A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
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Letter to the Editor Akwesasne Land Claim Settlement Monies Idea: Akwesasne has several Land Claims in the works to help regain lands and the loss of culture that accompanies the loss and loss of use of the lands. In the recent past, the community came together to accept the settlements in regards to the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Kawehno:ke-Easterbrook claims. From those, a promise of land was to be transferred back to the community and the monies totaling about $45 million (CAD). These funds were put toward a community based trust...
Letter to Editor - Indian Time The Saint Regis Mohawk Community can be justly proud of the men and women who protect them 24/7 in the Tribal Police Department. I have been honored to work with them, having been hired by then Chief Paul Thompson. I have witnessed first-hand under the leadership of Police Chief Matt Rourke and the Police Commission how the department has come from being unknown, except in the local area, into national recognition by the International Association of Chiefs of Police with worldwide membership. The selection and tra...
Letter to the Editor Monday, August 13, 2018 Greetings! On any evening or weekend, an individual can find something to do in this community. Sports, entertainment, government meetings, education or leisure are all sponsored by an organization with the goal of improving lives of community members. What if one-third of the population was not included? Planning an accessible event so everyone feels welcome is the responsibility of the event organizers. As Activity Director for the residents living in Akwesasne’s long term care facility, I make it...
Letter to the Editor July 23, 2018 Win-Win situation at Border... really? The US customs has announced a new pilot program to speed up border crossings for Mohawk residents of Akwesasne and consider it Win-Win for them and us, so they say. What happened to our original request, what about our own lane? What happened to the border being 15 ft. above our heads? We were meant to travel freely within our community north and south and beyond. We must not forget that we are North American Indians! I would not categorize this as win-win but a further...
A school board member is a person who is willing to serve the total school district. A person committed to improve the education for all students. It is also important that candidates are aware of the role of the board of education, the role of the superintendent and the role of the building principals. Accordingly, open lines of communication between the above mentioned are crucial, as they will make decisions that will impact the entire school district. The candidates should know that one cannot improve one entity without making needed...
A good majority of the members of the SRC school district community have voiced their concerns and shared their ideas for a school board with me during my time spent canvassing our district. Many community members expressed that it was time to steer the board into a new direction, that new voices needed to be heard, and that a new energy is needed to assure the many - and not a few - district shareholders are represented. I enthusiastically agree! I believe that students are the Number 1 priority in our School District and I want to make our...
The landscape of learning is always changing. The SRCS Board of Education needs to be vigilant about pursuing cutting edge programming to help our students compete on the world stage -- this school district needs members of the Board of Education that will support this charge. We need to maintain the confidence in the leadership and have a renewed understanding of the school board’s role in the school district -- there’s a delicate balance between the board’s act of choosing a strong Superintendent and letting him or her lead the way, and the b...
Your story on pages 1 and 14 of the May 17th, 2017 issue of Indian Time paints a good picture and photo opportunity for some MCA and Canada 150 program representatives whom I feel do not deserve the credit given to themselves for a job well done by others. They had very little if anything to do with the work done at these projects as they sat in their offices. Had it not been through the efforts of mainly the staff of the MCA Department of Technical Services these projects would not have gotten as far as they did. I feel that had this work...
It’s easy to forget about the people who do the job that many do not want to do. They pump gas, they cook and serve food, and they clean and tidy rooms for guests at hotels. These are jobs that many parents will tell their children to stay in school and get an education “If you don’t you’ll be flipping hamburgers for the rest of your life”. A warning that doesn’t consider that the people behind the counter might have that very education that is so desired for a better job. It’s one of the many fears that college students have once they are...
Dear Editor, I wish to inform all of the people of all of Akwesasne of my resignation due to what I consider really bad treatment placed upon my co-worker and myself (Bob Stevenson) as the Coordinators of the Thompson Island Youth and Elders Cultural Camp. Especially for the last six (6) years by the Mohawk Council through their so called Department of “Tehotiiennawakon” and “management”! I have been in Akwesasne for thirty-one (31) years, I have been working through the Mohawk Council Environment Department for twenty-six (26) years, and mos...
Sekon, “Hello’’ You haven’t heard from me in a while and I know many of you don’t care. You want me to ‘’Just Shut Up’’. Many of you look at me pissed off. I’ve even had comments like ‘’What difference does it make?” Until there is a Residency Referendum native men and women will keep taking advantage of our Reservation. This will hold them accountable and establish guidelines. In short, the term Indian reservation is a legal designation for an area of land managed by a federally recognized Native American tribe under the U.S. Bureau of Indian...
We are living in a time in history where no one is safe from the over-powering presence of Big Government; In England the absolute power of the King of England was broken at a place called Runnymede on June 15, 1215. Previously the King and the Aristocracy had absolute power over individuals in society. People did not have any rights, except those given by the Sovereign Rulers. This power was absolute. The Magna Charta is called the Great Charter, and is the foundation of all English Constitutional Liberty. For the first time the King’s p...
American school kids are terrified, fear grips their heart as they make their way to their classrooms. In fear they are marching in the streets, crying out to their parents, and leaders ‘’Please protect us.” The Bible states it very clearly that just before the Return of Christ there will be perilous times on the earth. In Matthew 21:26 God says, ‘’men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” (Matthew 21:26). These kids are feeling in their inne...
MCA RECREATIONAL CANNABIS SURVEY AKWESASNE. A processing plant is undergoing renovation on Cornwall Island with the plan to grow pot plants. Do we need a survey to say "NO" we don't need pot on the "Rez." Will it take another "Anti vs. Pro" conflict like 1990 to decide? The "Rez" has a bad reputation for smuggling as it is. We don't need to legalize "pot" to add to that. (VOTE NO.) We have daily recon from "drones" and "helicopters" flying over the Rez looking for smugglers now! Do we need...
Keep the Conversation Going: Sekon, Hello: Last month, January, I went to court because of an elderly Mohawk and his much younger non-native girlfriend. It’s not one of the greatest moments in my life but I’m ok. Because there are no policies, or guidelines set in place, he along with many others take advantage and bring their girlfriends and boyfriends to our reservation. The point is, however, if a Mohawk elder takes advantage then others won’t care and do the same. Many already have. I spoke with my Aunt last year. She told me in the early...
CONGRATULATIONS ELDERS 68 YEARS OLD AND OLDER! At the February Tribal monthly meeting, Tribal Council announced that tentatively starting July 1, 2018 they will start paying seniors 68 years old and older $200 a month. I say tentatively because they have found the money to pay the benefit, but before it can start there is still a lot of work that needs to be done! I urge seniors to call Tribal Council, not only to thank them for finally making progress, but also to remind them of the importance of this benefit. Attendance at monthly Tribal...
Sekon, Hello: At the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal meeting on Saturday, January 6th, I was sitting next to a Tribal employee. He asked me if I attended the residency meetings. I told him yes. He then told me he was more concerned with the loss of the Mohawk Language. Shouldn’t they go together…If the population of the Mohawk people slowly dwindles doesn’t that mean the same for the language. They are teaching the language in our schools for our children and classes for our people outside of school as well. We have young intelligent Mohawks filling...
October 23, 2017 The week of October 16th – 20th, Massena Central High School participated in the New York State College Application Week. This statewide initiative is meant to promote higher education, bring awareness to different college majors and programs and to support seniors who are looking to apply to college. We are ecstatic to report that we had 105 seniors participate in College Application Week, with 120 college applications completed. Many other applications are close to completion and some students were able to start or c...
To Whom It May Concern, Tansi, greetings, from the Ininu (Cree) Nation Let it be known that our hereditary system of governance is still active since time immemorial. It is our Duty to inform you of our existence and that we are the true and rightful governors of Ininu, Nehiyaw, Nehithaw, Nishiyu, Innu, Mushkego territories, that we are here and we are not going away. No other governing body, namely the CORPORATION OF CANADA does NOT hold Title to our lands according to International Law,...
September 25, 2017. Today I was able to speak to the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne about the residential school issue, a terrible chapter in Canadian history, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cited in his speech to the UN last week and for that I give him credit. Those of us who are still living, the survivors of that experience, want to make a gift to the Mohawk people, the young people now in school and to all Canadians. We are proposing to use a part of the funds set aside by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne to construct on Mohawk territory a...
To the Editor: September 5, 2017 Tedra Cobb is the perfect candidate to unseat Elise Stefanik and represent the North Country region in the United States House of Representatives. Tedra understands the everyday issues local people face as well as the regional challenges to building a diverse economy, protecting our rural environment, and providing health care, education and other vital services. Tedra is an intelligent and creative problem solver, with the demonstrated know-how to facilitate constructive discussion and reach consensus. I have...
Music and dance are an important part of the social culture for Native American communities. This is the time when all the ‘nice looking’ individuals are identified as your cousins, after all! Music and dance are a major part of the lives of Haudenosaunee people. Music is the language of the spirits. The drum, (water drum, skin, hand drum) is the heartbeat of the Nation and ‘calls’ everyone to get up and move. Equally as important is the singing. At the NYS Fair Iroquois Village a large variety of traditional dances are performed. Each dance h...
As a full-blooded Mohawk from the Caughnawaga (Kahnawake) Indian Reservation, in Quebec, Canada, I wish to speak to my Indian brothers and sisters across Canada, and to the Canadian Government. I wish to state categorically that the proposed destruction of the Department of Indian (Aboriginal Affairs) is totally illegal and immoral. Once Canadians realize what is really happening, they will rise up in disgust at this outrage, Canadians for a 150 years have been known around the world as a law abiding society, and believed in upholding Indian Tr...
Shé:kon Iontthiatonhkwatkèn:se/Editor, Tekwanonhwerá:tons Ahkwesahsró:non, I would like to send an open letter to all business people and various organizations within the territory of Ahkwesáhsne. Our community of Ahkwesáhsne is a most popular place for outsiders to frequent mainly due to the Casino. We have many people who drive through Route 37 for many reasons on a daily basis the whole year round. What do the people see when they drive through our territory? Do they observe a commu...
Sekon, Hello Let’s Keep the Conversation Going I’m no great person. I have no degrees on the wall. But I care, (we) care, about our community. Right...Let’s come together. Many of you are my relatives and neighbors and you’re mad. Why? Because it involves you. You want a non-native living with you here on the reservation. People see this. They tell me. You know deep down it’s not right. Yes this has been said many times before. But we need to keep discussion going. Before it gets too overwhelming and very little if anything can be done abou...
