Eastern Door Volume 8 Number 7

Volume 8 Number 7

March 12, 1999

IFC Fighter's Revenge Slated For April2
By: Al Briand

Many a heated word was thrown about at a press conference held at the Penalty Box on Tuesday, March 9.

And it all had to do with the last minute changing of the rules that occurred at the Pierre Charbonneau Center back on January 9. This won't happen at the event slated for the Kahnawake Sports Complex in April.

IFC President Mike Thomas had been in negotiations with Quebec's Regie des Sports to bring back grounding and striking to the event.

"We were told before the fight went on, that grounding and striking would be permitted. We even had the pay-per-view channel lined up to carry it, but at the last minute we were told that it wouldn't be allowed. The pay-per-view carrier pulled out, and we lost a pile of money and the matches were ultimately boring because of the new stipulations," explained Thomas. "If we would have known that striking wasn't allowed, we would have pulled out a long time ago. We were lied to, as well as double crossed!"

The financial loss was calculated at over $120,000. Thomas doesn't expect this financial ballyhoo to happen again.

"We have met with the Kahnawake Athletics Commission where we requested a permit application. We got the go-ahead, and are able to proceed with the event," said Thomas.
He hopes the event will go according to plan, but if problems arise, Thomas said all the bases have been covered.

"We ran into a big problem back in May of 1995 when we had Extreme Fighting here in Kahnawake, and the Quebec Government was involved. They almost shut down the event, and there were a lot of arrests made. We have come a long way since then, and now the whole issue isn't a criminal one, since a legal framework of the criminal code has been put into place," said Thomas.

Eddie Goldman, publisher of Full Contact Fighter, had some strong and defending words via the safety of the sport.

"For all the shows that I have seen, the nine IFC shows and the 23 Ultimate Fighting Championships, not once have I heard of anyone getting seriously injured. Sure there may be the odd broken bone and stretched ligament, but that's all. It is probably the safest sport to watch compared to others like football, where the body takes a constant beating. In IFC or UFC, if the opponent wants to give up, all they have to do is tap-out, and the match is over. I've heard horror stories of athletes getting paralyzed from stupidity. Not in this sport," argued Goldman.

Apart from all the legal wranglings, Thomas said this will be the best card in the history of the IFC.
"We have 11 matches, including our own Mark Frazer, competing as well as having two women's matches, plus the Super heavyweight division along with the IFC World Heavyweight Championship Super Fight with Vladimir Matyushhenko against Travis Fulton," said Thomas.

It also looks promising that pay-per-view will be back to televise the event.
Barring any unforeseen events, the fight will go on Friday, April 2, at the Kahnawake Sports Complex.

RETURN

Ingrid Washinawatok Murdered in Columbia
By: Kenneth Deer

A Native American activist known to many, Ingrid Washinawatok, a Menominee from Wisconson, was killed along with two others, by unknown assailants in Colombia, South America. Ingrid was very well known among the Native community in New York City.

According to press reports, on Thursday, February 25, Ingrid Washinawatok was taken hostage in Colombia after a visit with the U'wa people there. Taken with Ingrid was Terence Freitas and Lahe'ena'e Gay. Terence was a graduate in biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a long time supporter of the U'wa
people in Colombia.

Lahe'ena'e was the executive director of the Pacific Cultural Conservancy International (PCCI) in Hawaii. All three held a strong commitment to the traditional ways of Indigenous peoples around the globe.
On Thursday, March 4, the bodies of the three companions were found in Venezuela just across the border from Colombia.

Their bodies, bound and blindfolded, were found shot to death in a field a week after they were kidnapped by suspected leftist rebels in neighboring Colombia.

Armed men in civilian clothing abducted the three February 25, after they had spent a week with an Indigenous group trying to help organize schools. The group, the U'wa, live on a reservation in northeast Colombia, near the Venezuelan border.

Police said a farmer discovered the bodies in a field moments after he heard gunshots Thursday near La Victoria, a town on the border with Colombia. The three were blindfolded, and their hands were tied. They had been shot in the face and chest, authorities said.

In Washington, the State Department blamed the "cold-blooded murder" on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, the country's oldest and largest rebel band.

"We condemn the FARC in the strongest possible terms for this barbaric terrorist act," spokesman Lee McClenny said. "We also demand that the FARC accept responsibility for this cold-blooded murder and turn over those of its members who perpetrated this crime to be held accountable by the courts."

There was no immediate reaction from the FARC, which has not claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.
About 30,000 people have been killed in the FARC's 35-year struggle with the government. The rebel group says it is fighting for social justice and a more equitable distribution of wealth.

Colombia is trying to launch peace talks with the rebels, and the United States has explored a possible role in the talks. The United States is also considering whether to increase assistance to Colombia's military, which has steadily lost ground in recent years to the FARC.

The chairman of Washinawatok's tribe, Apesanahkwat, said relatives and friends had been in touch with the rebels through the Red Cross and other groups and had received an e-mail message from the FARC in which it "sent its greetings and expressed solidarity" with American Indians.

"It's just too incredible for us to unravel and to know with any certainty what actually happened down there," Apesanahkwat said by telephone from Wisconsin. "We're just in shock and a lot of grief."

Rebels control 40 percent of the countryside, and rightist paramilitary gunmen roam freely. The State Department has warned Americans to stay away from rural Colombia.

The FARC deny the killings and blame 'enemies of peace' for the murders.
There is some speculation that the three were killed in retaliation for a $220 million gift from the United States for millitary aid to the government of Colombia while the three were held captive. Others speculate that right-wing death squads carried out the slayings to discourage outside help to the U'wa People..

Freitas organized the trip and had worked extensively with the U'wa.

The U'wa, a nation of 8,000 people, won a legal battle against Occidental Petroleum in 1997 that prevented the Los Angeles-based company from exploratory drilling on traditional U'wa territory.

Colombia has the world's highest kidnapping rate, and foreigners are often targeted because they tend to fetch the highest ransoms. However, killings of foreigners during kidnappings are rare.

Tributes to Ingrid Washinawatok

The Native community in New York was shocked at the murders. Over 400 people attended a vigil for Washinawatok on Sunday at the American Indian Community House after it was confirmed she was killed.
Letters of condolence pour in from organizations that she helped build or was associated with. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights sent a letter of condolence and demanded an inquiry into the circumstances of her death.

The wake will be at Zoar Ceremonial Hall Friday, March 12 at 7:00 pm. Waubano, Menominee Big Drum Chief, will officiate. The funeral for Ingrid is planned for Saturday morning at 10:00 am, March 13, at Zoar Ceremonial Hall in Zoar, WI. Burial will take place in Keshena on land belonging to Ingrid and Aly El-issa.

Washinawatok is survived by her husband, Ali, and son, Maehki.

Profile

Ingrid Washinawatok was a proud member of the Menominee Nation and a humanitarian who fought for Indigenous peoples' rights throughout the world. On this specific trip, Ingrid was invited by the native peoples of Colombia known as the U'Wa Tribe to assist them with an educational and cultural preservation program for their children. She was not visiting Colombia for political-related purposes, it was for traditional religious purposes as a guest of the U'Wa.

Ingrid was an activist when it came to promoting Indigenous cultures and traditions. She was Executive Director of the Fund for Four Directions based in New York City where she directed the grant-making policies and led a new effort to revitalize Indigenous language. She was active in the 1970s where Indian People rose again to claim Self-Determination.

Ingrid was co-chair of the Indigenous Women's Network were she voiced concerns for Native women through activism, literature and community work.

Ingrid was recently selected by the Rockefeller Foundation as an outstanding leader to participate in the National Generation Leadership Program. The Rockefeller Foundation is a philanthropic organization endowed by John D. Rockefeller for the well-being of humankind throughout the world.

Ingrid was a member of the Indigenous Initiative for Peace, convened by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Rigoberto Menchu Tum and had organized and participated in the first, second and third State of the World Forums. In addition, she served as an official translator for an International Indigenous Conference and was a delegate for the Commission on Human Rights and the Working Group on Indigenous populations. She was Chair of the Native Americans in Philanthropy and served on the Board of Directors for the Sister Fund, the National Network of Grant- makers and on the selection committee for the Letelier Moffit Human Rights Award.

Ingrid was an award-winning lecturer who spoke on the rights of Indigenous peoples regionally and internationally and a co- producer of the film documentary, "Warrior". She received numerous awards from the Asian American, Hispanic American and African American communities throughout her lifelong struggle to promote each community.

Ingrid is sadly missed by the Washinawatok family, Dodge family and members of the Menominee Nation. She had many friends throughout the world in her lifelong struggle to promote culture, traditions and human rights. We will all miss her energetic and zealous presence. She was a dynamic warrior and an inspiration for Natives throughout the world. She served her people selflessly in life and her struggle continued until her life was taken from this world.

Ingrid was preceded in death by her father, the late Honorable James Washinawatok of the Menominee Nation Supreme Court. Ingrid carried on much of the work that her father actively supported thoughout his lifetime.

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2nd Meeting On The Membership Code
Noticeably Fewer People Attend Important Meeting
By: Greg Horn

The Elders of Kahnawake held their second community meeting on the Membership Code at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Tuesday, March 9. This meeting was the second in a series with the purpose of getting community input and involvement in the proposed Membership Code. There were approximately 80 people in attendance.

The meeting was opened and chaired by Thomas Phillips, as Lawrence Francis of Akwesasne, who chaired the first meeting, was not available. The ground rules remained the same as the first meeting, which were: the meeting shall last from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., the meeting would be held in both Mohawk and English and that everyone present should be respectful towards each other.

The meeting began with the history of the membership code followed by an explanation of the statement and declaration, specifically the areas that deal with the language, land, decision making and the four principles that would constitute Membership in Kahnawake if and when this law is passed. These four principles are: respect for Mother Earth, Kanien'keha:ka ancestry back to three generations, identification with a Clan and knowledge of the Kanien'keha:ka language.

The elders then stressed that this Membership Code is only a draft therefore these are merely recommendations and the people of Kahnawake will determine the final outcome.

The meeting got underway and soon people began asking questions, voicing their concerns or giving their approval. A couple of people expressed concerns that the Code would not lead the community back to the Great Law as it suggests. Others indicated that the survival of our language is critical and the Code will protect our language. Some still had questions about how the three generations rule would be applied.

Many people felt that very little was accomplished at this meeting, as the actual Membership Code and various sections of it were not discussed. Before the meeting was over about half of the people present had left.
The next meeting on the Membership Code will be held in three weeks time.

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Alicia Marquis Marks 35th Anniversary of "Kanawake News"
By: Dan Rosenberg

This May will be an especially nostalgic month for Kahnawake resident Alicia Marquis. It will mark the 35th anniversary of the reserve's first-ever newspaper, the "Kanawake News", which she founded in 1964 at the tender age of 12.

The newspaper, a monthly publication which Marquis produced by cranking out copies by hand on a Gestetner machine in her bedroom, originally sold for a modest five cents a copy. She was forced to terminate the paper 10 years later because, "Many people had no money and couldn't afford to buy ads." By then the price of the paper had risen to $1 to help combat rising costs.

Will she throw a party to mark the anniversary?

"You're doing it now; this is it," she quipped during an interview with The Eastern Door last Friday.
Whatever possessed a 12-year-old girl to start up a newspaper in the first place?

"At the time there was no way of getting the news around town," she recalled. "People used to gossip and get it all wrong. In fact, they still do," she chuckled.

Actually, Marquis was far ahead of her time, applying the Mohawk derivative of "Caughnawaga" to her newspaper long before the Band Council got around to changing the community's official name on Aug. 5, 1980. And the title "Kanawake News" is copyrighted to this day. "The Eastern Door and Emergency Preparedness wanted to use it later on, but a copyright is a copyright," Marquis says.

The newspaper was often controversial (with a "Tell it like it is" motto) but that only added to its popularity with the readers. "Everybody bought it," Marquis recalls. "Our circulation was 500 to start with, but it quickly grew to 2,000. We had subscription demands from all over the world."

Lest one get the mistaken impression that Marquis was a one-girl show, it's true that she was the editor but her entire family pitched in to make it work.
"Alicia used to work hard gathering news and typing out the stories," her mom, Eileen Marquis, remembers. "But when it came time to do the stapling, Alicia would leave the room. That was my job. It was constant work, work, work."

Some of the necessary tasks that are part and parcel of producing a monthly newspaper were performed by Marquis's grandparents, the late Charlotte and Mike S. Diabo; her parents Gerald and Eileen; and her five brothers and sisters: Joan, Marla, Valerie, Michael and John. They all helped with the typing, printing, photocopying, stapling, distribution, and door-to-door selling. Ni:ne McComber was the only non-family member involved in the enterprise.

Marquis still crinkles up her nose at the memory of what she considered the messiest job of all: inking the Gestetner machine.

Of course, Marquis needed transportation in order to get to all the events and functions that a newspaper editor is required to attend. But she solved that problem in short order, becoming the first Kahnawake resident to own a motorbike. Soon she was bombing around town on her familiar red Honda 50.

Unfortunately, being a workaholic at such a young age played havoc with her social life. "She was young but had no time to go out," except for newspaper-related activities, relates her mother.

Of course, being so young an editor had its share of other drawbacks as well. Like the time in 1965 Marquis applied to the Department of Indian Affairs for a grant to help her run her newspaper, for example.

They refused her request outright, advising the then 13 year old to spend all her time on her school work!
"We honestly believe Alicia should devote her full time towards completing her academic course," wrote vocational counsellor J. F. Lambert of the Indian Affairs Department.

What does Marquis consider her crowning achievement as editor of the "Kanawake News"?
There were many. "Meeting a lot of people ranks high on the list," she began. "At the age of 14, I attended a Centennial Conference in Ottawa and a round-table discussion in Toronto. I was the youngest person at the table. Newspaper editors were there from all over Canada and it was a great way to exchange ideas.

"All my interviews with the Grand Chief and Mohawk Council were interesting. Then there were the Nation-wide Indian Princess pageants where such candidates as Ni:ne McComber, Wanda Adams and Glenna Diabo Jacobs proudly represented Kahnawake.

But a special place in her heart is reserved for the Mother-of-the-Year honor which she bestowed annually on such deserving moms as Mary Cross, for example. Marquis's gracious presentation of a dozen red roses to the deserving winner always accompanied the award.

The paper also raised money for good causes, such as the first ambulance the town ever had. She turned the keys over to her dad who happened to be fire chief at the time.

Needless to say, Marquis received her share of publicity for being one of the youngest newspaper editors ever known (outside of school publications).

She appeared on Like Young, the foremost Montreal TV show for teens in the 60s, and was interviewed by hosts Jim McKenna and June Mack. There were reams of copy written about her in the Gazette and the Montreal Star with eye-catching headlines such as "Mohawk Maiden Provides News" and "One-girl Newspaper Is Alicia's Pastime."

Marquis wrote an impact editorial every month. Other regular features included poems from Natives of all walks of life; mouth-watering recipes; births, deaths and marriages, and letters to the editor from outside as well as from the reserve. Religion was also a popular theme. "Anything the church did, we wrote about," she recalls.

Except for lacrosse and minor hockey on outdoor rinks, there was little in the way of organized sports in those days. But what there was, Marquis covered. "The kids used to skate where the Youth Centre is now," she remembers fondly.

The first Kanawake News edition of May 1964, now a collector's item, featured articles on the Tom Longboat Award, the American Indian Exposition and the Miss Princess Canada contest.

Marquis's newspaper experience stood her in good stead later on in life as she became director of both the Caisse Populaire and Kateri Hospital. She also worked for Kahnawake building systems under Terry Diabo, and has spent the last ten years as an emergency medical technician and administrative assistant at the fire station. Besides that, she still finds time to do her mom's banking and fill out tax forms for fellow residents less familiar with those procedures.

But running a newspaper was not Marquis's first job. Before that dream materialized, she used to babysit the sons of professional wrestling icon Don Eagle.

RETURN

Time Track
By: Aroniawenrate

I've always been fascinated by the Creation stories of ancient Native cultures. They are not limited to any particular area, but are worldwide in scope. Many, such as the Aboriginals of Australia, begin in the "dream-time", when all manner of creatures, and even plants and stones, spoke to one another. In the oral tradition, the stories were linked and told one after the other, for many nights.

The stories were usually told yearly, in winter or during rainy seasons. By re-telling the stories in cycles, they became an intimate part of each person's consciousness. As new and important events occurred, they were incorporated into the fabric of the whole, thus assuring continuity.

One of my favorite story cycles is that of Coyote, heard in so many variations, from west of the Mississippi River, and reaching to southern Canada and northern Mexico. One involved Spotted Lizard, and how he got his spots by sleeping too close to a popping, green wood fire.

When I heard from an older Native woman out West that new stories were always needed to help keep the old stories alive, I asked if I should try one.

Her response was, "Coyote isn't anyone's personal property. But be careful how you treat him, or he might sneak up behind you and bite you where it's tender."

And so I wrote one of my first coyote stories. What with St. Patrick's Day so close, I figure if coyote was dressed in green, he could be a leprechaun. Erin Gobragh!

Spotted Lizard

Very close to the beginning of everything Yellow Lizard was walking across the desert when he saw Coyote. Coyote was walking in a big circle looking constantly at the sky.

"Coyote, why do you keep looking at the sky?"

"Oh, I'm waiting for the first rain," Coyote answered. "They say that pretty soon water is going to fall from the sky in big drops and make all the desert green with new life."

"Maybe if we stomp dance we can make it happen sooner, huh?"
Coyote agreed and they began singing and stomping the ground very hard. A nearby volcano responded to their dance by spewing-up a great cloud of burning embers. Coyote hid beneath a stone overhang. Yellow Lizard just stood there, waiting to enjoy the rain. Instead the embers burned spots all over his body. He rolled in the sand in pain.

"Well, I guess it isn't time for the rain yet," Coyote said, then did a double-take, looking at his friend. "Hey," he said, "Who painted you? You are really good-looking now, with all those spots."

Spotted Lizard studied his reflection in a polished obsidian mirror, turning this way and that. "Yes," he agreed, "I certainly do look better now." Then he looked at Coyote's ragged, summer fur and said, "You know, you could use a few spots yourself, or something. You look kind of shabby."

"Yes, well, I dreamed I had a new shiny coat of fur. I'll get it every time you hibernate, so I guess you'll never get to see it."

"Ah, Coyote," said Spotted Lizard, "I think you're just jealous."

Frybread Story

Coyote was making frybread dough
when young Magpie stopped in
to offer his own recipe.

An extra handful of flour and
another dash of salt, he said,
would assure very fine results.

Coyote chased him away, shouting
"I'm not making very fine results,
you idiot,
I'm making frybread.

RETURN

Minor Hockey Playoffs Part 1
By: Al Briand

Hockey's second season commenced in Kahnawake, with ten teams ranging from the Novice A's right through to Midget B's grabbing the spotlight, hoping to win their division to move on to the regionals.

Friday, March 5
The Novice B's took on Mercier in their first game, and lost by a score of 4-3 in a shootout.
Mercier took a 1-0 lead after the first and were up by two, when Parker Jacobs made it a one goal game after two periods.

Kahnawake tied the game, on a freak goal after a Mercier player scored on his own goalie. Justin Horne, who had a bit of the Sydney flu, was credited with being the last Mohawk player to touch the puck.
Then it went into the dreaded shootout, with three skaters aside for each team.

Justin Horne missed and so did the Mercier player.

Warrant Guyer missed, but the Mercier player scored, setting it all up to Terrance Phillips. If he scored, they would continue to shoot, provided the Mercier player after him didn't score.

Phillips beat the goalie, but the Mercier player also scored.

The Midget B's won their first game by a score of 4-1. Onawiio Montour scored on the powerplay, Troy Two-Axe (the same player that was suspended for 12 games for abusing an official earlier in the year) scored on a penalty shot. Timmy Deer also scored.

Saturday, March 6
After giving up only eight goals in the regular season, the Novice C's almost made history by giving up six goals in one game.

The Mohawks led 5-1 after one with Skaronhiahatie Mayo getting a pair (one on the powerplay). Kent Rice and Kallie Diabo got the others.

Then the Mohawks self destructed, giving up four straight goals and tying the game at 5 with two minutes left in the second.

Mayo scored twice before the period was over, putting the home team up 7-5 and would add two more, giving him a double hat-trick in Kahnawake's 9-6 win.

The Novice A's tried to extend their winning streak to two, but were unsuccessful in a 7-0 loss to Ste. Martine.
The Pee-Wee A's were also blanked 5-0 by Chateaguay.

The Pee-Wee B's on the other hand tied Mercier 2-2. The goal scorers that game came from Micheal John McComber and Cody Delormier.

The Novice B's lost their second game by a score of 4-1 forcing them to win their next game against Ste. Martine, or be eliminated from further hockey action.

The Bantam A's played their first game against Mercier and lost 6-1, with Hiio Albany getting the lone goal.
The Atom B's played an entertaining game, but lost 5-3 to Chateauguay. Katsitsakenhiateh Curotte scored a pair, while Teiohonwathe Leborgne got the other.

The Bantam B's completely destroyed Chateauguay 8-1, with captain Bradley Homer getting a pair, with singles going to Lee Ferguson, Jesse Stacey, Gordon Leblanc, Nick Beauvais, Joe Goodleaf and Tanner Rice.
The Midget B's were shut out 3-0 by Ste. Martine.

Sunday, March 7
The Atom A's played their first of two games in the same day, defeating Chateauguay 3-2. Logan Kane grabbed the hat-trick.

The Bantam B's won in a double shoot-out over Chateauguay 4-3, with the game finishing 1-1 after three periods of play. In the first round of the shoot-out, Bradley Homer and Joe Goodleaf scored, but so did the first two Chateauguay players. Chateauguay's third shooter was stopped, and it was all up to Lee Ferguson to take the win, but he was denied.

The second round started with a Chateauguay player missing, but so did Tanner Rice. The next Chateauguay player beat the goalie, but hit the goal post in the process, leaving the door wide open for Gordon Leblanc. He didn't disappoint, winning the game for his team.

The Novice B's had to win their third game to continue on in the playoffs, but they were up against Ste. Martine, a team that lost twice all year long. The Mohawks won the game 2-1, putting the team into the semi finals.
The Pee-Wee A's lost their second game, 5-1 to Chateauguay. Kerry Goodleaf scored the lone goal for the Mohawks.

The Novice C's got back to their fine form, winning their second game 6-0. Skaronhiahatie Mayo got the hat-trick, with singles going to Karonhiokwas Horne, J.R. Imhoff and Kallie Diabo.

The Bantam A's lost a heartbreaking 4-3 decision to Ste. Martine. The game was tied until the final minute of the third period. Owen Snow, Tyler Two-Axe and Joe Frank Thomas scored for the Mohawks.

The Pee-Wee B's are undefeated in the playoffs, getting a 2-1 win over Chateauguay. Jordan Standup and Onawiio Two-Axe got the goals.

The Atom A's played their second game of the day and the score was 3-2, but this time the guys came up on the losing end of things, with Mercier scoring with 55 seconds left in the third. Kahonwase Rice and Tekana'tsase:re White scored for Kahnawake.

The Midget B's bombarded the Chateauguay goaltender with shot after shot after shot, and won the game 3-1. Timmy Deer got the hat-trick for the good guys.

Monday, March 8
Only one game on the agenda, and the Bantam A's took on Chateauguay where they got their first point of the playoffs with a 2-2 tie.

Tuesday, March 9
The Novice A's played their second game against Mercier and lost by a score of 7-0. One highlight from this game was at the beginning of the third period, when Kahnawake came in on a three-on-one, but failed to get the puck in the net.

More games next week !

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