Akwesasne Fairy Tale – This Chain of Frauds does not a legality make
By Kahentinetha and Katenies, MNN Mohawk Nation News
March 8, 2007

This is a response to “The History of the Three Chiefs System and the Constitution of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe” by Darren Bonaparte and Russ Jock (August 28, 2006). We felt compelled to comment because the Mohawks and the general population do not know about this. The corporate entity known as the “St. Regis Mohawk Tribe” [Inc.], are spouting they are the “Nation” and have the sovereignty of the Mohawks to wheel, deal and lobby our rights and lands away for a private casino for themselves and their outside benefactors. Read on.

March 5, 2007. This report on the “history” of the “three chiefs system” at Akwesasne was done for the understanding of a federal judge named Peebles. After he reads this he’s going to be even more confused. The question being grappled with is how the Bureau of Indian Affairs BIA, the federal government and New York State government can put in place once and for all a form of colonial governance that will control the Mohawk community of Akwesasne. People are asking how did all this happen? This should not be taken personally. We are merely giving feedback.

At first glance it seems that the SRMT is putting in place agreements to tie everybody up and kill any independent economic means. They want everybody to become “welfare bums” so we become dependent on their casino and their agreements which they call “hand outs”. They know only too well the only true form of governance is the Longhouse traditional government of the majority of the people. Now they want to convince everybody, “We’re traditional and we’re going to put a steeple on the longhouse faster than you can say “God bless America”! The true underlying longhouse reality is missed in this report.

In passing it acknowledges the Onkwehonewe who are original to the land and who have the rights that go with it. There is a complete denial of our great history and development of the world’s greatest democracy. The Peacemaker is “Dekanawida”. The leaders were not chosen by the “clan mothers”. They were nominated by the people and put up by the clan mothers.

The constant reference to the Mohawk Nation as “tribes” is demeaning. A “tribe” is a “barbarous group of animals ranking between genus and order”. In other words, it is a low form of human grouping. Maybe those who follow the orders of the colonial office find themselves in this category. The Mohawk Nation does not.

According to international law there has to be a vote by a “majority of the eligible electors” on a clear question. If everyone’s voice is equal, how can 600 vote and decide for 17,000 people? This is referred to as a “thorough community discussion” even though the voice of the majority (Longhouse people) is ignored. Why do they call 900 people voting in a referendum to decide on a form of government as being the “will of the people”? It is the will of a few “sell-outs”!

Page 3. Throughout the Mohawk Nation is constantly insulted by being referred to as “a “tribe” that is “federally recognized” for the portion that lies south of the 45th parallel”. In fact they speak for the minority who follow colonial laws that the colonial state chooses to listen to.

This is supposed to be a “non-partisan” chronology of key events. It does not tell us who paid for this study that is partial to the colonial view. Why can’t others with a contrary view get funds to present another side of the story? This project was probably funded by New York State who want their illegality to look legal.

Page. 4. The missionary based “Seven Nations” is an alliance of Christian communities on the St. Lawrence River. Their allegiance would be to the Pope in Rome. Apparently funds, reported to be in the hundreds of millions, have been put in trust since 1797. Some greedy people in Akwesasne and elsewhere are posing as Seven Nations people to claim this money.

“It was not the creation of New York State and forced on us at gunpoint. …it grew out of the cultural roots of our own traditional leadership customs and evolved over time”. Colonialism is a step into the Dark Ages, not evolution! The Three Chiefs System is a corrupt colonial system that has created conflict in Mohawk communities.

Page 5. The Great Law history and evolution was brushed aside as “some form of leadership had guided them to that location in more ancient times”. What? How about for thousands of years?

The lie is perpetuated that the St. Lawrence Iroquois have “disappeared” so that the colonists can squat on our land and say that no Indigenous people were here. Jacques Cartier was not taken into the center of the village. No stranger was allowed in for the sake of security. Especially perverts like Cartier. They are taken into a visitor’s enclosed area. Cartier’s writing is romantic nonsense for Europeans he wanted to extort money from for his travels.

Page. 9. Mainly colonially approved documents are relied upon, such as federal Indian law and New York State papers that do not respect the laws and agreements between us nor support our sovereignty. These reports serve a colonial agenda. Not dealt with is the on-going conflict between the traditional Longhouse and the puppet governments that have been forced on us. Our attention is shifted to a conflict between two competing colonial ideologies vying for power and recognition by outsiders.

P. 10. The Six Nations Iroquois never surrendered our land to anyone. Christian Indians cannot become treaty making entities as they do not have valid title according to international law. They are riding on the colonial ship helping their masters point their guns at us.

Page. 13. Everyone knows these deals and treaties signed by a non-Mohawk, Louis Cook, are scams. His father is Black and mother an Abenaki. [No racism intended here.] He was a lieutenant colonel in the British army. The other scoundrel is Joseph Brant, who was a British subject and captain in the British Army. He translated for the Confederacy. The British knew full well he could not make deals on our behalf. He was deposed as a “Pine Tree” chief [which is strictly ceremonial] in 1805 by the entire Confederacy and War Chiefs for his treachery.

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