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Volume
7 Number 1
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January
30, 1998
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Confederacy
Sing In Kahnawake
National Aboriginal Achievement Awards
Editorial
Comics
Confederacy
Sing In Kahnawake
By: Fran Beauvais
The sound of water drums, rattles and songs from all over the Six Nations Confederacy will be heard in Kahnawake for the first time in over ten years.
This year on Saturday, April 11, Easter weekend, Kahnawake will once again host a Six Nations Sing. The Sing, the first in Kahnawake since 1985, will be held at the Kahnawake Survival School.
Every year there are two singing events in Iroquois country called Six Nations Sings, where all the various singing societies come together and sing their social songs. At these Six Nations Sings each community represented is required to introduce seven newly composed verses for the Women's Dance songs.
A Six Nations Sing is held in the spring around Easter, the second sing is scheduled in the fall on the American Thanksgiving weekend, when people have a long weekend holiday. The host Nation is always last to sing.
Singing Societies
The Sings are somewhat competitive, but in a very mild way. There are no first, second or third place winners. No one is proclaimed the best singing society and the songs are shared by the different societies. Each society will have a leader, a secretary and a treasurer.
The singing societies hold fundraising activities, like bake sales, dinners, auctions and raffles in the community to raise money for the expense of attending Sings. With these funds the society will charter a bus for their members to attend the singings society's events at various Iroquois communities.
The singing societies (Ronterennohtha) also hold benefit events to raise money for families who may have had a fire or some other misfortune.
The men of the singing society hold bees to cut wood and deliver it to the elders who are physically unable to do this work. While the men cut wood the women members cook and feed the working men. Also these singing society members will usually organize wood cutting for the Longhouse.
The society of singers greatly help in preserving our songs both spiritual and social. They participate in harvesting, they provide alcohol and drug free events for the Nation, especially for the youth. They are positive role models of good Iroquoian behaviour. They provide social benefits to the community which everyone can enjoy by holding social dances.
A long process
It has been a very long process to get the Sing to come to Kahnawake. After 1990, there was a rather large group of parents in Kahnawake, some who were traditional but most were not, who wanted to start a sing group. This groups contacted the Cultural Center to get a singing and dance troupe started. The Cultural Center came up with some funds to get the troupe started and this group became the Kanien'kehaka Cultural Center Singers.
The Kanien'kehaka Cultural Center Singers started learning the Iroquois social dances and songs. The troupe began to travel to the different Sings in other communities, from there, the different spokesmen would attend the Sing meetings to represent Kahnawake.
I would first like to mention some of the people who got the Cultural Center singers started; Jessica Hill, Kanatakta Beauvais, Carla Hemlock, Babe Hemlock (who taught the children the songs), Donny Martin (also taught the children to sing), Tiorakwathe Gilbert who represented Kahnawake in the Singing Committee meetings and Kanientakaron Gilbert who represented the singers. Dodie Gilbert helped organize the singing societies fund-raisers and the parents encouraged and attended the Sings with their children. They were tireless in their fundraising efforts. Nia:wen kowa for all you support in helping to get the sing to come back to Kahnawake.
Since 1991 the Kanien'kehaka Cultural Center singers and the people of Kahnawake have been asking for the Sing to be held here in Kahnawake. Every Sing we were told the next one will be ours, so we waited and attended the next and waited again. We really had to build up a trust and respect with the different societies from all other communities.
Finally we have earned the trust and respect and in November on the American Thanksgiving weekend we attended the meeting. Joe Deer spoke on behalf of the Sweet Grass Singers, Corey McComber spoke on behalf of the young people. The meeting which is all done in the different languages of the confederacy, so Joe and Corey both spoke Kanienkaha.
They had to explain what the singing societies do, roles, and responsibilities of our singing societies. Both men did an excellent job in speaking on our behalf. After they finished speaking, I was asked to stand up and request to have the Sing brought back to Kahnawake, and it was accepted.
I would like to remind people that this is not a political event and it is open to every Onkwehonwe person in our territory. All the Longhouses are welcome and encouraged to attend.
This is a non-profit event and we will be required to feed at least 500 people. We are currently sending out letters to various organizations and businesses. It would be greatly appreciated if community members would like to help out with donations of food or money. If you would like to get involved feel free to contact Carleen Beauvais, Fran Beauvais, Merit Cross, Jennifer Jacobs, Iris Stacey or leave your name and number with the Cultural Center (450) 638-0880.
National
Aboriginal Achievement Awards
By: Kenneth Williams
NHL idol, ambassador, psychiatrist, ombudsman and Academy Awards.
NHL great Bryan Trottier, Canadian Ambassador to Central America Dan Goodleaf, groundbreaking psychiatrist Dr. Cornelia Wieman, Ontario's Ombudsman Roberta Jamieson, and Academy Award-winner Buffy Sainte-Marie are five of the 15 Aboriginal achievers to be honoured at the fifth annual 1998 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards. The awards will be presented on Thursday, March 12, at the Hummingbird Center for the Performing Arts in Toronto at a star-studded gala evening, before a sold-out audience of dignitaries and luminaries.
"These awards are the most empowering, positive step that the Aboriginal community takes each year to recognize the best of who we are," said John Kim Bell, the Mohawk conductor and composer, and founder and executive producer of the awards. "The awards represent a beacon of goodwill between Aboriginal people and Canadians and serve as a powerful inspiration for all young people, especially Aboriginal youth." The National Aboriginal Achievement Awards were established in 1994 by Mr. Bell to recognize outstanding career achievements by professionals of First Nations, Metis and Inuit ancestry. For the first time, 15 awards will be presented - 13 career awards, one lifetime achievement, and a special youth award that carries a $5,000 scholarship.
The awards gala will be co-hosted by stage and film stars Tom Jackson and Graham Greene, and will feature a sensational lineup of performers, such as rock legend Robbie Robertson, and EMI recording star and Arctic Canada's singing sensation Susan Aglukark. There will also be stirring vignettes showcasing the Hummingbird Center for the Performing Arts in Toronto on March 12, and will then be televised by the CBC as a network special on March 26 at 8:00 p.m.
This year's award recipients are:
The National Aboriginal Achievement Awards are produced by the National Aboriginal Achievement (formerly the Canadian Native Arts Foundation), a national charitable organization providing financial assistance to Aboriginal students for training and education in the arts, business and sciences.
Since 1988, over $5.25 million has been awarded. Proceeds from the gala evening will benefit the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation Scholarship Fund.
The National Aboriginal Achievement Awards are sponsored by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, CIBC and the CBC; Air Canada; Amoco Canada Petroleum Company Ltd; Cancom; Placer Dome North America; and Viacom Canada. Public sector supporters include: Canadian Heritage; Health Canada; Human Resources Development Canada; Industry Canada through Aboriginal Business Canada; Agriculture Canada; Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation; Canadian Museum of Civilization; Department of Foreign Affairs; Department of Justice Canada; Environment Canada; Government of the Northwest Territories; Natural Resources Canada; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Solicitor General Canada; the Province of Ontario; the City of Toronto and the Toronto Arts Council
National Aboriginal Achievement Awards
The National Aboriginal Achievement Awards (NAAA) were established by Mohawk conductor and composer John Kim Bell to pay tribute to the United Nations' International Year of the World's Indigenous peoples, and were first presented in Ottawa in 1994. The achievement awards have since been presented in Vancouver in 1995, Winnipeg in 1996 and Calgary in 1997. Since the awards began 70 extraordinary individuals have been honored by the NAAA, including: kidney transplant specialist Dr. Martin Gale McLoughlin; Olympic champions, Alwyn Morris and Angels Chalmers; NHL Coach of the Year, Ted Nolan; architect Douglas Cardinal; justices Harry LaForme, Murray Sinclair and Alfred Scow; and Albert Rock, a scientist whose digital data logger is used by NASA, Indy and Formula One racing, to name a few of the recipients.
The achievers are selected by a 19-member jury comprising past award recipients and others representing the three Aboriginal groups, geography and sectoral areas. The 1998 jury includes Saskatchewan entrepreneur Ray Ahenakew; NWT-based Natsiq Align-Kango; Mohawk conductor and composer John Kim Bell; Edmonton filmmaker Gil Cardinal; justice advocate Chester Cunningham; Alberta-based engineer Karen Decontie; journalist, historian and academic Dr. Olive Dickason; BC Aboriginal leader Wendy Grant-John; Regina City counselor Ray Hamilton; poet Rita Joe; BC leader Chief Clarence (Manny) Jules; NWT cabinet minister, the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi; health care advocate and senior public servant Mae Katt; former United Church Moderator Reverend Stanley John McKay; Winnipeg entrepreneur Winnie McKay-Geisbrecht; Northern Quebec business leader Zebedee Nungak; health care specialist Marie Ross; Senator Charlie Watt; and Alberta Aboriginal leader Chief Roy Whitney.
The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, formerly the Canadian Native Arts Foundation, also organizes and presents Blueprint For the Future, a career fair for Aboriginal youth, which will be held in Vancouver and Toronto this year.
Angus Reid Poll
By: Kenneth Deer, The Eastern Door
Now that the Angus Reid poll results are public, there are a couple of questions that need to be addressed.
First of all, was the poll necessary and was it an accurate reflection of the opinions in the community? The poll results certainly surprised a few people. If the results of the poll are accepted as accurate, the close split on the ADM project indicates that the opposition to the project, although still the majority, was not as large as some had predicted judging from the demonstrations against the project. It would seem that there was still a silent minority in the background whose members were not expressing themselves publicly.
Why were those in favour of the project so quiet? Were they intimidated by the opposition? Were they afraid to speak publicly and be ridiculed? In a supposed democracy, this is disturbing. No one should be fearful of speaking his or her mind. Everyone has a right to their own opinion and they should be free to express it without recrimination and personal attacks.
If the pool is accurate, then the next important decision that people of Kahnawake make should consider very carefully everyone's opinion and not just the loudest ones. Individuals should be very careful when they say they are speaking for 'The People.'
On reflection, the poll was necessary to see ourselves from a different perspective. However, these kind of polls should be used sparingly and far between.
Was it accurate? Probably, 19 times out of 20. Unless it was that 20th time. Perhaps the 484 that refused to answer the poll were against the ADM project and that could skew the results.
Another point of contention is some of the questions asked. In particular: In a community like ours there is a role for every member and our community should not encourage and support unproductive members.
You would think that such a question would result in overwhelming support instead of one half agreeing and the other disagreeing. What is an unproductive member? Without a clear definition people were confused by the question. The majority of people on social assistance agree with this statement so they don't see themselves as unproductive members. Who will judge who is unproductive?
Another question dealt with quick money. What is quick money as opposed to slow money? Quick money can mean as diverse sources of income as gambling, cigarettes, bingo, lotteries, raffles, iron work, working for the MCK, short jobs or part time work. Is it legal or illegal activities? A clearer question would have gotten a clearer answer.
The two questions on quick money and unproductive people are negative stereotypes and should not have been included in the poll. Insulting questions designed, perhaps unintentionally, to hurt are not in the best interests of scientific polls or this community.
Our Sixty Birthday
Times flies when you're having fun. It was six years ago on January 31, 1992 that The Eastern Door published its first edition. The paper has since grown in size and frequency and is in fact still growing. This is the 227th issue. It would have been 228 if not for the lost issue during the Ice Storm of '98.
Most of our readers know the history of The Eastern Door so we are not going to repeat it. Instead we will just say that we have built a solid foundation for the continuing production of a weekly newspaper. The Eastern Door is not perfect, we need to improve in certain areas. As a matter of fact we don't think there is such a thing as a 'perfect' newspaper. A newspaper is always a work in progress and it must change and develop as conditions dictate.
But our goals have not changed. We still endeavor to be a fair and objective source of news and information for the Mohawks of Kahnawake. This is a duty and responsibility which we take very seriously.
And you the readers have shown that you appreciate our efforts by purchasing the paper week after week. The recent Angus Reid poll indicated that The Eastern Door, at 57 percent, was by far the principal source of information over other forms of communication in Kahnawake on the ADM Project, followed by word-of-mouth, at 39 percent, the radio station at 23 percent, band meetings at 17 percent and the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake Newsletter at 16 percent.
These figures underline the responsibility we have to give clear and accurate information to our readers.
The management and staff of The Eastern Door will continue to the best of our ability to produce a newspaper worthy of your trust and support.
NIA:wen kowa
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