Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe September Monthly Meeting

By Isaac White

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe convened for the monthly meeting this past Saturday. The gathering, punctuated by the eager participation of community members, was an avenue for addressing and getting acquainted with the tribe’s current affairs.

Kicking off the proceedings was an introduction to the talented young players of the Haudenosaunee Nationals Lacrosse U18 and U20 Girls Teams. Their presence added zest and youthful energy to the meeting. The crowd gave the teammates a wave of cheers when they exited the meeting.

The discussion then transitioned to a presentation on the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) Eastern Regional Summit. Tina Square, the Northeast Region’s Technical Assistant Specialist for IAC, took the stage. Founded in 1987, the IAC has been a beacon for the conservation, development, and usage of agricultural resources, always keeping the well-being of the indigenous communities at its core. Ms. Square pointed out there are many programs and expertise offered by IAC, especially for producers of Indigenous foods. A standout moment was when she accentuated the advantages of nurturing and incorporating Indigenous foods into daily life.

An event is on the horizon as the IAC Eastern Regional Summit is slated for October 6th and 7th in Akwesasne, housed at the Mohawk Nation Longhouse. According to the IAC’s official communication, this summit aims to spotlight the Eastern Region’s tribal food endeavors, fortify intertribal food ties, and offer a robust platform for tribal farmers to connect with resources from IAC, USDA, and other key partners. Attendees can look forward to enriching presentations, interactive sessions with experts, live butchering demonstrations, and insightful community facility tours.

The meeting’s momentum was maintained with the unveiling of the Community Survey Results concerning the community’s stance on advertising signage in Akwesasne. Out of more than 16,000 SRMT members, 337 shared their viewpoints. An overarching sentiment was the prevailing unease about excessive advertising, especially around cannabis dispensaries. The council emphasized the comprehensive nature of the survey, clarifying that it wasn’t confined to cannabis advertising, despite the impetus for the survey being a few community members complaints about dispensary promotion.

With rising concerns about the influence of cannabis advertising on children, mixed responses surfaced when comparing the role of parental guidance with the removal of cannabis-related advertisements. Chief Ron LaFrance championed that parents are the primary gatekeepers in youth prevention. Notably, this standpoint of parenting being the most vital aspect of prevention for children was noticeably disagreed with by some of the council. There was also no discussion on the benefits of the cannabis industry in Akwesasne, particularly the jobs created and the influx of money into the Tribal economy due to the dispensaries.

Switching gears, Chief LaFrance introduced the fall fuel heating initiative, highlighting the reapplication process for eligible members for the Home Energy Assistance Program or LI-HEAP. The Food Distribution program was spotlighted as the go-to for HEAP and LI-HEAP queries. He also announced the correspondence sent out by the SRMT Compliance department regarding the fall fuel program, urging timely responses by September 22nd.

Before ending, a community member’s observation about the Health Clinic’s new parking lot took center stage. While concerns were voiced that the main entrance is too small, it was clarified that it adhered to the requisite standards, albeit with an advisory for drivers to approach cautiously. Overall, the revamped parking facility was received with enthusiasm.

The session concluded without any further points of discussion, marking another constructive monthly meeting for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe.