•• The Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs met on Sunday, May 30, 2010, for a regular council meeting. The meeting started with the Ohenton Karihwatekwen. The first item on the agenda was the report from the Grand Council meeting held on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at Onondaga. Howard Thompson and Eddie Gray reported on the Haudenosaunee ID cards and explained that the equipment will be delivered to each Nation in the next few weeks. There will be three (3) portable cameras and Akwesasne will have one of the cameras.

The other issues reported on included the Lakota-Sioux request for Haudenosaunee help for their people and Jake Swamp’s condolence ceremony for the Indigenous Nations of Canada and the USA. The final agenda item was the UN report by Tonya Frichner. Eddie Gray, who also attended the Grand Council meeting concurred with Howard’s report.

Howard then reported on the Haudenosaunee Peace and Trade meeting he attended on Tuesday, May 25, 2010, at the Onondaga nation. Howard reported that the issue of hunting and fishing rights is again plaguing our people. Haudenosaunee legal council are meeting with the Department of Environmental Conservation.

The last item on the agenda was a request by Nathan Thompson to be married on June 12th at the Longhouse with Richard Mitchell officiating. Nathan’s fiancée was also in attendance at the meeting and represented by the Turtle clan mother.

The council approved the request and the wedding will take place on June 12th at 10:00 a.m.

Mike McDonald reported on the Border Patrol meeting. The meeting centered around the boating incident at Thompson’s Marina. Mike also reported that there has been no movement on the wampum belt sale by Sotheby’s.

The meeting closed with the Ohenton Karihwatekwen.

•• The Haudenosaunee Confederacy leadership and legal council are working to schedule a meeting with White House Aides, the Department of the Interior and Homeland Security as was reported last week this meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, June 1st. This was an error. The Haudenosaunee are expecting to solidify a date with the next few weeks.

•• The Haudenosaunee people are busy with their gardens. They are planting to have fresh vegetables and to get ready for the fall and winter. You can be a part of the planting season by doing raised bed gardening. Check past issues of Indian Time on the environmental page for raised bed gardening. Good planting!