The Spirit of All Nations.
For most Native communities today, tobacco is what makes the economy go around. Over the last 30 years the tobacco trade has become the largest employer among Native people in our communities. The proposed Bill C-10 would destroy the economic foundation of our sovereign rights as Native people.
On May 12, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) will begin its 13th session at the United Nations in New York City. The session will run for two weeks and cover a broad range of topics.
The event is not open to the public. Only confirmed and registered NGO and IPO representatives are allowed to participate. However, as a UN accredited member of the media, I will be there, too. Yeah, that’s right. Two Row Times columnist and radio show host John Kane will be there having the conversations that may or may not be welcome.
MNN. May 6, 2014. We own Indian tobacco! “Organized Crime” is the courts, police and all of the corporations masquerading as sovereigns in our territory. They are cracking down on a business essential to our economy in this matrix they have created. This attack is a declaration of war! They are attacking our only economy to feed our children. They are ripping off the Canadian public to continue the monopoly of corporate “big tobacco” who charge $10 a pack. We only charge $5. So they attack us and call us criminals. The main object is “get rid of the f—king Mohawks!” The bankers have been trying to do this since 1609 when they sent over their agent Champlain.
It’s an exciting time for rez families when a non-native person is seeking initiation. It is the proverbial turned table of colonization, and it typically begins a very long process of humiliation for the non-native person. How you ask? We tease them. And then we re-tell the story of their humiliation over and over like a war story to all our other Ongwehowe friends and relatives and then they all laugh too. Non-native friends take note: in most cases if you’ve made it this far…you’re in.
I have to begin my column this week by stating up front that I am Haudenosaunee. I support traditional governance based on the Kaianerehkowa and a culture grounded with the Ohenton Karihwatehkwen (Words Before All Else) and the Tiohateh (the Two Row Wampum). I must emphasize that it is traditional governance I support rather than “traditional government.”
It’s a really taboo subject to discuss out loud. If babies are born to Haudenosaune mothers with white men, they are sometimes granted a nation, a clan, and a name through ceremony. Less likely if the child is born from a white mother and a Haudenosaune man. Similarly, what about “full blooded” Haudenosaune who lost their lineage because of colonization, or children from Ojibwe mothers and Haudenosaune fathers?
The latest in a series of recent attacks on Indigenous peoples’ rights and sovereignty in Canada is being prepared right now by the Federal Conservative government. Bill C-10 – formally called the Tackling Contraband Tobacco Act – will criminalize the Native tobacco trade and destroy one of the few remaining economic infrastructures in indigenous communities that allows many people to remain in their ancestral territories and communities.
This letter is in regards to the story “Brantford injunction settlement may have sparked libel suit” in a local newspaper April 16, 2014. The story goes on to say that a libel suit may be pending against the Two Row Times, its owners and writer Jim Windle. This possible libel suit falls on the heels of Jim Windle’s story in the Two Row Times (April 9, 2014) “Brantford accepts $125,000 injunction deal.”
As this column hits the press, thousands are gathering in Washington, DC to take a stand against the Keystone XL Pipeline. During a week that a decision was expected out of the Obama Administration on this issue, the Reject and Protect call to action will set up camp near the White House and tell the President to reject the pipeline. As it turns out, an announcement just came from the White House that the Administration has decided to kick the can on this decision for what seems like the tenth time.
In 2011 a member of the redeveloped Mohawk Anti-tax Steering Committee at Ahkwesahsne, asked that I join, which I accepted and was voted in. It was presumed I could offer methods other than doing same thing over and over again expecting different results. The intent of some of the committee was to use the so-called “Longhouse Way” against US and NYS tax. Funding was to be acquired through the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Council Inc’s (DC initial file # 822713, NYDOS ID # 1539007) Restricted Tax Legislation Revenue account, which, had over $1.2 million. The Committee and I met with the last Administration of Tribal Council in 2012 in regards to transfer of funds.
Last week I wrote about decolonization, specifically asking the question “How?” We got a lot of good responses to that and this week I’d like to share a letter sent in by a self-described “white girl” about her thoughts on Decolonization. I loved it. I’m sure you will too.
During the past week I have had more conversations about “decolonization” than I have had in my whole life. As I mentioned in one of my Facebook conversations, I am not entirely comfortable with the expression.
Anishnabe singer Nikki Shawana is stirring hearts online after video circulated this weekend of her first place performance in the Ann Arbour Pow Wow hand drum contest.
Over the years there have been many revisions to the look and feel of our ‘new’ old house. It was built in the 1850’s, and not surprisingly the backyard has been a little neglected. After the spring melt I went out to do some cleaning, spending the better part of the afternoon raking the leaves and twigs.
