Akwesasne

Akwesasne Territory on St. Lawrence River

Akwesasne
Mohawk Territory
Permanently Settled	1700's
Government
• Language	Kanien'kehá (official)
Population
• Demonym	Akwesasro:non
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Postal code span	H
Area code	(613)

The Mohawk Nation of Akwesasne (alternate spelling Ahkwesáhsne) is a Mohawk Nation territory located across the intersection of the New York-Ontario-Quebec borders on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Although divided by these borders, the residents consider themselves to be one community.

The name Akwesasne in Kanien'kehá means "Land Where The Partridge Drums".

Geography

Akwesasne includes the St. Lawrence River and the mouths of both the Raquette River and the St. Regis River and a number of islands in all three of the rivers. The territory is divided North/South by an international boundary. The northern portion is further divided by a provincial boundary.

Communities, Hamlets and Villages in Akwesasne

• Raquette Point, New York
• Rooseveltown, New York (disputed)
• Hogansburg, New York
• Kawehno:ke (Cornwall Island, Ontario)
• Kana:takon (Saint Regis, Quebec)
• Tsi:Snaihne (Snye, Quebec or Chenail, Quebec)
• Frogtown, New York
• Yellow Island, Quebec
• St. Regis Island, Quebec
• Outlying Islands

The Three Nations Crossing connects Kawehno:ke (Cornwall Island, Ontario) to the City of Cornwall in the north and Rooseveltown, New York in the south.

Because of the St. Lawrence River to the north and New York State, USA to the south, the Quebec portion of the Akwesasne reserve is an exclave claimed by Canada. In order to travel by land from Tsi:Snaihne or Kana:takon to elsewhere in Canada you have to drive through NY State.

In the U.S. state of New York, Akwesasne coincides with the St. Regis Indian Reservation. This portion of Akwesasne is bisected by New York State Route 37, a major state highway in the North Country of New York, extending for 127.40 miles (205.03 km) on a west-east axis.

Saint Regis Mission

Founded in 1755 by Roman Catholic Jesuit priests and groups of converted Kanien'kehá:ka from Kahnawake. Named after the French preacher Saint Jean François Regis, the mission also lends its name to the adjacent Saint Regis River, an island in the St. Lawrence River, the nearby village and the Saint Regis Indian Reservation. The village has since been renamed Kana:takon which translates as "the village."

Kana:takon School, originally called the Saint Regis Village School, was run by the Sisters of Saint Anne until the 1970s.

Today, the mission is still active and includes a rectory, a large stone church, and a cemetery.

The Roman Catholic parish at Akwesasne falls under three Dioceses because of the international and provincial borders,; Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, Diocese of Ogdensburg and Diocese of Valleyfield.

Despite its long history in the community, the Roman Catholic Church is no longer the dominant religion in Akwesasne.

Surrounding Communities

To the southeast Akwesasne borders the towns of Fort Covington, New York and Bombay, New York. Sections of the southeastern portion of Akwesasne are considered by the Town of Bombay to be within the town's jusidiction. To the West is the Town of Massena, New York.

Many islands in the St. Lawrence River are part of Akwesasne so neighboring communities include [1]

• Lac Saint-François and Salaberry de Valleyfield, Quebec
• Township of Summerstown, Ontario
• City of Cornwall, Ontario
• South Stormont, Ontario
• Township of Dundee, Quebec
• Saint-Anicet, Quebec
• Brockville, Ontario
• Village of Massena, New York
• Alexandria Bay, New York

Akwesasro:non have little contact with neighboring towns in Quebec partly due do perceived language barriers but mostly due to the stronger economic influence of Cornwall, Ontario and Massena, New York.

Government

Akwesasne is governed by three bodies; Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs (traditional government), Mohawk Council of Akwesasne in the North and Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe in the South.

Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs

The Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs (MNCC)(colloquially "the Longhouse") is the traditional governing and religious body of the Mohawk (Kahniakehaka) people. The MNCC operates as a member nation of the Iroquois Confederacy or Haudenosaunee.

Mohawk Council of Akwesasne

The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA) is an elected government within the northern districts of the territory claimed by Canada. The MCA was developed from the Indian Bands system introduced by the Indian Act of Canada and the Act's historical and legal predecessors. They are known to Canada as Mohawks of Akwesasne Bands 59 and 15.

The MCA operates as a non-partisan, representative democracy divided into three geographic and administrative districts.

The districts are Kana:takon (Saint Regis, Quebec) , Kawehno:ke (Cornwall Island, Ontario) and Tsi:Snaihne (Snye, Quebec). The several islands of the St. Lawrence River within the jurisdiction of the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne are generally counted as being a part of the nearest mainland.

General elections are held triannually with 12 representatives (Chiefs) chosen from the districts and one Grand Chief. Each district elects four Chiefs and all districts vote to elect a Grand Chief; making a council of 12 plus 1. A by-election may also be held if one or more of the seats become vacant.

Chiefs of the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne

Grand Chief

• Michael William Mitchell

Kana:takon District Chiefs

• Lawrence King
• Agatha Florance Phillips
• Julie Phillips-Jacobs
• Rachel Roundpoint

Tsi:Snaihne District Chiefs

• John Adams
• Joseph Lazore
• Karen Loran
• William Sunday

Kawehno:ke District Chiefs

• Abram Howard Benedict
• Wesley Benedict
• Brian William David
• Cheryl Jacobs

List accurate as of 27 June 2009 MCA election.

Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) is an elected government representing the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation, a southern district of the territory claimed by the United States of America. The SRMT operates as a Constitutional republic.

Chiefs of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe

• Chief Mark Garrow
• Chief Monica Jacobs
• Chief James Ransom
• Sub-Chief Stacy Adams
• Sub-Chief Pamela Brown
• Sub-Chief Ronald LaFrance

Governance: Canada and the United States

In 1960 First Nations people were enfranchised in Canada and in 1985 Status Indians who voted in a Canadian election were allowed to retain their status. Previously they would have become non-Status, as per the Indian Act. It is uncertain how many Akwesasro:non participate in Canadian elections, as to do so is taboo.

In 2009 Akwesasne was being represented in Canada's Parliament by:

• Claude DeBellefeuille -Bloc Québécois (Beauharnois-Salaberry, Quebec)
• Guy Lauzon -Conservative (Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry, Ontario)

In 2009 Akwesasne was being represented in the United States Congress by:

• Senator Charles Schumer (D- NY)
• Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D- NY)
• Representative: vacant. Previously held by John M. McHugh (R). The vacancy will be filled by Bill Owens (D) once he is sworn in, with the delay due to a formal vote recount.

Education

Akwesasne has five elementary schools on the territory. Three schools are under the direction of the Ahkwesahsne Mohawk Board of Education:

• Akwesasne Mohawk School K-4, K-5 grades 3,4,5,6
• Kana:takon School K-4, K-5, grades 7, 8
• Tsi:Snaihne School grades 1, 2 in the English program and pre-kindergarten to grade 5 in the Kanien'kehá:ka Immersion Program

One school is under the direction of the Salmon River Central School District:

• St. Regis Mohawk School Pre-K to grade 6

One school is run independently:

• Akwesasne Freedom SchoolPre-K to grade 8 Kanien'kehá Immersion

Generally, Akwesasnro:non travel off the territory for Secondary education.

Post Secondary education is offered on the territory through Iohahiio Adult Education and State University of New York extension programs with the SRMT.

Media

Radio

97.3 CKON-FM community radio station. First went on air on September 29, 1984. CKON is owned and operated by the Akwesasne Communication Society, a community-based non-profit group. It has a country music format, but also has adult contemporary music during evenings, a free format on Fridays and oldies on Sundays. CKON also broadcasts coverage of home and away games of Cornwall Colts and Akwesasne Wolves hockey teams as well as Akwesasne Lightning lacrosse team.

Print

Indian Time Newspaper / Akwesasne Notes

Attractions

• Akwesasne Mohawk Casino
• Akwesasne Cultural Center
• Ronathahon:ni Cultural Centre - formerly known as the Native North American Traveling College[2]
• Mohawk International Raceway - formerly known as Frogtown International Speedway; a dirt track racing oval and host of outdoor concerts.
• Akwesasne Annual International Pow-wow
• Strawberry Music Festival

Current Events and History

Current Events

On 1 June 2009, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) agents at the Canada Port of Entry at Akwesasne-Cornwall walked off the job in response to encampments of Akwesasro:non across the road from the customs facility protesting the arming of CBSA guards. The encampment, styled as a "unity rally", was branded as a campaign to bring awareness to complaints of alleged Human Rights abuses committed against Akwesasro:non by the CBSA Border Services Officers.

The protest had continued for several days but was expected to swell in numbers at midnight of 1 June as a new policy of arming Border Services Officers with Beretta Px4 Storm sidearms came into effect. The Border Services Officers left at the end of their shift and a new shift did not arrive, leaving the port of entry vacant.

Cornwall City Police blockaded the north terminus of the Three Nations Bridge to deny travelers entry into Canada. At the request of Canada, the New York State Police likewise blocked access from the United States onto the bridge. Akwesasne was cut off from its major access point into Canada and from free travel within the territory until a temporary border post was erected on July 13, 2009.

2001 "Anti-Globalization" Direct Action

The NYC Ya Basta Collective was a group of anti-globalization activists, based primarily in NYC, active from roughly October, 2000 through October, 2001.

Initiated in October, 2000 by L Fantoni and TFG Casper on the heals of the anti-IMF / World Bank protests in Prague, a collective soon formed and developed its own variation of the Tute Bianche tactic of the padded bloc. The collective organized several actions and events highlighting the inadequacy of borders, in support of immigrant rights, and against racism and racialist hate groups.

In April, 2001, this collective, along with the Direct Action Network, was active in organizing, after invitation, a US / Canada border crossing over the Three Nations Crossing, leading up to demonstrations surrounding the 3rd Summit of the Americas, a summit held in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. An estimated 500 anti-globalists, along with a few Akwesasro:non, challenged the legitimacy of the US/Canadian border. Although the Collective successfully and peacefully crossed into Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, they never made it to Quebec City.

Battle of the Cedars

Main article: Battle of the Cedars

The Battle of the Cedars (Template:Lang-fr) was a series of military confrontations, involving limited combat, between May 19 and 27, 1776, early in the American Revolutionary War. They took place at and around The Cedars, located 28 miles (45 km) west of Montreal, Quebec, in the later stages of the American colonial invasion of Quebec that began in September 1775.

Claude de Lorimier, a British Indian agent, from Montreal, traveled west to Oswegatchie, where there was a fort garrisoned by a company of the 8th Regiment of Foot under the command of Captain George Forster. He proposed to the captain that some Indians should be recruited, and an attack launched on Montreal from the west. When Forster agreed, Lorimier went to Saint Regis, where he recruited 100 Akwesasro:non.

History of disputes

Further information: Cornwall Island (Ontario)

The area has been the scene of several disputes on the rights of the residents to cross the border unimpeded. These issues have been a concern for Canadian authorities, as the area is alleged to be a large scale cigarette smuggling route from the U.S. There have been arrests and seizure of goods in the past. Conflicted feelings on gambling on the reserve have also led to violence in the past. In 1989 firebombs were thrown at a chartered bus and in a separate incident a shotgun was fired at a bus in the customs area .

See also

• Ganienkeh
• Kanesatake
• Kahnawake
• Tyendinaga
• Wahta
• Haudenosaunee
• Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

External links

• Mohawk Council of Akwesasne
• Akwesasne History
• Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe