Akwesasne Land Claim Settlement Monies Idea:

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 fund that spends the annual interest about $1.6 million (CAD) a year for an assortment-of projects based on annual community input via surveys.

Currently, we have two major settlements being offered, the Tsi:karistisere/Dundee Claim and the Seaway Settlement. The Tsi:karistisere/Dundee Claim is for the loss of 20,000 acres of land in 1888, and the harm it caused the community including loss of resources and injury to culture. At the present, there is $239 million (CAD) being offered from Canada, with the ability to acquire up to 18,282 acres of lands which would be processed to become reserve lands under our jurisdiction. The current question being asked is, are we willing to accept the Tsi:karistisere/Dundee settlement offer? I would like to open the discussion around if we DID accept what should happen.

With the money, I personally believe it should be secured in a community directed trust, which could use the interest on an annual basis, an estimated, $12 million (at a minimal 5% return interest rate). I propose half of this interest should be locked into a funding source for lands and the other half into a language, culture and history fund.

This Land Fund could create the annual budget, approximately $6 million a year for land acquisition and management, which could include a land department to manage and oversee the acquisition and protection of our lands. Property would have to be bought from the selection areas; which include select areas within Quebec and Ontario as per the settlement agreement. Environmental protection projects could have an annual funding source whose goal would be to ensure all lands (North or South) of Akwesasne are protected and safeguarded for the future generations. Lands department would also look after allotment of lands for housing and necessary infrastructure and ensure in-house surveyors to survey and help current landowners sub-divide their lots for future growth. Also, there could be funds set aside for emergency measures as the lands and climate continues to change, and we as a community must be ready to adapt.

The Language, Culture and History Fund would be more exciting to me; with a possible annual funding amount of $6 million a year, so much could be accomplished. Language, Culture and History is the least funded area in the community, and we have so many organizations fighting for what little funding there is.

I would suggest that $6 million a year be used over a few years to create a Cultural Complex that houses our community language programs, cultural spaces, and our community’s historical treasures.

Picture it, a $15 million dollar facility (approx. 40,000 square feet) could be created that has a state-of-the-art museum and community archives. Auditorium and classrooms could showcase our community’s evolving culture; a fully interactive language lab and the largest Kanien:keha language library. All of our treasures in one facility that the whole community can be proud of and be a model for other communities.

I see the museum taking the abstracted form of a traditional Kanien’keha:ka clay pot, with a large atrium that welcomes all people to listen to our story; a large interactive map room that projects the historical and environmental changes to the area; an interactive walk-through museum with display cases showing our history from the ice age to the current era. By telling and showing the stories of our elders, it ensures the struggles and life of those that came before are not forgotten. This large community archive could hold all of the treasures that belong to the whole community such as the Akwesasne Wolf Belt, which is proudly visible and discussed; and could include back rooms for the research offices of the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and the Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs, to be able to work together to research and strategize our continued land claims. This approach would help further break down any lingering ideas of the border and politics that still divides us.

I also visualize a large 800-seat auditorium that could showcase our culture; be they singers, dancers, or actors; a community stage worthy of our world-class community performers and a space to further expand our language. This space could include several classrooms for workshops that are held year round using our archives for inspiration. Community members would have the ability to learn and expand their own skills in basketry, lacrosse stick making, beadwork, and so much more.

Lastly, I envision a wing dedicated to our language, with the largest Kanien‘keha language library whose mission is to get a copy of all language documents, and to fund more computer and interactive language labs so our community members can learn and engage with the language in new ways; a world class recording studio for our elders to record their stories and ensure the faces yet to be born to see and hear their words; space for all the current language programs to work, collaborate, expand, and grow our language for generations to come.

This is what I believe the monies should be used for, a place for the safekeeping of treasures and to ensure the fight to preserve them is united under one house; a house our ironworkers and skilled trade workers would love to build for our community; a house that holds our collective language, culture and history.

Without this vision, our lands, language, history and culture, what are we really fighting for in land claims? This is the future I envision for us and those yet to be born: New lands and a place to learn. I strongly urge all Akwesasronon to get involved, please contact your leadership and tell them what you expect for a better future in Akwesasne.

Phillip White-Cree

Community Member that is passionate about Our Story and Our History