Ganienkeh Territory (November 29, 2012) – Despite an online land auction set to take place tomorrow, The Ganienkeh Council Fire declares that the results of the auction are irrelevant to its territorial rights. As a sovereign and independent territory of the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) Nation, Ganienkeh Territory and its residents are not subject to the laws or the courts of the United States of America, New York State, Clinton County, or the town of Altona. The outcome of the lawsuit launched by the Turtle Island Trust on November 28th (New York Supreme Court Case 2012-00001702) and of the online auction scheduled by Clinton County for Friday, November 30, are therefore not relevant to Ganienkeh.
As a public service to anyone who is considering bidding in Clinton County’s auction on Friday, the Ganienkeh Council Fire would like to clarify the following points:
First, Ganienkeh Territory is not for sale. The Ganienkeh Council Fire has held sovereign and aboriginal title to its territory since the beginning of time. Clinton County, New York State and the United States of America have never extinguished its sovereign title. Anyone who thinks otherwise is free to make a donation to Clinton County on Friday.
Second, the people of Ganienkeh will never leave their land. The land belongs to the people of Ganienkeh and it runs in their blood. The people of Ganienkeh will never, ever walk away from their land.
Third, neither Uncle Sam nor New York State can move the people of Ganienkeh off their land. Everyone knows how unfair American courts have historically been to Indian people, but today the courts recognize Ganienkeh’s sovereign immunity. This makes it impossible to bring a lawsuit against us to force the people of Ganienkeh off their land if one “wins” at the so-called auction.
Fourth, the Ganienkeh Council Fire wishes to remind its neighbors that it has never, ever accepted any funds or support whatsoever from the U.S. federal government, New York State, Clinton County or anyone else. The reason Ganienkeh was created was to free its people from the culture of dependency and subservience that Europeans have tried to instill within Indian communities for the past five hundred years. The people of Ganienkeh will not succumb to that failed system.
Finally, the Ganienkeh Council Fire wants to underscore that the Ganienkeh people are not the aggressors in this matter. The Ganienkeh people respect their neighbors, including Clinton County residents, and have a history of working with other communities in a mutually beneficial and productive manner. They intend to continue this tradition.
May peace, wisdom, and justice prevail.
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