by Thaweiakenrat

Chief Poundmaker (Pitikwahanapiwiyin)
(1842-1886):

"We all know the story about the man who
sat by the trail too long, and then it
grew over, and he could never find his
way again. We can never forget what has
happened, but we cannot go back. Nor
can we just sit beside the trail."

I have a strong feeling this quote can
inform us on membership. I believe it
contains an important clue. I welcome discussion on it.

NINE GENERATIONS by Tammy Beauvais

NINE GENERATIONS PART 1 The oral history from the turtle clan women in my family can go as far back as Nine Generations, I am very proud of that history and do not take that “RESPONSIBILITY” lightly! I often wonder why I do the things that I do? Why I work so hard to make things better for my people? But, then when I get a chance to breathe, “I REMEMBER”, I remember how hard my mother fought “POLITICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY” for the rights of our people, how she made sure I learned about the “HAUDENASAUNEE” teachings. I also remember how my turtle clan grandmother taught me about the importance of the “KANIENKEHAKA”, the relationship to the land, how to respect it and how to work with it. My turtle clan grandmother planted her corn, beans and squash every year, gathered traditional medicines from the land to help physically heal the people and respectfully cleaned and prepared the animals that my grandfather hunted, for food and sustenance. My turtle clan grandmother kept her children, grand children and great grand children close to her. Almost, always giving us a history lesson on the ways of our ancestors and sometimes when necessary she would put on her camouflage hat and pile us in her van to “Militantly Cross an Army Check Point”, what valuable teachings those were!!

NINE GENERATIONS PART 2 by Tammy Beauvais NINE GENERATIONS PART 2 con't. So, when I am harassed at the Canada/Us border for the 300th time in 11 years for “Nation to Nation Trade” or whether I have to work around the “INTERNALIZED OPPRESSION” of Native People to create self-sufficiency for me, my family and the people around me. I think of those Nine Generations of Turtle Clan Women and DRAW STRENGTH from them!!! It is about that time again to draw on that strength from my Turtle Clan Ancestors to help create some type of change to the situation of the “big bad evictions”. My position is that there has to be a more “WHOLISTIC AND TRADITIONAL” way (PRE-INDIAN ACT) to deal with our INDIAN ACT THINKING around the issue of the “big bad evictions”. When I refer to PRE-INDIAN ACT, I am encouraging the community to look at our history before the Canadian Government came in to destroy our SPIRITUALITY, CULTURE, LANGUAGE AND OUR REATIONSHIP TO THE LAND. This is an important piece to figuring out the best way to being true to who we are as “KANIENKEHAKA PEOPLE” and ensuring that there is a future for the “FACES THAT ARE YET TO COME”!!! The job that the Canadian Government set out to do through the INDIAN ACT, 134 years ago (OR 7 Generations ago) is in our hands now, “WE ARE DOING THEIR JOB FOR THEM”. The Canadian Government set out to “ANNIHILATE” us so there would be “No More Indians” and therefore no more “FUDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES”. There is documentation that supports, when there are no more “Status Indians” left, the Indian Reservation Lands will go back to the Crown. Yes, People when we finish doing the job of the Canadian Government, maybe in five generations or so, Kahnawake will belong to the Queen or King of England!!!! There are also studies done that when we measure our people by “Blood Quantum”, (like we are practicing now), “WE WILL DISSAPPEAR”. Maybe not tomorrow or 20 years from now, but just maybe in 7 Generations!!!! So, I am “Challenging” the community to peek out a little, maybe 5 Generations into our past and 5 Generations into our future and let’s talk about what you see!!!! Our “ANCESTORS” and “THE FACES THAT ARE YET TO COME” are looking for Our Vision and Our Strength, Tammy Beauvais WAKEN:IEN’TON TANON KANIENKEHAKA NA’TIA TO:TEN TANON WAKENONSES:RONON (What I am, is from the Turtle Clan, The People of the Flint and The People of the Longhouse)

Journey with Identity (Part 1 of 3) by Lois Montour

I was born and raised in Kahnawake, a small native reservation about 10 miles south of Montreal. My parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents were all Mohawks. I was educated on the reservation from pre-school through high school. My daily routine usually consisted of interacting with other Mohawks. We shared common beliefs and values. We knew one another’s family, friends and neighbors.   We all dressed the same, talked the same, ate the same types of food, watched the same TV shows, and listened to the same music. Most of our mothers stayed at home and our fathers were Ironworkers (blue-collar construction men) who traveled away from home. The similarities we shared were not only comforting, they were what we grew to believe was right. We also believed and knew we could always count on one another.

Journey with Identity (Part 2 of 3) by Lois Montour

The time came when I had to leave the reservation to attend College. Even though, I was living away from home and off the reservation for the first time, I did not expand my world.   I recreated my comfort zone; I associated mostly with the other Mohawk students from Kahnawake.

After college graduation, I moved back home to Kahnawake and realized that I was unemployable because I lived in Quebec and I could not proficiently communicate in the French language. It was at this point in my life that I felt that I was ready for a challenge and for some excitement. I decided to enlist in the United States Armed Forces. 

Journey with Identity (Part 3 of 3) by Lois Montour

Most importantly, my children are a part of me, and they are my future. My children are my true identity. I am not their identity. I am going to let my children live and grow into their true identity. --This is why my beliefs and values have changed.

by Alex

I think that all of this pushing people out is based on fears of runing out of space and on fears of having to loose benefits such as free education and so on. People must remember that at one time, like precontact, we relied on our selves to meet our needs. Yes, i know it's dues owed to us for exchange to the land. But what if we renegotiated those agreements, so that it fits the needs of a growing population.

get connected by sandra

`hi all, `i went to membership information session and it was sad to see how few people attended. `i hope that when it comes time to making decisions about our membership there will be more than just a few people that will participate in the decision making process. out of respect for our future seven generations, we should all be there. sandra