Eastern Door Volume 3 Number 25

Volume 3 Number 25

January 13, 1995

Bullet strikes Peacekeeper's cruiser
By: Chad Rice

The Peacekeepers were giving a helping hand during the New Year's Dry dance at the Kateri Hall. At approximately 11:05 PM, Peacekeeper Albert Stalk decided to clean the snow off his cruiser. Suddenly, a rifle bullet struck the windshield and ricocheted into the hood of the car.

Stalk describes the incident as happening very quickly, "...next thing I knew, the window shattered in front of my face...it (the bullet) seemed to come from over my shoulder".

Concerned for general safety, everyone was ordered indoors or to their vehicles. The incident could have been worse, considering that many teenagers and parents were standing outside the building.

This mishap, causing about $1500 worth of damage, was not the first near-catastrophe created by New Year's eve gunshots. Two years ago, a bullet passed through a local resident's roof, narrowly missing a child sleeping in his crib. Another time, someone actually shot directly toward a house. The occupants called the Peacekeepers and Eddie Stacey answered the call. He found the people huddled under a table in terror.

Incidents such as these clearly show the danger of celebrating New Year's Eve with a rifle. The people shooting the guns are also usually drinking. Not a good mix, guns and booze.

Although December 31 is about twelve months away, many people are now reconsidering the practice of bringing in the New Year with a rifle

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SQ chase lands in ditch
SQ patrol car a little worse for wear after supposed sideswiping incident at the traffic lights near Frosty Deer's.
By: Chad Rice

The Surete du Quebec (SQ) apparently tried to stop a local resident's car on highway 132, January 8. The vehicle, a blue ban with New Hampshire plates, apparently did not stop for the SQ police cruiser. Spokesperson Corporal Claude Chef said that there were "a few impacts between the (two) cars" and that the SQ patrol car slipped off the roadway into the ditch and snow bank.

The local then, apparently, turned off onto Mohawk Trail. The person in question, identified as Wendell Martin, aged 35, was later apprehended by Peacekeepers and released a short time later. The Peacekeepers are presently investigating the incident.

This includes statements from the different parties involved, photographs, and diagrams. Because the stories differed, the Crown Prosecutor will decide if charges will be laid. As of yet, no charges have been forthcoming.

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"Three-Row" Wampum proposal gets rebuke
By: Kenneth Deer

In a presentation to the Assembly of First Nations held in Quebec City in December, Chief Max "One-Onti" Gros Louis proposed that a new "Three-Row" wampum, and interpretation of the "Two-Row Wampum', be struck to symbolize a new relationship with non-Indians. This concept drew sharp criticism from the Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs in Akwesasne.

In a press release, Max Gros-Louis is quoted "The Huron-Wendat Nation is prepared to make a new three-row wampum to symbolize the two canoes that each (Indians and non-Indians) must paddle on the river of their nation's future, and a third canoe representing our common destiny and our joint government."

Paraphrasing the long political tradition of the People of the Long House and of his ancestor Dekanawidah, the Peacemaker, Grand Chief Gros-Louis requested to plant the Tree of the Great Peace and to light the fire around which will sit the representatives of the country to discuss peace, friendship and mutual respect.

Recently, the Mohawk Council of Chiefs in Akwesasne sent this response:

Dear Mr. Gros-Louis

We are in receipt of a press release that originated from your territory during the week of December 14, 1994, signed by yourself with a contact person being Luc Lains. We also understand that this press release was made available not only to the French and English media but to every elected Chief attending the National Assembly of elected Chiefs conference held in Quebec City on December 14, 15, 16, 1994.

First we must inform you that the Huron Nation is not in any way shape or form, the authors, originators or the beneficiaries of the Two Row Wampum Treaty but rather it can be said that, when the first European settlers established their presence in North America, the central and focal point of entry was established in the heart of Haudenosaunee country. First, it was the Dutch who asked for a specific relationship of coexistence that led to the principles of the Two Row wampum Treaty. The Treaty relationship that was established was based on the concept of two vessels, one ship and one canoe. Each Nation would retain control over their customs, laws, government, language and spiritual way of life, and neither would interfere with the other. Later the Germans also requested a space of land and negotiated the same Nation to Nation relationship. This was followed by agreements of other Nations namely the British, French and the United States.

When another Nation entered Treaty relations of coexistence, its purpose to was qualify and clarify the relationship between the non-Indian and the Haudenosaunee. It clearly did not signify that another row had to be added for any particular nation, which is why we are entirely at a loss as to why you should want a third row for any reason. We suspect it is because you do not understand the significance of treaty making.

Not to give you a lesson in history but you will recall that the French continued to violate the term of the Two Row almost immediately after concluding the Peace Treaty by ambushing the Mohawk peace-emissaries followed by armed retaliation of the Mohawk Nation and eventually the whole of the Haudenosaunee. We should not that during the many years of hostility between the French and Haudenosaunee that the Huron were the most loyal allies to the French against the Haudenosaunee. When an all out war broke out which eventually became the French and Indian Wars, the Huron were almost entirely wiped out.

We not in your letter that you claim to be the descendant of the Peacemaker and because you do not understand you openly quote the name of the "peacemaker" who, out of respect and reverence by our people is only referred to by name in certain ceremonies and occasion. We will tell you in the most firmest, but peaceful manner, cease and desist from making any further comments regarding this treaty and any other Haudenosaunee treaties. You do not seem to have any comprehension of the importance of our nation to nation relationship with other governments and nations. We are aware that other elected band councils often quote our historic relations with external governments, to better illustrate their pursuit of self-government, particularly when they want to offer an alternative to the Canadian version of Indian self-government. You are not doing that in your press release you are trying to change history, and the foreign governments heartily agree. We cannot let you do that. We will monitor your future actions, regarding this matter. Should you wish to discuss this issue further you may contact us at our office here in the Territory.

Respectfully signed,

Turtle/Wolf/Bear Clans

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Editorial

Taxation: oppression of the invaders
By: Kenneth Deer - The Eastern Door

The protesters occupying the Revenue Canada offices in Toronto have started a debate on the tax exemption rights of Native People in Canada. Several Indian Nations across Canada have been showing their support for the protesters and several editorial writers for major newspapers have taken positions in favour of the Canadian Governments statement that the policy is fair.

While editorialists talk of rights, equality, dependency, abuse and other terms to describe their reasons for supporting the new policy to tax off reserve income, they sometimes fail to see our point of view on this issue.

A comparison can be made to the Romans of classical times, who invaded and occupied foreign lands. The Romans, after conquering these Nations, would then exact tribute from these people to pay the cost of occupation and fill the coffers of Imperial Rome as they did to the Hebrew of Palestine. This tribute was called taxation. Invaded Peoples were taxed to pay for the upkeep of the soldiers that were occupying their land and for the cost of Roman administration, the Roman governor and all its infrastructure. In return the People were oppressed, had no voice in governing themselves except for local matters and were inundated with 'superior' Roman law and customs.

Those who accepted Roman rule were considered 'progressive' and were basically enslaved to build Roman roads and aqueducts. Those who resisted were barbarians and had to be eliminated.

Native North Americans see the imposition of taxation the same way. The invaders are demanding the invaded pay for the cost of the invasion and occupation. This is not a question of special rights, treaties, welfare, dependency or apartheid. This is a question of oppression. It's about the lack of respect that we have experienced in our relationship with the European invaders. We were not given the respect of being equals either as Nations or as individuals. Our spirituality was considered inferior. Our land, which is our most valued possession, was taken by trickery or by force and our Peoples were impoverished.

The health of our land was used to fill the coffers of the businessmen and governments of the invaders. We were used to open the trail and waterways, build the roads and railways, and fight in wars for one invader against another. All this time we were not part of the decision making process that the invaders had create. They only 'allowed' control of local matters to our People. The invaders grew wealthy on our lands and despised our perceived wretchedness. Their superior, imperialistic attitude emboldened them to think that they developed this land from nothing and Natives were just lazy and would remain 'undeveloped' in their eyes.

The invaders developed their own reasons for not taxing Indians. But we have our own reasons for believing why we shouldn't pay taxes. We have already paid a heavy tax by having our land occupied by invaders. By choice we are not represented by the invaders government. We adhere to the spirit of the Two-Row (Wampum Treaty). However, the federal and provincial governments ignore the Two-Row and legislate over the protect of our citizens. We are therefore taxed for the benefit of the non-Indian. Remember "No taxation without representation" applies to Natives as well.

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