Mohawk Racial Discrimination In Ontario

[Johnnny]

I think Gabriel's position is quite reasonable. We welcome all who make a reasonable effort to integrate into Canadian society. Why could the Mohawk not welcome all who make a reasonable effort to learn the Mohawk language and culture and integrate into Mohawk society?

that is a solid approach

 

[Machjo]

This issue has been gaining ground for a number of years as more and more women with aboriginal heritage marry outside their ethnic group. It has resulted in more and more non-aboriginals living on reserves, thus undermining the status quo. Naturally the males who tend to run these reserves are somewhat upset at the fact that there are a number males living on the reserves that don't necessarily think the way that they do. Since aboriginal women do not have equal status with men in that their spouses are not accorded the same privileges as women who marry aboriginals they are at a disadvantage in this showdown. We'll just have to wait and see how this works out, as the Federal government does not have much of a say in this matter.

I realize that there is only so much the feds can do, as this is really an internal matter for the Mohawk Nation. However, considering how small their numbers are, you'd think the Mohawks would see this as an opportunity to promote and develop their culture. After all, with more non-Mohawks living on the reserve, their children will go to a Mohawk school to learn the Mohawk language and culture, etc. thus expanding their numbers and the spread of their language and culture. By booting these mixed couples off-reserve, they're essentially sending the children of these Mohawk women off to French-medium or English-medium schools where they'll be immersed in French or English culture, thus essentially cutting off the next generation of mixed children from the Mohawk culture. So instead of mixed couples' children learning Mohawk culture, they'll learn another culture. Hey, if their goal is to genocide their own culture, that's the way to go about it.

 

[Machjo]

Actually, what is that band council thinking? If I were a Mohawk, and loved my culture so, I'd obviously want as many people as possible to learn it. To actually have people move onto the reserve of their own free will and send their children to a Mohawk-medium school would be like a dream come true! It couldn't get any better than that. The British Council and the Canadian International Development Agency spend millions of dollars a year in the promotion of their languages and cultures around the world. The Alliance Francaise does the same. Now here we have people falling right into the Mohawks' lap, and they kick them out? That's like cursing the gold nugget in your shoe, taking your shoe off, and chucking the gold nugget away in anger.

 

[Johnnny]

sounds like they missed the boat on this one lol

 

[Machjo]

sounds like they missed the boat on this one lol

No kidding! It only takes half a brain to see the friggin' opportunity here. Think about it. If you have white children going to Mohawk-medium schools, then suddenly these schools get more government funding, and the schools must hire more teachers to teach the Mohawk language and culture, thus increasing the economic value of their culture. And if a few of these children become future authors, translators, teachers, etc. they could enrich the Mohawk language and culture too. Obviously if they go to a French or English medium school instead, then that funding goes to those schools instead, and those children will contribute to our cultures instead. How often do you chuck the gold nugget you find in your shoe? Sure it might be uncomfortable at first, but only until you take it out of the shoe and put it a more appropriate place like your pocket. You don't chuck the thing into the swamp :angryfire:

 

[Liberalman]

I realize that there is only so much the feds can do, as this is really an internal matter for the Mohawk Nation. However, considering how small their numbers are, you'd think the Mohawks would see this as an opportunity to promote and develop their culture. After all, with more non-Mohawks living on the reserve, their children will go to a Mohawk school to learn the Mohawk language and culture, etc. thus expanding their numbers and the spread of their language and culture. By booting these mixed couples off-reserve, they're essentially sending the children of these Mohawk women off to French-medium or English-medium schools where they'll be immersed in French or English culture, thus essentially cutting off the next generation of mixed children from the Mohawk culture. So instead of mixed couples' children learning Mohawk culture, they'll learn another culture. Hey, if their goal is to genocide their own culture, that's the way to go about it.

The mohawk nation has tried for centuries to be accepted by the whites but the whites never will because of their prejudices so the mohawks have no choice but to act in their own preservation.

Oka is still fresh in their minds

 

[ironsides]

The Indian Act says that a non-native guy can marry a native woman but she loses her status. A native guy can marry a non-native woman and she can become status. That is not tradition,that is imposed by our society. It sounds like they are evicting non-status people from the reserve using the Indian Act as an excuse or reason. This is also not traditional but fully within the rights set forth in the Indian Act, which they did not sign nor were they consulted during its drafting.

Politicians cannot say anything since it is the government that made up the rules. If they object, they would have to rewrite the act or trash it. Trashing it would lead to a legal battle they are not willing to fight and rewriting it would have to involve the aboriginal people and would have to acknowledge the fact that the Indian Act was an attempt at apartheid in the first place. A case of damned if you don't and damned if you do.

Thanks Cliffy, I was hoping you would jump in.

 

[ironsides]

It is not what they perceive ownership to be, it is our concept of it that we should concern ourselves with. They are an independent country living within Canada as are the tribes living in the U.S. Just a little point. An American Indian policeman can go outside the reservation investigating a crime and if necessary put someone under arrest. (individual state controls that power of authority)

 

[EagleSmack]

So it is OK to be sexist providing you are First Nation males?

 

[Johnnny]

They sound like some of the White man they bitch about in my opinion lol

 

[Machjo]

The mohawk nation has tried for centuries to be accepted by the whites but the whites never will because of their prejudices so the mohawks have no choice but to act in their own preservation.

Oka is still fresh in their minds

Hmmm... We're talking about whites who not only married Mohawk women but also moved onto a reserve surrounded by Mohawks. I doubt very much these are the same whites who wanted to build a golf course on a Mohawk burial ground or the white throwign rocks at the Mohawks after the Mohawk crisis;-)

Logic 101.

 

[Johnnny]

Im white but my family from both sides came after the whole settle-reserve issue.... So if anyone accuses me of taking there land there ****ing idiots.

 

[Machjo]

They sound like some of the White man they bitch about in my opinion lol

Yup. But those white racist bigots have one up on those Mohawk racist bigots. At least the white bigots can see the benefit of encouraging the Mohawks to assimilate into their culture, unlike the Mohawk bigots who are forcing their own to assimilate into Anglo or French culture. You've got stupid bigots and then you've got the really stupid bigots.

 

[Cliffy]

So it is OK to be sexist providing you are First Nation males?

I am sure that there are as many (proportionally) native males who are sexist as there are in the rest of the population. After all we taught them well. But it certainly is not traditional, as they were, for the most part, matriarchal with women owning most of the material goods and blood lines went along the women's family line.

But of course, our male chauvinist forefathers would not accept this and would only talk to the male "chiefs" when negotiating treaties. Male chiefs were only appointed to run certain activities during one season at a time. Thus, a good hunter was appointed to lead the hunt in the fall, a fish chief was appointed in the summer, the best warrior was in charge of a particular battle, etc. But for most tribes, the women held the seat of power. The Indian act was specifically designed to take away that power.

Any native male who thinks he has power over women is an apple - taught (brainwashed) well by our residential schools. As far as I am concerned, most treaties, because the women were not consulted, are not worth the paper they are written on.

 

[ironsides]

So it is OK to be sexist providing you are First Nation males?

If that is what you want to call It, yes it is alright according to their beliefs, again it is only practiced within their own lands. Lineage passes thru the male in their culture. In the Jewish religion lineage is past thru the female. In ours, we do not care. :smile:

What man really has any power over a female?

 

[Johnnny]

You know i think the mentality of "White People" has come a long way since the American Civil war, and i guess some non whites refuse to believ we changed lol

 

[Machjo]

But I still can't get over how these chiefs can't see an opportunity when it slaps them in the face.

 

[EagleSmack]

If that is what you want to call It, yes it is alright according to their beliefs, again it is only practiced within their own lands. Lineage passes thru the male in their culture. In the Jewish religion lineage is past thru the female. In ours, we do not care. :smile:

What man really has any power over a female?

So basically if you are a First Nation male you can marry a non First Nation Female and be OK. However if you are a First Nation female and marry a non First Nation male you are off the reservation and out of the tribe.

That's male chauvanism PERIOD.

 

[Machjo]

So basically if you are a First Nation male you can marry a non First Nation Female and be OK. However if you are a First Nation female and marry a non First Nation male you are off the reservation and out of the tribe.

That's male chauvanism PERIOD.

And I guess it takes a male chauvinist to be stupid enough to flush a golden opportunity for his community down the toilet

 

[karrie]

So basically if you are a First Nation male you can marry a non First Nation Female and be OK. However if you are a First Nation female and marry a non First Nation male you are off the reservation and out of the tribe.

That's male chauvanism PERIOD.

It is chauvinism. More importantly what it is, is an attempt to limit the number of treaty eligible people in the country.

And, it's not the natives who decide who gets 'status'. The government decided what lines it could and couldn't be passed along on.

""Treaty Indians" as recognized by the government. That is, those who are members of a band who signed a treaty or an adhesion of a treaty or those who are eligible for membership in such a band as outlined by the government of Canada."

Treaty Status Today