Tuesday, November 15th
At the inaugural meeting of the recently elected council for Tsi Tkanatahere, individuals peacefully assembled to speak about homelessness. At the same time, others also gathered to challenge the sale of precious Green Space.
Listen to the Story Here
The Oneida Nation is one of five nations with an ancient binding relationship with each other. However, like other Nations, the post-contact period has this nation situated in a confined territory, as indicated on maps which forced European private property concepts.
When Oneidas were faced with resettlement efforts, relocating was based on preference. According to historical records; decisions were made with three distinct parties in addition to those who chose to remain.
One hundred eighty-two years ago, on October 9th, 1840, some 242 men, women and children travelled the Erie Canal to board a ferry at Buffalo. Stepping off a Ferry in Port Stanley, they started to walk to their newly purchased land.
The Bonafide Oneidas paid $41.00 each towards purchasing some 5,500 acres along the Thames river.
The proceeds were from coerced sales of their land in what is now called New York State. The province of Canada acted as a broker and did not purchase the land for them. Purchasing of their land placed the Bonafide Oneidas in a unique position. However, It raises the question of why the Federal and Provincial governments are interfering in their matters.
The move did not make the Oneida immigrants as history suggests; in fact, Payment was an act of diplomacy to share territory that served as hunting grounds.
The Oneida occupied settlements in Napanee called Ganneious before the Messassauga occupation in 1696. The area had also already been included in Earlier Negotiations providing a kick back for the second negotiators
Recently, that anniversary was celebrated by the descendants of some of those very same people. They were starting off in a north-westerly direction from Port Stanley, just as their ancestors did on that autumn day all those years ago.
…They agreed and told us we need to decide who is Bonafide and who isn’t
Darryl Chrisjohn
“the ones who were last to come did not pay for the settlement like our families did, and it caused a bunch of bad trouble, and then that’s when they did a roll call of the names and had a general council meeting, Bonafide Oneidas attended that meeting then they made membership list sent to the government they agreed and told us we need to decide who is Bonafide and who isn’t” … Explains Darryl Chrisjohn who completed the walk.
Marking a clear delineation between incorporated Canadian entities Controlling Band membership and the original membership controlled exclusively by the Bonafide Oneida.
Chrisjohn is evident when he speaks about the Bonafide Oneidas as not being in a hierarchical authority but as those descendants actively upholding agreements with deep roots in Onkwehonweneha over those who are negotiating as arms of a foreign government, including HDI.
Several chapters are yet to be discussed, but this is a starting point.
One crucial yet missing element from the pandemic health teaching was the information on our diets related to our immunity. Although it’s only a part of maintaining optimal health and wellness, It’s Important. As our lives begin to speed up again, now is the time to talk Microgreens.
Microgreens are simply vegetables harvested after growing the seed leaf with one set of true leaves that have developed. The young vegetables pack an incredible nutritional punch as they contain Higher Nutrients than their full-grown counterparts.
We reached out to 613UrbanFarms owner Brandon Bigtree to find out exactly how vital Onkwehonwe gut health is and how adding microgreens can have multisystem benefits.
Bigtree explains that when he considers the benefits of Microgreens, he primarily has positive thoughts about the superfoods. He explains that they are superfoods because of all the compact natural vitamins and nutrients and reduce vegetable consumption fatigue.
In addition to supplying your body with adequate nutrients, the gut-to-good mind connection is well established in scientific circles. Bigtree explains that providing the gut with the optimal amount of vitamins and minerals aids in thinking clearer and assists with overall disposition.
The gut-to-good mind connection is well established
Brandon Bigtree @ 613UrbanFarms
That’s not all; given the prevalence of diabetes within Onkwehonwe communities, it is exciting to know that some microgreens are beneficial in reducing the stress that limits Cellular Glucose Uptake and allowing for optimal cellular absorption.
Bigtree is encouraging our community members to forgo the convenience of the capsule vitamins due to the First Pass Metabolism of the liver. He emphasizes providing naturally sourced options instead where there is greater bioavailability of the nutrients.
He suggests starting with the Broccoli Microgreens and slowly adding others to your daily diet. In addition, Brandon provides hands-on consultation to all of our communities with seeds and grow kits packages.
We will be visiting him in Akwesasne soon, so stay tuned!
Images courtesy of 613UrbanFarms
The grassroots group, “Allies of Onkwehonwe,” collaborates with minds and spirits that seek to raise awareness of environmental and Onkwehonwe issues. The group has members from both Six Nations and surrounding communities.
Members have a passion for the environment and support the Kuswenta, and it is these two principles that are behind the group’s latest endeavour. The Allies of Onkwehonwe are invited to attend the Eviction Anniversary and Annual Call to Shut Down Line 5 Event held in Mackinaw City, MI.
The event itself raises awareness of the ageing pipeline owned and operated by Enbridge. They have been notorious sources of leaks and significant destructions of the Michigan watershed and giving way to the cause for alarm shown their harmful Track Record.
Line 5 pipeline serves the Canadian markets but takes a shortcut through Michigan. The Canadian multinational company continues to attempt to force their other pipeline, Line 3, through critical drinking water routes.
This isn’t the first time Allies of Onkwehonwe has shown support for MackinawOde. At the same time, they hosted their annual Pipe Out Paddle up Flotilla in the Mackinaw straight; the Allies of Onkwehonwe hosted a similar event along our beloved Grand River with education, speakers, and a silent auction and a donation only lunch.
“This is a great opportunity to solidify a working partnership with other water protectors surrounding the Great Lakes and continue to work in the spirit of the Two Row Wampum. In addition, we hope to gain tremendous first-hand knowledge from these incredible water defenders so that we can support them in their fight against Enbridge and use those lessons to stand against them at home.”
~Allies of Onkwehonwe
Follow their Facebook page @Allies of Onkwehonwe or Email sorcja@hotmail.com to find out how you can support this fantastic opportunity.
Indian office, Toronto, Fifth January 1841
The Lieutenant Governor has directed me to inform the deputations of chiefs from the Grand River that he has maturely considered their speech to him and particularly that important part of it which relates to the occupation of their lands by white people without authority.
The Lieutenant Governor is of opinion that very great difficulties will be found in any medium course between the expulsion of all intruders or non-interference, as experience has shown that with all the anxiety to do justice, and with all the care exercised to prevent injury to Indian interest, the interference of the Indians themselves, continually, has created new difficulties, to which there seems to be no end, and yet the Government is expected to compromise its own character by judging what is right and wisely recommended by the Indians, or what, on the other hand, maybe capriciously or corruptly counselled by them.
The Lieutenant Governor is of opinion that there can be no remedy found for the continuance of this unsatisfactory and embarrassing state of affairs while the lands remain general property under circumstances in which it is no reproach to the Indians to say they cannot manage the estate for the general interests of the tribes.
The Lieutenant Governor, therefore, considers that it would be very much the benefit of the interests of the Indians if they surrendered into the hands of the Government the whole tract with the exception of such part of it as they may choose to occupy as a concentrated body, so that the same may be disposed of by Government; and the Lieutenant Governor therefore strongly recommends that this course be adopted by them, that they immediately select a tract of sufficient extent to give each head of a family or grown-up man a farm of 100 or 200 acres, for cultivation in the most eligible situation on the river, together with a further quantity to be reserved for firewood and other contingencies; that the Indians then remove to this track and live together as a concentrated body upon the farms assigned to them, and that the residue of the track be surrendered to be disposed of for the exclusive benefit of the Indians.
The Lieutenant Governor is also of opinion that when the Indians are to settle together there will be no difficulty in keeping away intruders or similar punishing them should they persevere in committing trespass on their attractive land.
The Lieutenant Governor feels confident that the proceeds of the sale of the residue of the land and the timber growing upon it will retrieve the affairs of the six nations Indians, as well as confer on the section of the province a lasting benefit, by bringing into cultivation a large tract of the finest description of land, which at present is not only unproductive to the Indians, but absolutely useless to them in every point of view, and which is considered by the public a bar to the improvement and prosperity of the districts in which it is situated, and in fact, a nuisance which the public have the right to call upon Government to abate.
It is a necessary for the Lieutenant Governor again to express the great anxiety felt by the Queen’s Government to promote the interest of the Indians and to carry out such a system in the management of their affairs as may conduce to this end, and the Lieutenant Governor, therefore, trusts that I remember of the community of the Six Nations Indians will believe him when he states that if he were not firmly convinced that the plan proposed in this communication was the most proper for their adoption he would not have recommended it.
Surrender of Residual Lands, 1841
Samuel P Jarvis to a delegation of Mohawk Chiefs on behalf of acting Lieutenant-Governor Sir George Arthur
Great Britain treaties, Indian treaties and surrenders, one, 119-120
(No correction for Grammer or spelling made)
If you believe this one, Have I got a deal for you!!
