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TtWfl A Voice From The Eastern Door January 28, 1987 Volume 5, Number 2 Mid-Winter Ceremonial Mid-Winter — Setekasene February 3, 1987 | f J I hit Day at \\ itinors she \uinl for mi he Akuesasnc wn above. From left >st original, Jeremiah 1 Mnhaivk School. Pre-K to right are Perry, I'oint, for the fun- niest/ Megan Barnes, second place for most original, and LoriAnn Leaf, second place for funniest. Hats off to all the winners. Photo:Tina Sunday 'n lured ;il)i 'iurn' of the 'l.ii rnir.nl t i ,.1111. ve is Frank Jockb Aged and G.V.S. student 1 rough the Co-operati lent tip Akiyttsasne Connie.Michell. re Education!/ 'Pro* • photp: T«?rnsa Davicf: , i'iicral Vai •HI -HH) m ! ,lti \ V ('(111 -. lo qua ;li->!i, Ilislo Mia lies, C( Co-operative Native Students a Vaniler Secondary Education for ier .Secondary School in ,C live students, fifleeiv of •ation credits. Thi) studeM: it\ tor the program: B •y. Mohawk Language, Na.t mpulor Programming; Af i.i Processing, Anton Shop and .Law in program outlines. There are six bc n grades eleven ami twelve who are a 'I In- placed in work stations. The stu •il l.nlerpi-iKos: Pain David, Akwo,sa: me, Akwojsasno \jlusoum: Connie Mi Inn Oukes, Akwosasno Home' of Mitt union Mitchell, Mohawk Council iu? ksun, St. Regis Catholic Church 1 ilili Sorvici s, St. Regis: Lorraine MftJZ mi! loin Delormier, Canadian Til • crican In lian Travelling College-; -.-. csasiK! Police: Tammy Mitcli.ell,;S;t- ! Hence Thompson, Cornwall Island, \lost of ihe work stations are on,the -ylosses no.ir Akwosasno have shoW.1 .'Icnis next year. Mr. Peter (ireerir .nation Coordinator at (ieneral Vanii i he sludont ; ire somesti • i ii n lo the i-\ receive .-, arils their i he studonis receive valuable assislai i c.'iroors aijul some stations lead ;U*;p i (.reono has boon asked to supply in lung up thci 1 same'program at'theSi.> i-:i- Iligli School students. go to their appointed wot M\ At the end of their, wo High School for a rOgula two extra credits from diploma. General ornwall, Ontario has hoiir are taking 00V must fake these sub- ilding : eoiisifcuotion. ve-.SfUdioiOVr-l, Fajnj- oiiiithig, iSiH-rotfti'iaj. ;ir dot • M o«j n ply with ;s and-nine gliMs,; all Ireadv plirtHutorvSOoii:. louUs arc Koss Oakes, ie; lihriirA', -Hob'epTa•'; ehell,.' ; .\iai'iun While,! \gedi: Kelly hazoie; •A kw'osashe;- iiteauno rishi .-\JSlaocy JtVhilo, Akwetfashe Mohawk ; Jastm Mall;; Nui'jihr. ttioiiias: NtiirthiircH, Regis -V tllago S'rfci qi»l: ifay Cure.'.;-,;•.. -•\ :'^\;.. •eservafion,. although ah uVMM'ost jn {aking isthe. (^-operative;! k stalionstlaiiy for an, k teiMft, the'siudoiiits semester ',<rt- classes.;: their i Ilaudenosaunne Meets New York State Education Department Representatives of the'New York State Education Depart- ment mot with members of the llaudenosaunee Confederacy January 8 in Albany., N.V. in a session termed \historic\ by one state'official. The meeting was the; first lime the Kducation Department bad consulted the Haudenosaunee with regards'to developing a•cirriculum and teaching guide for use in New York's junior and senior high schools. The meeting occured because Akwesasne Mohawk teacher John.Kahionhes | addon had reviewed a copy of the State's 'proposed V987-K8 social studies syllabus for grades seven, eight:and eleven which includes references about native peo- ple-in general and the Haudenosaunee in particular. Kahionhes •'found the syllabus to be '\groatIv disturbing\'becauseof its \in- accuracies\ and \nmmissions\ and because! it fails to use native writers. : \-'Ka-Wonhes ; contacted the state to arrange a meeting to discuss his concerns.and notified members of the different Haudenosaunee. nations including Dr. Hazel Dean-John, }i Seiieca working as a consultant for the Education Department in•-Albany. • [ - ' Edward I\. Liilo'r, Division (if I'rogram Planning 'Director.- iigfeedaftoi' the meeting to work with the Haudenosaunee to •irttfke revisions in the syllabus and lo contract with the dif- f(H % €*nt nations for the unting of a teacher's guide for use in schools across the state. La'lor said the meeting was the first lime: the/state had involved the Haudenosauneo in its cir- ricukim dovelopment. According to the preliminary agreement worked out bet- ween the state and the Haudenosauneo present at the meeting the native nations ..would select writers from amongst their citizens to prepare a -critique' of the social studies syllabus and tti write the teachersguide, which includes the preparation of .resource material written by Haudenosaunee by llaudeno- When the constellation of stars called \Ona kwa ta\ is direct- ly over our homes, we then wait for the New Moon. Upon see- ing the New Moon, we will sleep five times and the following morning will be the first day of Mid-Winter, also called the New Year, and in Mohawk is called \sa te ko se ne\. In the Mohawk world, this is one of the main highlights of the year. It will consist of five consecutive days of ceremonies: 1st day: There will be 3 Great Feathered Dances a) The first Great Feather Dance sponsored by the Faith Keepers b) The se- cond Great Feather Dance sponsored by the Chiefs and Clan- mothers c) The third Great Feather Dance is for the Creator and is sponsored by the entire Mohawk Nation. 2nd Day: The Longhouse divides into two parties. The clans of the Wolf, Turtle, and snipe (men and women) enter the Longhouse through the East door or, as it is ususallv referred to as the inens' door. The Bears, Eels, Deer and Beaver enter the Womens' door from the West. The main event is the Stirr- ing of the Ashes Ceremony. 3rd Day: The White Dog Ceremony (Sun, Moon and Sta'i\- Dance). The people bring sacred tobacco. 4th Day: Atonwa, Persona! Thanksgiving, Children's name giving, and Drum Dance. Sth Day: \Ka ien ta wa no\ or Peachstone Bowl Game. Bring yoiar favorite possession to give as a prize lo whichever side of Ihij house wins the game. Renewals of the different medicine societies will be an- nounced and is usually done irt tihe ^.afternoons. We acknowledge our good fortune of the p ist year and request Of the Creator to let all the powers of all I fe to prosper and con- tinue to be supportive of our lives. In words of appreciation we the Mohawk five days to.honor the Creator. This year there will be a mi Four children from the Akwesasne Fre edom School will open song, in dance and in people set aside these Winter. «ng Prayer ail In a middle-aged man to j youngest of the four the ceremonies each day with the Mohawk. This task is difficult for ev do. On one of the days of Mid-Winter children is only 4 years old. Also an important part of the Mid?) brng human life in harmony with the not forget we-are but one form of C respect the lives of others. Remember those wishing home VjsJjs.; must faithkeepers/ Remember to dress in traditional styk and please bring your own eating utensils so that we don't wwfle paper, cups, plates and utensils. ' • • - ', • -....'••'';-:-.-'.V •'..\-'•.-] •\ Native people who would like to jon the traditionalcom munity- in guests to the celebrations are wetcon^e but please announce th&xhiefs or clanmottiers.' p ..\• OiidndagaChief Irying .Powless noted he; lias been working for.many vears with tho teuchers al Lafayette High School, Which mostOnondaga students attend, to develop courses and ideas that would encourage the teaching of the truth about : native people. . Also attending the mooting were Akwesasne Mohawk Tom Pprter, Jaic:) Swamp, Doug-dcorgc-Kancnliio and Kahionhes. Oihei- Haudenusaiinee theve wore Hay Halbrjter. Leo Henry, Stii Pattersiiin, Haa:l Doiui-JoluV, L-xing l\)wlessaivl UKBI SlKi e in deciding ftiliiijo rHiine: •'•e.inployijitint...'. orihalion (<> assist in Nations Koservo hn; •' • \•' Tribal Chiefs Meet With Cigarette Retailers Regis Mohawk Tribal Council Chiefs Brenda LaFrance, Rosemary Bonaparte and Julius Heine inot with Paul Thomp- son and Marshall Garrow, ropresenlatix'es of the Comnumitv Etonomic Action C!ommiltee, a cigarette retailer group, at the Community Building in Tekahswenkarorens January 17 to di(icuss the (l.E.A.C:. s proposal on controlling the marketing of lopacoo |)roduc.ts h(»re at Akwesasne. J} he session'at the tribal offices was monitored \by the M-ohxiwk Nation Council of Chiefs with former Tribal Chief Leonard Garrow also present. C.E.A.C. spokesman Paul Thompson and Marshall'Garrow agreed with the Tribal Chiefs that there was a need to main- tain open lines of communication while approaching the cigarette tax problem with a willingness to discuss reasonable alternatives to the present confrontational situation. : The 1 C.E.A.C. submitted their proposal to the 'Tribal Chiefs which Chief LaFrance described as, \offers several positive; aspects such as providing needed financial resources to ad- dress services lo tho community in important social, economic and cultijral areas.\ . Chief. LaFrance noted however that the - retailers, \have recognized thev have responsibility lo compensate the com- inunitv for using tho tribe's communal tax exemption rights.\ Paul*. Thompson said that while the C.E.A.C.-did not have all of its members present he felt he could say that the group was. looking for the Tribal Council to create a business governing Ipdv that would be fair and impartial with rules applicable to all cigarette retailers. The Tribal' Chiefs maintained the tribe had a 'right to establish a regulatory system which if created, would be as fur as possible. The Tribal Council also accepted the respon- sibilitv of fighting against Now York State taxes and the erosion c:f native international border rights. In return for defending tative rights tho Tribal Council told the C.E.A.C. they must pay lieir outstanding debts to the tribe, now estimated to bo in the lens of thousands of dollars. . The C.E.A.C. expressed its willingness to continue meeting \iith the Tribal Council with I he businessmen's cigarette tax it:gulations the subject of further discussions. . . -. Also attending the. January 17 scission were Wesley (laughing of the tribes Planning Office and Harold Tarboll, a ipembeit of the Akvvesasne Business Committee. Cerempny is to Ural world. We must and are obliged to the 1 Native Women's |^ Meets With Akwe$asii0 Tp Discuss Membership Code t he President of the Native Women's Association of Canada, Marlyn Kane, met January 18 witlrAkwjsasnej'epresetiVaJivesV i Kan'atakon. to discuss ihe Mohawk\-.(tjbufieilI of AkVyesasiie'S >ioposed new membership code. : ?; X. .'. •.'•''••}:,''.'~\'.-'••'• .',• Ms Kane was accompanied by -'Anile and Lyijn Chabol. piesentingj the Ontario Native Woiit Hi's Assoeuilioii,: with ii'legates fro^i the throe councils here it Akwesasne-plus the, M C As Mertibership Committee also ii attendance^ .;• • ; Ms. Kane, a| Mohawk from Kahnawakti, told the meeting fliat he guide her\-organization develqped last year, entitled tf A nst Nation Citizenship Code\ stressfs^ tlie iiriportance. far\ i.itiv(! people to control their own'.membership\separate.froni he Canadian Department of Indian aruI. Northern^^ Affairs. ihe introduction to the Citi/<jiish|p Cpd6 states that: • ^ No state, through legislation, negotiation or other means, h if h h g g g hall take actions that interfere with (he ndigenous nation or group: to ; ;' hi\ sovereign power of an deter nil tte its pvyn o;vn t of MUMiibeiship. . v Ms. Kane affirmed that statement b inanity has the right to develop its o;v hecause citizenship is a critical concept o uuide the Canadian Indian Act is dl^ i)ec:ause communities can ignore mining membership.\ — .', '•:• The Citizenship Code has been circul Ued . 'urding to Kane but has not yi^^ inited States. Kane noted that \kwesasne were fortunate in having governments that assisted in the creation codes but that other native soc^ftes Continued .on Page 6 saying, \Every cum- membership rUles nationhood. In our ately not referred to when, they are deter- ' V ' ' '' . V.; / ./. / across Canada ac- introduced into the cMnmunities such as traditional laws and of membership wure not as fortunate. Birigfo Hall located on Rooseveltown Road photwstaff Ration Releases Thompson Bingo Statement The Mqhawk Nation Council of Chiefs released a list of the outstanding debts owed by Loran Thompson's proposed 'Singo Jack' operation near Niento. Theeftatement supplied by the Tri-State Management Company, and given to the Nation Ccmncil January 9, showed Thompson owing the Indiana firm -.',$166^21:22. ''. ^ :. According to. sources within the Council the Tri-State com- pany Vindicated they would not give Thompson any money because they felt Thompson had \misled\ the company by in- : diQating Thompson had Nation approval when in fact the Na- tion turned down the bingo jack idea. ''•-. The Mohawk Nation met with James Roos, an investor with >Tri-State, at Akwesasne to discuss the contracts previously signed by Thompson and the latest proposal agreement. SkHifCes indicate the contracts, earlier turned down by the Na- tido, Were drawn up by Michael Myers, a Seneca, and Robert Antqne, an Oiieida from the Thames community. ''... The Nation Council has also stated that the letter of support sighed by Bear Clanmothers Harriet Boots, Elizabeth Clute and Rosemary David has no legal substance and does hot bind either the Bear Clan or the Nation to any agreement with Tri- \ '' ' 11 New York State Tax '•\ James Roos said his company would not make any in- vestments without the Nations approval. The St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Council said it would sue Thompson to stop the bingo jack because it violated the Tribe's bingo rules. According to sources within the Council the Indiana investor JVoos told the chiefs when he met with them that he would never have never made any financial committment with Thompson if the three clanmothers had i-efused to sign the agreement. When Boots, Clute and David gave their approval, Roos said, he went ahead and made an agreement with [Thompson. Department Meets With Mohawks Delegates from the three councils at Akwesasne met with of- ficials from the State of New York in Albany, NY. January 6 to idiscuss the use; of Indian tax exempt status by cigarette retailers here. Mohawk Nation chief Ron LaFrance told the state officials at the beginning of the meeting that the'Mohawk councils would not \be tax collectors for New York. What we want is a govern- ment to government relationship. New York must recognize Indian government authority. Indian government must be as self reliant as possible and must control cigarette taxes (at i Akwesasne).\ ] New York State Tax Commissioner Roderick Chu said he was {sympathetic to the tax problems Indian people were experien- cing but his office was unclear as. to the full extent of native sovereignty. Chu said, \We are blazing new ground here. We have our staff lawyers working on this problem but they are ihesitant to take a position that might be overturned by a state [judged don't understand federal treaties with Indians but I am encouraged by this discussion. I think there are potential soki- itions and I will report to the Governor (Mario Cuomo) that I am Cautiously optimistic.\ The State met with the Mohawks at the request of the Akwesasne leadership in an attempt to solve the cigarette marketing problem here. It has been alledged by the Mohawk leaders that the present activities of a number of unlicensed cigarette retailers might result in the loss of the state tax free (Status now enjoyed by the Indian people. Commissioner Chu . responded to this fear by saying Indian regulations might well | vyork in concert with state rules without any loss of Indian i rights but he indicated something had to be done by the Indian governments to control what is now a difficult legal and political problem for New York. Commissioner Chu observed that technically the retailers were not fulfilling the law, by failing to collect taxes from non- The cooks for the Hot Lunch Program at Akwesasne Mohawk School are Mamie David and Betty Swamp and their helper Beverly Thompson.Photo: Teresa David Hot Lunch Program at Akwesasne Mohawk School The'Hot'Lunch Program has, grown from Hot Dog in Corn* wall Island once a week to full hot lunches five days a week. It went to a full week on November 1 after a survey of the parents showed a support for the program. '..'.'.' Mamie David and Betty 'Swampare head cooks.and they feed an average of 150 people a day. Their substitute cooks are IBeverly-Thompson-, Dannv Cook, Mareia White, and Oarlehe white! ; '--.. .-. ^ ..- \•-..' •;;;>.^ l v-t. ; --.\r ? ; ; - ..'• • '•:[,• The school lias grades One to Four on thepnain floor and the grades Five to Eight on the second;fl<jbr: One cook works^n a kilehel on each-floor and serves to that floor. Each week there are two senior students who luelp wi,riiijhe;8erving of the lun- ches and see that they are delivered safe and warm to the students. The students also receive cmitt: for their help which goes towards their home economics^iriar^v The hot lunch is served to the students and staff of the Akwesasne Mohawk School as well as the Island Day Care children and the^re- Kindergarten students, their lunch is picked up by a staff member and delivered to them at the Old School. The cooks do the preliminary preparations for the meals at home and put them together at the schoolthe next day. There is rarely anything that goes to waste. After everyone is served, anything that is left over is always sold to those! who are wan- ting seconds. They are at the school from 9 a;m: until 1 p!m. every day. Thet are always looking for substitute cooks and -helpers- If you are interested in helping, please call 93[#-6971. The program is thriving and to help keep it going the students are currently selling! raffle tickets,-'The draw is for a Microwave Oven, (1st Prize) and a Box of Valentine's Day Can- dy (2nd Prize). Drawing date is February 13* 19*7, As an added . incentive there is a prize of a Pizza Lunfch.tb theclass who sells the most tickets and a $5.00 prize to ttW seller <*f^he. iwinning ticket. Tickets are available froni arty student of the Akwesasne Mohawk School. Please support a verv wor;:hwhite. program.;' \ .' .:' . ':.-;•:• i y^'/,:.. '- ; '!--..,• '. .'.,.'•.' Continued on Page 5 'Bingo Contract' Indian cigarette buyers because r ChU«iid/the 0 T S. Supreme Court had given states that option in a rpcept decision. Major John Lawliss, the northern New York commander of the State Police noted that the Akwesasne community had a long history of internal disputes involving different ''factions\ within the reservation. Major Lawliss said it would be difficult to enforce state law on the reservation but that vehicles transporting cigarettes on state highways, including Indianautomobiles and trucks, could be seized if they did not h*ve tax exemption rights. •.'\ • '••'\:•\• : --''.';;\; : . : :\'; ;: - T - ''•'•'\ :/ : ','': Robert Batson, \legal counsel to Governor Cuomo, said he was concerned about how to recognize Indian rights without,, as Assistant Tax Commissioner Frank Muooz noted,, \violating state law.'\ '•'.-•.. '.'•'•'\!•''::'.•>':;•••'••-':•• /-\''•' .•.-•' The Mohawk delegation brought up the problems they were having with a state licensed cigarette whole«ater who was con- tinuing to enter Akwesasne to do business contrary to the wishes of the Mohawk councils. The state said the dealer, Leo \Junior\ Attea of Buffalo, N.Y., could be arrested by the state if he was found to be making tranfers of uiuuunped cigarettes to Indians off the reservation. The state officials promised they would continue to monitor Attea but needed more informa- tion from Akwesasne if they were to prevent him from enter- ing the'reservation. ' . ••':. s \';.-v'•••:••'. Continued on Page 7 \NYS Meetfaig\ V /'•v
