•• The Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs, Clanmothers were host to the Kariwiio Reading from Sunday, October 3 to Thursday, October 7, 2010. There were over 100 delegates from the Haudenosaunee nations. From the Oneida nation in Green Bay, Wisconsin, there were 15 delegates.

The 5-day event was well attended and the social dances held each evening were enjoyed by all ages.

In the early evening of Thursday or early Friday morning the delegates departed. They were traveling home to prepare for the next stop on the schedule, which is Newtown in Seneca country on the Cattaraugus territory. Those same delegates will arrive on Sunday, October 10th to start the Kariwiio.

•• A Haudenosaunee delegation traveled to Washington, D.C. on Thursday morning September 30th to meet with Larry Echohawk, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Interior for an afternoon meeting. The meeting was scheduled as a follow-up to the meeting held in mid September in Syracuse, New York. Mr. Echohawk discussed at length the cigarette excise tax issue, the passports/ID concerns, and the Cayuga representation issue. Echohawk will follow on up on the Cayuga representation issue with the BIA officials and then meet with the Haudenosaunee leadership. The passport issue is a state Department matter so it will take more meetings. The New York State excise tax issue is being watched for developments. Further meetings with Echohawk will be scheduled for follow up purposes.

•• The Haudenosaunee Peace and Trade Committee held a meeting on Friday, October 1st. The meeting started with a report on the meeting with Larry Echohawk, then the cigarette excise tax and then updates from the Haudenosaunee nations in attendance. A meeting with the Governor has been requested and it’s a matter of waiting.

•• It is pretty quiet in Haudenosaunee country as the majority of leadership will be attending the Karawiio path: Akwesasne, Newtown, Six Nations and then Oneida, Wisconsin.

Kariwiio ends on October 27, 2010 and then meetings will resume.

•• The Mohawk Nation Council Faithkeepers have set the date for the Harvest Ceremony for October 15, 16, 17 and 18. More information and explanations next week.