do you approve of elimination the requirement of having people present at Caucus to accept a nomination?” 375 eligible voters placed their ballot as “No,” and 236 voted...
By Kaniehtonkie. In mid-April the Akwesasne Powwow Committee (APC) and respected leaders made an explosive announcement of temporarily moving the 2024 powwow to Cornwall. This announcement was received with plenty of comments from community members on Facebook, with some encouraging to 'boycott' the events. Indian Time spoke to the APC members about the concerns many Akwesasronon have about their decision to move the powwow – albeit temporarily – to Cornwall. The APC stated the decision to move...
By Kaniehtonkie. Warning: This piece contains sensitive content involving the abuse of children. If you are experiencing trauma or feeling triggered, help is available 24/7 for survivors and their families through the Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419. Mental health support for Indigenous peoples in the lands known as Canada is available through the Hope for Wellness chatline at 1-800-721-0066 or using the chat box at https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/. The Indian...
By Kaniehtonke. Family, friends and academia gathered at the SLU Brush Gallery on Friday, January 19th to unveil three new portraits honoring the lives and contributions of three St. Lawrence University community members; most notably Ernest Benedict. The "Portraying St. Lawrence" is an arts-based project focused on documenting who is represented in official portraiture and expanding representations of women and people of color in campus portraiture. In 1941, Ernest Benedict was the first...
by Kaniehtonkie Mohawks from Akwesasne, Kahnawake, Ganienkeh, and Tyendinaga were present at the Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs (MNCC) Land Claims meeting on Sunday, Dec 2. Mohawks attending anticipated a general council in which decisions would be made however as the meeting unfolded, it turned into soon an “information session.” Edward Gray, sitting under the Turtle Clan title Sahtekariwate made this decision stating “not all horns were present” to hold a general council meeting. There was no reference as to which title holders were not pre...
By Kaniehtonkie Karennotakies Barnes, Akwesasronon, now living in Six Nations with her young family travelled back this weekend to hold her first 'Akwesasne Hide Camp'. The workshop was held on Saturday and Sunday at Generations Park where dedicated students learned how to prepare a moose hide. One participant stated, "Akwesasne Hide Camp 2023 was awesome! My first time watching and working on moose hides. It was a little smelly, tough on the body, and freezing cold on both days, but I learned...
By Kaniehtonkie. In August 2019, Victor Lazore was found guilty of premeditated murder by a jury trial. This outcome would have garnered Lazore with a life sentence. On October 17, the charges against Lazore were reduced to second degree murder due to his mental health. In addition to lessening the charge to second degree murder, Lazore, a First Nations person meant a Gladue report was issued, and the report further reduced his sentence. The Gladue report is named after a 1999 decision by the Supreme Court of Canada, R. v. Gladue. Some of the k...
By Kaniehtonkie. Canada updated its U.S. travel advisory on Tuesday, August 28, warning Canadians traveling to the U.S. to be cautious due to state laws and policies targeting LGBTQ people. This advisory came in response to the wave of recently passed anti-LGBTQ legislation in several states. The “Laws and Culture” section of Canada’s U.S. travel advisory provides information on dual citizenship, drugs, cannabis and other relevant topics for Canadian travelers visiting the U.S. It states: 2SLGBTQI+ travellers Some states have enacted laws...
By Kaniehtonkie A group of Haudenosaunee women traveled to Geneva, Switzerland for the 16th Session the of Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) which took place from July 17 to 21, 2023. This small group of women – called the Matrilineal Order of Haudenosaunee Women (MOHW) made a huge impact, not only on the city of Geneva but also upon other Indigenous women and Indigenous people from around the world. They arrived unified from different backgrounds and ideas, but c...
By Kaniehtonkie The Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe issued statements regarding released Franklin County’s land claim ‘settlement’ announcements. Local, regional and national news have covered this issue. In response, the Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs and the Saint Regis Tribe state clearly, that the towns and counites agreement is a welcomed step in this entire process, adding that this not the final agreements and more work needs to be accomplished. On Monday, Donna Kissane, Franklin County Manager relea...
By Kaniehtonkie. Route 37 was lined with community members, neighbors and friends from the North Country to honor those who have died in service of the U. S. Local businesses, service programs, and families presented beautifully decorated floats to make May 29, 2023 a day of remembrance. Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States. Memorial Day was borne out of the Civil War (which ended in 1865) and a desire to...
By Kaniehtonkie. The latest update provided by The Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service (AMPS) states they are continuing to seek the public's assistance in locating missing person Casey Oakes, age 30, of Akwesasne. Today, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, marks six days since he was last seen boarding a vessel departing from the East end of Cornwall Island. According to AMPS Chief of Police Shawn Delude, additional support walkers will be added today to search the islands on foot. The HAVFD continue to...
By Kaniehtonkie. In less than four month, eight bills have been introduced to weaken child labor protections in six Midwestern states (Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and South Dakota) and in Arkansas, where a bill repealing restrictions on work for 14- and 15-year-olds has now been signed into law. One bill introduced in Minnesota would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to work on construction sites. Ten states have introduced, considered, or passed legislation rolling back protections for young workers in just the past two years....
By Kaniehtonkie. The search for Casey Oakes, who was reported missing on March 30, 2023, has taken on a different approach. The HAVFD, SQ divers and SQ Air Support concluded their search yesterday, April 4th. Today is the last day coordinated agencies will conduct the joint search for Oakes – the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service (AMPS), OPP and RCMP marine units will continue to search waterways starting at noon. After today, only the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service will resume the search with their regular marine patrols, which consists of a th...
By Kaniehtonkie. The Akwesasne Mohawk Police released the names of eight bodies found in the Akwesasne Territory on March 30 and March 31, 2023. As of April 6, 2023, Casey Oakes is still missing. The circumstances surrounding the deaths continue to be investigated. According to AMPS, 'An essential part of this investigation is determining whether or not this travel was facilitated by an individual or individuals. This investigation is still in its early stages, and investigators are still trying...
By Kaniehtonkie. Akwesasronon Cecelia King and Doug George – Kanentiio have been working with Marvel Studios on 'What If...?' featuring Marvel's newest superhero "Kahhori.' King worked with the Marvel crew as a Kanien'kehá language expert and George as historian, to ensure cultural authenticity. King stated, "For the past two years I've been working closely with Marvel Studios and Ryan Little to help with the language for Kahhori, a brand-new Mohawk superhero, in an upcoming episode of the Ma...
By Kaniehtonkie. The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, José Francisco Calí Tzay, will conduct an official visit to Canada from 1 to 10 March 2023. Tzay, who is Mayan Kaqchikel from Guatemala, was appointed to the role in 2020. Tzay's trip began in Ottawa on March 1 and includes visits to Montreal, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver before returning to Ottawa. The UN expert will examine a diverse range of issues affecting Indigenous Peoples, including the implementation of...
by Kaniehtonkie After almost two hundred years in a museum's possession, a medicine mask and a turtle rattle have been returned the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. A delegation from the Haudenosaunee External Relations Committee travelled to Geneva, Switzerland, last week to retrieve a medicine mask and turtle rattle from the Musée d'ethnographie de Genève (MEG). "It was like the mask was sleeping for 200 years and the mask is now coming back awake," said Kenneth Deer, Kanien'kehá:ka, Ka...
By Kaniehtonkie. The planting of the Tree of Peace by the Executive Council of the City of Geneva and a delegation from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy is one of a series of events commemorating the centenary of the arrival of the Iroquois Chief Deskaheh. On February 9, 2023, the Executive Council of the City of Geneva and a delegation from the Six Iroquois Nations Confederacy (Haudenosaunee Confederacy) planted a Tree of Peace. This ceremony is part of a series of events to commemorate the...
By Kaniehtonkie. On January 24, 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued for public comment “Action Levels for Lead in Food Intended for Babies and Young Children: Draft Guidance for Industry.” As the FDA outlined in their ‘Closer to Zero’report, they expect over time for this guidance, together with other activities, to result in the baby food industry to progressively reduce levels of lead in foods to as low as possible. The draft guidance supports the FDA’s goal of reducing dietary exposure to lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury,...
By Kaniehtonkie. In last week's paper, Indian Time included a story on Iakwa'shatste' Ties to the Land Project. Iakwa'shatste' worked closely with Ian Clute – Two House Designs to make snowshoes. Indian Time had the opportunity to talk to Clute and take a close look at his work and the process behind his creations. The name Two House Designs mirrors Clute's Kaniekeha – Mohawk name Tehanonhsake, meaning "he has two houses." For much of Clute's work, he's self-taught. For making the snowshoes, he...
By Kaniehtonkie AKWESASNE – The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Clerk notifed its membership on Monday that no written comments were received on the proposed amendment to permit consumption lounges under the Tribe’s Adult Use Cannabis Ordinance (the “Ordinance”). In accordance with the SRMT 2013 Tribal Procedures Act, the amendment has been formally adopted through Tribal Council Resolution 2023-05 that was signed by Tribal Council during their regular Work Session held on Tsiothohrkó:wa/January 25, 2023. On Tsiothóhrha/December 20, 2022, notificat...
By Kaniehtonkie. The National Gathering on Unmarked Burials: Affirming Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Community Control over Knowledge and Information conference was held in Vancouver, B. C. from January 16 to January 18. Kimberly R. Murray, Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools presided over the two and half days of presentations, active participant dialogue and sharing. Acknowledgment and thanks...
By Kaniehtonkie. National Ribbon Skirt Day comes from the story of Isabella Kulak, a young girl shamed by a staff member at her Saskatchewan elementary school for wearing a ribbon skirt to a formal event at the school in 2020. When Kulak returned to school after the holidays on Jan. 4, 2021, a crowd of women wearing ribbon skirts led her to class, along with chiefs from surrounding the First Nations, as a show of support. That's why Jan. 4, 2023, was chosen as National Ribbon Skirt Day. The...
