As I listened to the water pouring into the bath, a million emotions began pouring out of me as well. I expected that the first time I saw my chest I would have some sort of emotional breakdown. Oddly enough it was the exact opposite. Seeing my own reflection and facing my truth, perhaps for the first time in my entire life there in my messy bathroom – I felt triumphant.
It was a very cold day and we were struggling along in our little red car through near blizzard conditions on our way to Thunder…
I had a dream and I was asked a question. If I could not speak to another woman, what would it sound like?
Let’s get one thing straight: In speaking only for myself and not the full Council I don’t mind people expressing their opinions or raising their concerns in a peaceful, respectful way but when people start demanding or threatening that’s different.
I would like to address some of the information in the letter “Foreign Agents on Six Nations Territory” that was published in the Two Row Times.
About a year ago I was filling up my truck with gas in Ohsweken. When I went inside the store to pay, there sitting on the counter was the most adorable newborn Ongwehowe baby girl. She had black fuzzy hair, dark eyes, beautiful brown skin and the tiniest pink lips. Mama was proudly showing her off to friends around the village in what I can only assume was her first day out since giving birth.
On June 2, 2014, every “member” of the Seneca Nation of Indians (SNI) received a letter from his/her President announcing the launch of the Seneca Nation’s new Enhanced Tribal Identification Card (ETC) program.
KANONHSTATON – The six nations territories had another unwarranted visit from Gary Mchale making a so-called citizens arrest.
MNN. June 5, 2014. We have a law. The Great Peace, which is the true direction. We should have no fear from anybody to use it. People attending band council meetings are a minority who in effect sanction the fraudulent corporate system. The band/tribal council writes whatever the corporate agenda directs. In fact it is easy for any community to dissolve their corporate entity and reclaim their sovereignty because it is our true destiny.
As a non-Native resident of Brantford, and first generation Canadian of Hungarian heritage who understands the importance of keeping one’s heritage and language, I was pleased to hear that Brian Maracle is continuing his Kanien’keha’:ka language classes. I was first introduced to Brian and his book “Back on the Rez” (1996), and all of the interesting stories he had to tell about coming back to Six Nations to live.
I was taught that the meaning of the word “Onkwehon:we” is literally “the shell that holds the spirit.” Our ancestors were wise and knew that a good spirit could be found in a body that had no lineage outside of the Rotinonhsón:ni confederacy. This is why we always had the adoption process through ceremony and in accordance with the Great Law of Peace/Kaianerekó:wa. Even before European contact; as we know the Confederacy has adopted the Tuscarora Nation.
I once made a comment where I referred to “My Elder taught me this.” And someone said, “Holy ever special, you got your own Elder?” Little did they know, that this specific Elder sat me down, and had some deep conversations with me, and said, “I’ve known you quite a long time now, I’d like to believe that you look up to me as your Elder…”
We in the indigenous world are so familiar with mainstream media ‘Spam’-flavoured framing on stories dealing with indigenous matters, that for the most part we don’t even take mainstream news seriously anymore. How often are indigenous truths spun out of control from the work of a network journalist? When was the last time network news covered an indigenous story and you walked away going, Wow! What an accurate portrayal of what is going on with my people’?
There is little question that what the white man found when he washed up on our shores was a free and fearless people. But rather than learn our ways and study how a people could live without kings, queens, courts and prisons or slavery, discrimination and class warfare, the church – the very thing that created many of these institutions and practices – was relied upon to spread all of it to a free world.
I can’t speak for what went on Down Below, but on the Upper End of Six Nay during the Eighties it was quite traditional for kids to team up at someone’s house with a gang of other 8-13 year olds and walk around in a pack until it started to get dark.
