Two Weeks and Caledonia Still at the "Mercy" of the Six Nations Hereditary Council (HCCC)

It must be quite puzzling to those who do not live in Caledonia that the "authorities" would allow the town of Caledonia to be under siege, being held hostage, by a group of "activists" and no one is taking action to rectify the situation.  Welcome to Haldimand County, and more specifically Caledonia - this has become the "new norm" in this neck of the woods.

In the previous blog posting I noted the illegal and immoral actions taken by protesters from the Haudenosaunee Hereditary Chiefs Council (HCCC) that began on 11 August.  Argyle Street South is still blockaded with the same piece of metal debris and a few concrete blocks, sometimes with protesters present and sometimes with none is sight.  Inertia, failure to do due diligence, incompetence, fear, political correctness ("Natives" are always victims, correct?) appear to have frozen our constabulary and converted them (the Ontario Provincial Police - OPP) into impotent watchers who are in effect, by their actions or non - actions, supporting the illegal blockade.

This blog posting is in essence an update from the previous one, adding new information, and sometimes highlighting what has already been said or migrating the add on info here.

What have the Federal Government officials done to help resolve the matter?:  Nothing.

What have the Provincial Government officials done to help resolve the matter?:  Nothing, although MPP Toby Barrett has always been supportive of Caledonia but the Government in power is Liberal and he is Conservative.  The Liberals have shown an unconscionable lack of concern with anything to do with Caledonia.

What have Haldimand officials done to help resolve the matter?:  The perspective of the Councillor for Caledonia, Craig Grice, is seen in an article entitled, Protest has 'nothing to do with Caledonia whatsoever':  Haldimand councillor, in the The Sachem see here.  The Haldimand Mayor, Ken Hewitt, is justifiably at the end of his rope, as reflected in the 29 August 2017 Hamilton Spectator article, "Mayor vents anger at protestors, OPP over Caledonia blockade" - click here.  Another even more strongly worded article, "Community frustrated over standoff:  mayor" is found in the Brantford Expositor (29 August 2017) - click here.  I have great respect for both of these gentlemen, and if there was anything possible within their power that they could do, that barrier would have been gone within a few days.

What has Six Nations done to help resolve the matter?:  In short, nothing but spin their wheels.  A response of the Six Nations Elected Council is found in an article entitled, Blockade:  Meeting sought, in the Brantford Expositor - to view click here.  A further illustration of how Caledonia's woes are not noticed by SNEC can be seen here:  The Sachem, 15 August 2017, "Elected council wants to meet with Confederacy" - click here.   For an update on the Court proceedings related to farming the Burtch lands see, "Burtch land dispute heard in Brantford courtroom:  Six Nations Elected Council seeking injunction against farmer" (The Sachem, 21 August 2017) - click here.  

Importantly, in the last article above is a very important quote, namely, "The HCCC  ...........  were initially involved in the Burtch land negotiations, but left the process before it was completed". Since this information comes from the legal proceedings, it appears that the facts indicate that even though it was the HCCC, not SNEC, who abandoned any dealings with the Ontario Government, yet they (HCCC) irrationally expect that the Government should assign them ownership.  They are a group with no legal standing at Six Nations, and apparently who were not involved in the agreement process (except to walk away) - in other words made no deal with the Ontario Government yet blame Ontario for giving the land to the proper authorities at Six Nations.  Their perspective of course is patently absurd, it makes absolutely no sense, but should this surprise anyone who has followed the circus surrounding the DCE site since 2006?  I think not.   HCCC left the table and has zero rights in the matter - they were only there as a courtesy anyway.

Today the HCCC sent a spokesperson to relay the following message found in an article entitled, "Indigenous protesters 'still standing strong' in Caledonia", 29 August 2017, the Hamilton Spectator (click here). The spokesperson said, "We ask again for the public's patience as we work on some very complicated issues" she read from a statement. "Public's patience" - you have GOT TO BE KIDDING, that was lost in 2006!  What a complete and absolute lack of awareness and concern about the mess they have created, all of their own doing, and not a hint of any concerns about Caledonia - which is simply being used as a whipping boy in the HCCC game of browbeating the Elected Council.  

Who is suffering?:  While the matter is largely an extremely annoying inconvenience, there are some who are impacted more.  Clearly those who reside closest to the site (old DCE property) are in harms way.  Hopefully they won't need emergency services since it would be impossible to get to West Haldimand Hospital in Hagersville without detours.  Since a major artery has been blocked for 2 weeks now, businesses in Caledonia are now beginning to suffer since those from the south have to go around Caledonia rather than through Caledonia.  This is grossly unfair and Six Nations do not in the slightest give a rats a**.  The economic effect on Caledonia is profiled in a CHCH TV segment found here.  I will say it now and I will say it again, there must be consequences to Six Nations for their unconscionable behaviour.  A red line has been crossed, and there is no room for any kumbaya.  I am guessing that the local illegal Six Nations smoke shops have NOT suffered.

Solutions:  These clowns MUST BE REMOVED BY THE OPP.   If those who we pay to enforce the laws do decide to act, please do it late at night, and preferably in the rain.  There is no shelter anywhere near the site.  The last building standing from the Douglas Creek Estates was recently trashed and has been removed.  If you block 6th Line at the Rez, and also the junction of Argyle Street South and Highway 6 Caledonia Bypass, reinforcements will not be able to pour down from the Rez - it is simply not geographically feasible especially since they torched the Stirling Street bridge in 2006, and there is no access from there or anywhere else across the railway tracks.  These simple measures will bring a much better outcome relative to 2006.  Of course this is another "Cashedonia" a la 2006 and a great deal of overtime money is available to willing officers - surely they would not put the gravy train before duty .........................

Our local police (OPP) have to date shirked their duty and refused to act to protect Caledonia and enforce the law, one law for all citizens.  Therefore I ask, Mayor Hewitt and Council, if you know that the OPP will continue to treat our crisis as a simple "peaceful protest", we are beat, so please BRING IN THE CANADIAN FORCES since anarchy rules, the criminals are in charge, and there is no end in sight.  This will send the correct message to these perpetrators with whom there is no negotiation (it has been tried ad nauseum since 2006 and the best outcome is extortion, as with the Burtch property).  Only force will work, that much is crystal clear.

What other choices do we have - status quo is not an option.  Will those who have courage stand up for the law and be compelled to form a Haldimand Militia and do our own policing?  This is of course the worse of all options.  However, as a citizen, I am not prepared to suffer under the weight of these illegal acts perpetrated by vandals and thugs any longer.  The rule of law has once again sunk beneath the surface.

So what is it, OPP action or Canadian Forces intervention.  The factionalism at Six Nations will never go away so there is no expectation that the blockade will ever go away.  After all they can leave it without any persons there all night and the OPP will allow the trash to remain blocking the road.  

There is an old Yiddish expression which captures the essence of what / who we are dealing with here, one I learned from my professors who hailed from New York City, but which so aptly fits in Caledonia, summer, 2017 - mashugana. 

DY

"HERE WE GO AGAIN": Caledonia Road Blockade and Callous Disregard for Victims

Well, after a much needed pause in the flow of this blog, recent events have made it "necessary" to ramp up and get in gear since the clouds of ignorance and winds of insanity are once again wafting across Caledonia.  

This current article is NOT about the annual fish fly invasion this year which spiked just before 10 August (see here) with hoards of winged insects covering the roads of Caledonia to the point of necessitating the use of snow shovels to move these odoriferous critters aside.  Caledonia is a hot spot for this natural event, but something for etymologists to sort out as to the specific reasons why.  However, a rather different sort of recurring invasion happened a day later, one that was entirely preventable, and the timing and duration of which is not quite so predictable.  Still, the question boils down to what is it about Caledonia that draws in these unwanted "visits" by troublesome elements?  Later in this article I will propose a detailed answer to the unnatural occurrences pertaining to the events of 11 August.  Here is a bit of a teaser or spoiler - both visitations are a function of the geography of Caledonia.

The saga continues:  Recent events are described in an article in the Hamilton Spectator of 11 August 2017 entitled, "Indigenous barricade up in Caledonia again".  A number of photographs are included.  See here for complete article.





The above scenes are horribly reminiscent of what was observed in 2006!!!  Incredibly, as can be seen in the photos, it is the same Hydro One tower, now very much stubbier and bedraggled, that once again blocks Argyle Street South - more on this later.

Here follow some noteworthy quotes from the Spectator:

Native protesters who have set up a roadblock in Caledonia again vow to keep the barricade until their demands are met by the Ontario government and the Six Nations Elected Band Council.

Doreen Silversmith and a 12-member group of mostly women — supporters of the Six Nations hereditary government known as the Haudenosaunee Confederacy — marched a short distance up Argyle Street South from their blockade Thursday to where OPP cruisers were parked on the road to say so.

Reading a statement to reporters, Silversmith said the barricade is a direct consequence of the Ontario government's failure to live up to a negotiated land settlement that led natives to dismantle barricades they set up during an intense occupation of the Douglas Creek Estates housing project in 2006. The new barricade is at the entrance of DCE, which was never been resolved.

"The province of Ontario stated in writing that the title to the Burtch lands (in addition to the Caledonia lands) would be returned…," she began. "For this, our barricades in Caledonia … came down in 2006."

Then, in April of this year, Ontario passed the Burtch lands near Brantford "not to our Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the traditional government, but to the Six Nations Elected Band Council," which she slammed as "the right arm of the government."

"With that action, Ontario has committed fraud and lied to us, to our people."

The following demands must be met for the new barricade to come down, Silversmith said:

•that "Ontario and Canada return to the negotiating table with our Confederacy;"

•that "Ontario lives by their words of May 17, 2006 and returns the Burtch lands under the Haldimand Proclamation of 1784;"

• that "Six Nations Band Council withdraw their injunction against Kris Hill and the people of Six Nations."

The Ontario Government has absolutely no control over the latter, and have already completed the first two "demands".  See here for info about the Kris Hill matter presently before the Counts.

Furthermore, "Ontario is going to be 100 per cent responsible for any actions resulting from their lies," Silversmith said.

An astute question of a reporter is worthy of note:  Asked if barricades would also be put up around the Burtch lands, since that is the area in dispute, Silversmith said it is a possibility.

When asked why the barricade did not start there, she declined to comment further and returned with the group to the former Douglas Creek Estates site.

Why was a major road in Caledonia, NOT a road at Burtch, blockaded?:  The reporter above asked an excellent question, which was evaded by the spokesperson for the protesters.  I can give an answer though.  Burtch was not blockaded because it is in a rural area of Brant County and not near any population center.  Thus they would be unable to cause significant disruption and hence be able to bring their point to the attention of others.  However a mid sized community in close proximity to the Rez such as Caledonia (which is in Haldimand County) can give them "leverage", and the press would take notice.  Furthermore, there are no forward thinking creative thoughts to work with - so in such circumstances perpetrators fall back on the tried and true.  So go with a path that is known - "lets block Argyle Street, it has always worked before"!  So batten down the hatches, full speed ahead, and innocent victims be damned (they are just collateral damage).

Some relevant background including the concept of "factionalism":  The decaying and dysfunctional forerunner to the present Haudensaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC), the Hereditary Council, which had served the people well in the 18th and first half of the 19th Century, was dismissed upon the repeated requests (pleadings) of the more progressive element at Six Nations.  So in 1924 the RCMP (the only police service at Six Nations at the time) locked the doors to the Longhouse.  After democratic elections were held, the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) was then installed as the legally constituted governing body at Six Nations - and now more could be accomplished in a week than previously in a month (or more) in an increasingly complex world.  It is a shame to see so much tradition disappear, but it is a truism that if an institution (in this case one based on lineage) can no longer adequately serve the needs of the community, it must give way to more efficient forms of, in this case, governance - or risk a messy implosion.

Here is where factionalism, which has been rampant at Six Nations since the settlement in 1784, once again has reared its ugly head.  Instead of accepting the inevitable, and becoming a ceremonial and advisory group working with SNEC, the HCCC has limped along (with major gaps in their ranks, and significant internal divisions) as some sort of shadow government and supporters continue to maintain that they are the ONLY legitimate representatives of the Six Nations people, and assert that the Government (Ontario and Federal - Crown) must negotiate with ONLY them, and that agreements made with SNEC are invalid.  

The HCCC and supporters would foster a movement backwards in time.  For example, they would doom the children living on the Rez to continued welfare and poverty by inserting more "culture and language teaching" in the schools at the expense of maths and sciences.  It should be a truism that it is absolutely essential to "move with the times".  Alas, even the press have bought into the "back to the past" approach.  One of the two Rez newspapers has solidly backed any and all initiatives of the HCCC or their "representatives" since 2006, throwing out the window even the vaguest pretense of objectivity and neutrality, and so cannot be used here as a reliable source.

The history of the world teaches us that the only entities which thrive over time are those that adapt to changing circumstances - there is no going back.  It does not appear that HCCC has an awareness of any realistic path towards fostering success and still maintaining a useful role in the community - which is sad because it will ensure their ultimate demise.  Neither the Provincial nor the Federal Governments can have an effective working relationship with a body where meetings are rare and acrimonious, and where the internal dynamic (e.g., the HDI versus Men's Fire - see previous blogs) ensure that nothing but chaos can be expected.

The crisis of 2006:  The present "problem" harks back to 2006 when members of Six Nations committed wanton acts of violence and anarchy based on the false belief that the new housing development at Douglas Creek Estates (DCE which they chose to call Kanonhstaton) along Argyle Street (old Highway 6) at the south end of Caledonia was being built on land that had never been surrendered.  I have presented the original documents in previous blog postings (e.g., see here) to illustrate that there is absolutely no validity to their claim - but facts have never been bothersome to the radical element who are affiliated with the HCCC.  A group of their supporters set up camp on the DCE site, and refused to budge.

In a nutshell, when the OPP tried to enforce a Court Order and evict the trespassers, Six Nations people got on the telephone tree and hundreds poured down 5th and 6th Lines (the latter has direct access to the Douglas Creek Estates land).  In the melee that followed, and in the anarchy and willful criminal acts of vandalism, terrorism, assault and complete disregard for the law, the various levels of Government and the OPP left Caledonia high and dry - basically cast aside to their own devices.  The OPP created a no go zone and the criminals were free to force residents to for example obtain "Haudenosaunee passports" and it was the criminals who regulated all activity in the local area.  The criminals were in total charge, and policing was non existent.  Among the litany of criminal acts was cutting then dragging a Hydro One high tension tower across Argyle Street - an act that would get any "non - Native" tossed in a paddy wagon an transported to jail.  No one ever suffered any consequences for this well documented act of theft and vandalism.  

At this time the Federal Government (quietly) stood by the formal surrender of 1844, and the Council Minutes signed by all Six Nations Chiefs at the time.  These documents are on record in the Indian Affairs Papers at the Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa (and as noted, I have posted original copies to this blog).  Various Court cases have upheld these agreements (e.g., Brantford, 2009 as seen in previous blog postings), but that does not mean diddly squat to those who see the world through their narrow preconceived lens.  However it was the Ontario Government that was in the unenviable position of having to negotiate with two "governing bodies" at Six Nations who will not even sit in the same room together. 

So the Government is caught between a rock and a hard place, and although only required to negotiate with SNEC, it offered a seat at the table to HCCC as a courtesy.  However when negotiations to find a way to remove the barricades blocking Argyle Street were underway, the HCCC refused to acknowledge any role for SNEC in the proceedings - leaving the negotiators for Ontario (who purchased the Douglas Creek Estates lands from the developers) in a quandry.  It is difficult to know what happened next since there are few to no records to consult.  Apparently the remaining negotiators (supposedly SNEC members had departed in disgust - which turns out to be incorrect - see below) insisted that the barricades would come down only if the Government agreed to give Six Nations the Burtch Correctional lands in Brant County so that they could be added to the total Reserve.  Apparently.  The Government gave in to outright extortion, but did what they promised and transferred the Burtch property to a numbered Corporation so that the Six Nations people could, via their legal representatives, access the lands in a legal manner, and proceed to integrate them into IR 40 (Six Nations Reserve).  The problem (among many) was that the HCCC adamantly asserted that the lands were theirs (not under SNEC control), and would come under the umbrella of their "government".  However, to repeat, the Government of Ontario had no choice but to return it to the "Six Nations people" which meant SNEC (via a registered Corporation) so that efforts could be made to legally add the lands to the Reserve (there was NO other way that this could be done).  So months after the initial illegal acts, the barricades were removed and traffic once again moved along Argyle Street - at least for a while until the occasion arose to block Highway 6 on two more occasions, and block the Highway 3 Cayuga Bridge for months - plus of course stopping work on numerous housing developments - but that is another story.  Welcome to life in Haldimand and Brant Counties.

Meanwhile a Six Nations farmer had been leasing the land from (here it gets fuzzy) to grow corn, tobacco and traditional herbs.  However this was not done with the permission of SNEC, so they took legal action against Ms. Hill to have her evicted - thereby inciting the wrath of HCCC since they supported Ms. Hill.  This somewhat complex background is necessary before readers review the present "demands" noted the the above newspaper (Spectator) article.

How does Caledonia fit into this situation?:  Caledonia, Ontario has an unfortunate geographical proximity to the Six Nations Reserve.  The fact is that, what is transpiring today has nothing to do with Caledonia, only an internal jousting for power within Six Nations.  However the radicals don't consider for  a nano second the suffering their actions cause to others since they operate on the principle that the ends justify the means.  I want to make this FACT perfectly clear, there has NEVER BEEN ONE SINGLE SOLITARY INDICATOR, PAST OR PRESENT, THAT THESE PEOPLE CARE A WHIT ABOUT THE DAMAGE DONE TO CALEDONIA.  I will gladly apologize if I am proved wrong here.  The lives of the innocents are quite irrelevant when the perceived "cause" espoused by these aggressors is so "great", and there is no ability to see the broader picture.

So now we have to once again witness the manifestations of the power struggle on the Rez, and endure whatever illegal acts are perpetrated (acts that would have local non - Natives jailed in a heartbeat), since the OPP, if history is any indication, will not intervene. 

The absurdity is embedded in the reality that many at Six Nations have learned to play "the blame game".  So, blame the Government (an easy target).  So it is Ontario which gets blamed when things inevitably don't go well, even when the facts clearly point to a factional dispute between Six Nations groups.  A corollary, or "side effect" is that Caledonia continually gets slapped in the face - why - simply because we are the most geographically convenient pawn in this insipid never ending internal struggle for power at Six Nations.

This is all unmitigated insanity - but those of us who are privileged to reside in the beautiful community of Caledonia and surrounds can only shrug our shoulders and say, "what's new" - certainly no creative suggestions from the HCCC supporters have emerged in all these years and there is virtually no chance that any ever will surface.  So we await whatever series of crazoid responses will come into play as this oh so familiar scenario is replayed (Mohawk Warrior flags and all).

Problems, Situations, Frustrations and Solutions?:  The plot thickens, and raw hatred may be bubbling to the surface.  We are being treated as a door mat (or dog dirt) by those who are supposed to be neighbours and friends (and often kin).  They simply do not care about the people of Caledonia - we are not even on their radar.  Kindness and consideration are NEVER factored in.  This selfish, inconsiderate attitude towards us does not result in negative consequences to them, the conscienceless approach "works" and so as every Psychology 101 student knows, when behaviour is rewarded, it will be repeated.  It seems they hate us and disrespect us.  I have not heard one person at Six Nations openly express any empathy for us.  That sort of thing is rare at Six Nations because of "group solidarity" in the face of adversity. Perhaps it is time now for locals to push back, which could mean boycotts and other approaches that all of us would rather avoid - but ................    

Perhaps we also need to press the authorities to obtain reparations for the damages caused by Six Nations since 2006 - for example the torching of the Stirling Street Bridge, and the billions in revenue lost due to threats and vandalism in relation to completing the task of stringing wires on the hydro towers leading from Niagara Falls to the Toronto grid.  Is there room for a class action law suit against Six Nations?  That would take a coordinated concerted effort.  All I know is that our limp wristed and tip toe approaches of the past, such as treating thugs with kid gloves, have not worked.  So do we need to change direction?  Apparently only the more assertive efforts are likely to succeed with this lot and send a clear message, so what to do ..........

A personal reflection:  It should be noted that if some sense deep anger and other negative emotions, it is because those who live here have been forced to endure the fruits of ignorance and a total disrespect for the rule of law on the part of the Six Nations agitators on numerous occasions.  A disrespect for the law has spilled over to locals since the OPP have, with few exceptions, acted to protect the interests of the Six Nations protesters with the focus being on sheltering these criminals from the law abiding local people, and fostering politically correct notions of Natives as victims.  An objective analysis will show that the only victims here are local people who have to put up with illegal acts (e.g., the smoke shops still on private land at the southern entrance to Caledonia) or risk being labelled "racist".  This has the potential to take us all back to 2006 perceptions of the OPP - although this time hopefully they will act in accordance with the principal "to serve and protect" - but ..................  So questions emerge such as when will this end, and how much disruption and how many criminal acts we are expected to endure due to the power struggle within Six Nations.


This all begs the question, IS THIS HOW NORMAL PEOPLE, SAY IN STONEY CREEK OR WAINFLEET, LIVE?  The answer is all too obvious to those of us who live in Caledonia.  Locals know all too well what to expect in a location where there is a two tiered policing system - one for "Natives", and another for "non - Natives", with the system favouring the former.  Meanwhile the local Federal MP, and the Federal Government, are quiet as church mice - deja - vu - 2006 all over again.  

Back to the fish fly analogy.  Experience teaches us that simply by waiting a few days the fish fly problem will resolve itself via the natural course of nature.  However experience also teaches us that with the HCCC they will use Caledonia to meet their ends for as long as they can get away with it.  

What a stressful, and dare I say bizarre, way to live!  The lifestyle and sophistication of places such as Port Dover beckon - but Port Dover is not home.  My ancestors have lived on the banks of the Grand River since 1784, and I refuse to be pushed out by thugs and common criminals from Upriver whose ancestors have also lived on the banks of the Grand River since 1784.

This just in:  Click here to see the article, Ontario made too many 'wrong mistakes', now Caledonia's barricades are back, in the National Post by Christie Blatchford (she having played a pivotal role in exposing the suffering, the cover up and the double standard in policing after 2006 in her excellent 2010 book, "Helpless:  Caledonia's Nightmare of Fear and Anarchy and How the Law Failed All of Us").  

An update can be found in the next blog posting.

DY.

Time for a Pause

Dear Readers:

As many of you will have noted, there has been nothing posted to this site for a few months.  There are a number of reasons for this development.  First is that I am tired of hashing and re-hashing the same old, same old, same old topics.  Despite the facts, the evidence, it still does not to seem to have made a dent in the deeply entrenched beliefs that are firmly held by most Six Nations who reside on the Rez.  If the goal is to put one's fingers on the pulse of the truth, then objective evidence and critical thinking are a must.  I know many on the Rez read this blog, but it is crystal clear that few are willing to bow to reason and rationality, when adhering to the spin that has accumulated over the centuries is what is expected in the Community.  If the seeds of doubt have been sown in at least some, then it makes my efforts worthwhile.  None the less, it is exceedingly frustrating to think that some still think that little children from the Mohawk Institute were murdered there, and there are mass graves yet to be located in that vicinity, and that there has been some sort of Church - State conspiracy to keep the whole thing quiet.  These irrational (without any basis in evidence) beliefs open the door to predatory hoaxers, which is precisely what happened.  How does one defeat ignorance when there is no respect for critical thinking, reason and evidence.  Anyone who goes against the grain of the "party line" will be shouted down and "put in their place".

I have dutifully picked up a copy of each of the two Reserve newspapers when in residence in the area, and in the past 6 months have read two issues, and sent the rest to recycling.  The task of reading what is essentially the same reality denying, bellyaching and "wheel spinning" is simply so unpleasant that I could not bring myself to read any more issues.  It is the year 2016 and it is the same now as it was "then" - so no productive changes, just entrenchment of unsupported beliefs.

Here follows, off the top of my head, some of the recurring matters which are particularly irritating / galling and contributed to my "pause":

1)  The creating of a class of individuals known as Residential School "survivors" who have their hands out for monetary "compensation" for the supposed intentional "cultural genocide" by the Anglican Church and the Canadian Government.  In fact it was the Chiefs (and hence Clan Mothers) who in 1837 pleaded with the Government to establish a residential school on the Reserve (it was located in on Indian land within what is today Brantford at the northern end of the Reserve), and when the Government decided to close it down the Chiefs pleaded with the Government to keep it open (since this is where most of the Reserves teachers had received their education).  Somehow there was a cadre of individuals who latched on to the coat tails of the very different situation in the West where there were abuses, and claimed that the same things happened at the Mohawk Institute.  In speaking to the elders I know who went there, they were very clear that they have fond memories of the place and saw it as a haven from often impoverished and dysfunctional home environments.

2)  The emphasis on the "canoe" and "ship" relationship between Six Nations and the British, and now the Canadian Government.  It is a concept that is heard constantly at Six Nations with the assumption that it has validity.  This is also known as the "Two Row Wampum" agreement.  I tracked down this document from 1613 (posted to this blog) and found (as had numerous academics) that it is nothing more than a trade agreement between two Dutch traders and 6 Five now Six Nations (apparently Mohawk) individuals.  There is no hint of a government to government or culture to culture relationship - and in 1613 the British claimed new England and the Dutch New Netherlands and it was that way until 1664 when the British became the ruling body in New York.  So there was never any formal agreement between independent governments dating to the earliest days of the European settlement along the Hudson River.

3)  The belief that Six Nations has "treaty rights" in Southwestern Ontario including the Grand River region is patently false.  Again the original document of 1701 (posted to this blog) that came to be called the "Nanfan Treaty" of 1701 shows that it was a document whereby 20 Six Nations individuals gave away all rights to "His Majesty the King of England" their lands in what is today Southwestern Ontario, with the hope that the King would grant them beaver hunting rights.  How this is seen as a treaty stretches the imagination.  A further problem is that by 1696 all 8 of the Six Nations settlements north of Lake Ontario on lands taken from the Wyandot (Huron) and Attiwandaronk (Neutral) peoples by conquest were actually taken by conquest from the Six (then 5) Nations by the "5 Fires Confederacy" led primarily by the Mississauga.  So in effect the Six Nations were trying to arrange a deal for lands they did not own.  In no way was it a treaty of any description.  There is no seal of the Colony of New York, and none of the Privy Council of England.  The document is of historical value and nothing more.

4)  Another very distracting and disruptive false belief is that the Six Nations own unsurrendered land within the Haldimand Grant of 1784.  The Six Nations gave up all lands except the present day Reserve in 1841 (I posted the entire document here), and in the years that followed while there was some back tracking by the Chiefs they for example specifically gave up all rights to the lands on which the Douglas Creek Estates property is located in 1844 (all documents posted to this blog), and by 1852 the 1841 Surrender was agreed to once again and Lord Elgin wrote up a final report to that effect - which was not challenged by the Chiefs or anyone else until recent "agitators" decided to ignore history and make invalid claims causing the "billion dollar chaos" surrounding the "reclamation" of the Douglas Creek Estates, and the turmoil it has caused to the region, the Province, and the Country since 2006.

5)  The acts of violence since 2006, including assault (e.g., beating Mr. Gaulieri almost to death), and arson (e.g., burning of the Stirling Street Bridge), and vandalism (e.g., the cutting of Hydro One towers), and extortion (e.g., requiring that the Ontario Government give them the Burtch Correctional Center lands in order to remove the barrier blocking the southern entrance to Caledonia) have never been met with any consequences.  In the years since 2006 can be included the threat that if their demands (e.g., for money) are not met, further disruptions at construction sites will occur.  Similarly, based on the false beliefs of the non - existent Nanfan Treaty, extracting millions of dollars from Samsung and other companies building wind turbines and solar farms.  The same ends have been reached by falsely claiming unsurrendered land (e.g., in South Cayuga Township), and muscling in on projects in the area in order to line the coffers of who knows who (most at Six Nations don't know where the money has gone).

6)  The belief that the Government practiced and practices Colonialism and Cultural Genocide to suppress the aspirations of Six Nations people is once again wrong, and rather hypocritical.  The only genocide ever proven was that perpetrated by the Six (then 5) Nations against the Wyandot (Huron), Petun, Erie, Attiwandaronk (Neutral), Wenro and others which involved the cruel torture, and annihilation of all these peoples as tribal and nation entities, between the years 1642 and 1649.  This was true genocide and there is no white washing of any of it - the evidence being disparate documentary sources, and the archaeological record (showing precise evidence for the torture perpetrated before death as described by the Jesuit priests who were present to observe).  Now what is it that the Canadian Government has done that is in any way "genocidal"?

7)  Since 1924 (when the progressive element at Six Nations petitioned for an elected council) the never ending dispute over the legitimacy of the present Elected Council has festered when the Hereditary Council (a shadow government) claims to be the sole traditional and legitimate representative of the Six Nations people.  Meanwhile one of the two Reserve newspapers stands four square behind the Hereditary Council, as the latter continues to fail to be able to fill all of the 49 hereditary chief positions with legitimate members of the clan they are supposed to represent.  The tattered remnants of the Council are beset with internal squabbles and even violent confrontations, and are completely dysfunctional yet want to meet with the Canadian Government without any representation from the Elected Council in order to be the sole representatives of the Six Nations people.  This is entirely irrational, but ..............

8)  Factionalism is, and has always been, a serious problem at Six Nations.  Just as one single example of many, the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) and the Men's Fire, both spin offs of the Hereditary Council have been active in trying to disrupt projects such as the McClung - Avalon Housing Development east of Caledonia (which I too do not want here).  They have been at each other's throats even to the extent of the Men's Fire sending representatives to eject the lawyer involved with the HDI - off the Reserve.  The expected donnybrook occurred, and the fall out is still very much hanging in the air.

9)  There has never been an apology for the torment to the citizens of Caledonia and surrounds.  Neither has there been any compensation for the billions of dollars (with the tab being picked up by the Canadian taxpayer) which is the responsibility of Six Nations and which was caused by, for example, the preventing of the stringing of the high tension wires on the towers between Niagara Falls and the grid by threats of violence, the primary costs and overtime for the Ontario Provincial Police, and on and on and on.  Never has anyone in an official capacity (or any other capacity for that matter) said, "I (we) are sorry for all of the disruption that we caused to you the citizens of Haldimand County" - never have those words been spoken and never will they.  Nor has one thin dime ever been "given back" to for example the energy companies for falsely leading them to believe that Six Nations has treaty rights or unsurrendered land.

10)  The Six Nations continues to get away with for example having illegal tobacco shops off the Reserve on for example Hydro One land, selling contraband cigarettes and paying no taxes while the shops a mile away in Caledonia are forced to comply with the letter of the law.  That is two faced and hypocritical but Six Nations knows how to play the game with the "race card" and the use of the veiled threat of violence if anyone one was to disturb the "new apple cart".

I will leave it at an even 10, but this is the tip of the iceberg.  What is so depressing is the obviously self - destructive element woven into the mix.  For example the call is for more language (Native) and culture taught in schools - although one might argue that this is the responsibility of the parents.  Were this to happen there would be less science and technology taught, and Six Nations children would be ham strung in the larger very real world out there should they wish to become an entrepreneur, or to obtain higher education and pursue goals anywhere in the world.

On that note I will now take my leave, and return to this blog as need and circumstances and state of mind dictate.  I know from the statistics to this blog that there are a large number of readers, and I don't want to disappoint.  However, it is "draining" to be constantly batting one's head against the wall - and eventually it begins to "hurt" and begs the questions, "why am I doing this, and do I have the psychological resources to continue doing it?"

D.Y.

Apparently Science is Wrong, Native American Ancestors Did Not Cross the Bering Strait, but Have Been Here 100,000 Years

Over the entire week I have languished over what to write, or whether to write anything, about the inaccurate and downright false material found in the two Rez newspapers this past week.  Sometimes it simply gets discouraging to those of us who value reason, rational though, and firm evidence over stories and beliefs to deal with the constant stream of misinformation.  The decision here is to review, in two postings, one article from each newspaper.

An article in Two Row Times (15 June, 2016, p.4) entitled, 100,000 year old stone tools found in Haldimand, the author maintains that the Ancestors of Aboriginal People in the Americas Have Been Here for 80,000 years more than scientific research has revealed, and furthermore, the ancestors did not come across the Bering Strait during the last Ice Age (the theory that has thousands of peer reviewed articles in multiple disciplines behind it).  Where do I start.

The finding of some rocks with a red patina at a quarry near Hagersville seems to have ignited the same folks who believe we have been visited by extra terrestrials in the distant past - and have brought up the "ancient oral histories" sacred cow.  Bunk.  No evidence.  Almost no one at Six Nations even knows (for sure) their true (direct maternal line) clan, the knowledge has been forgotten in 100 years, yet somehow there are memories of 100,000 years ago that can be relied upon?

While I do respect the amateur archaeologist and others (very few) who would give credence to the longevity of Aboriginals in say Canada based on the geology, there is no evidence that these are tools worked by human beings, and there is no evidence as to the age of these artifacts except very indirect.  The claim is they are human made artifacts and are about 100,000 years old, the entire foundation of this belief, is not based on evidence but belief and coincidence.  In truth, it is much easier to believe that these "artifacts" are simply part of the quarry debris, or that someone brought these unusual stones from say Europe as "curios" and later generations saw them as junk and tossed them out.

Just as an example of how unrealistic this "evidence" is, all scientists agree that just over 10,000 years ago a glacier over a mile high stood over where Hagersville is today, having scoured the entire surface of the landscape and pushed it south, and extended all the way down to just north of the Meadowcroft site in Pennsylvania.  The latter, which has seen a lot of skeptics in the academic world, is now largely accepted as one of the two earliest sites of man in the Americas, being occupied sometime between 16,000 and 19,000 years ago (click here).  The other ancient site is in South America, specifically Monte Verde in Chile radiocarbon dated to about 18,500 years before present (click here).  Both are now gaining acceptance even from the most ardent skeptic.

Interest in a really really  ancient American has been around for quite a while, and even an archaeologist with the impeccable reputation of Dr. Louis B. Leakey was quite interested in a quarry site in Calico California where some of the rocks dating back 500,000 years looked as if they may have been "worked" by man (click here).  Alas, these were later shown to be simply naturally cracked rocks and by chance some mimicked what you would expect if a human were to have worked it.

It reminds me of other attempts to discount the Asian origins of Native Americans - such as those who believe in the Solutrean Hypothesis (click here).  A single spear head was supposedly trawled up with a Mastadon skull (long extinct "hairy elephant").  Authors such as Bradley and Stanford assert that the spear point is almost identical to the Solutrean assemblages (e.g., 21,000 years old) from what are today France and Spain.  Thus, the theory goes, mankind somehow managed to cross thousands of miles of frozen ocean or pack ice (there being no flint sources in between is somehow overlooked) to make Europeans the first Native Americans (or at least joining those coming in from Beringia) - thereby of course enhancing the European primacy factor and "explaining" how structures as complex as Mayan temples could be constructed (as if "true" Native Americans were incapable of such feats - if this is not racist, I don't know what is).  Recent attempts to re examine the original artifacts allegedly supporting this hypothesis, and to determine their provenance, have not proven successful.

So, in the world of today with far more sophisticated tools of analysis, these rather crude looking stones today can be dismissed due to evidence that is infinitely more persuasive.  For example the major advances in population genetics in the last 15 years tell a clear and coherent story.  It is now known from North American populations of today and ancient DNA samples such as the Kennewick Man from the State of Washington and the even earlier Anzick, Clovis Era boy whose remains are about 12,500 years old, as well as the even earlier Mal'ta fossil from Siberia (see here), that the people living today in all the Americas are descendants of immigrants from Northern Asia and Eastern Asia circa 20,000 years ago.  People today share the same DNA signatures as the above ancient fossils (whose DNA has been sequenced) and also share these with the people of Eastern Siberia.  Most "Native Americans" descend from a small group of pioneers who came across the Bering Strait when it was above water.  The ancestors of the Athabaskans appear to be later arrivals. Furthermore, the descendants of the Inuit came much later, after the bridge was long submerged.  The data is crystal clear.  I have read all of the relevant papers on mitochondrial DNA (direct maternal line), Y-DNA (direct paternal line), as well as the more recent studies on autosomal DNA (22 pairs of chromosomes) - there are no inconsistencies, the evidence could not be more clear.  There are still some open questions such as whether there was a contribution from Australasians in the distant past, but with more data that question will likely soon be answered.  So Aboriginal people of say Canada are related to Asians, and are aboriginal to that region (depending on one's definition of "aboriginal").  For sources there are numerous Wikipedia articles, or you can try any of the academic ones upon which these are based such as the paper seen here.

It is only if one wishes to take creation myths at face value (e.g., Sky Woman and the back of the turtle) that you can make a pitch for Native Americans having originated here.  For those who turn to multi - disciplinary science for answers, we know that myths are just that, and that the weight of evidence shows that all human beings of the past and all those alive today trace their early ancestry to Africa.

DY.

The Governor General Supposedly "Snubs" the "Confederacy"

According to an article entitled, National Aboriginal Day Governor General snubs Confederacy (Turtle Island News, 22 June, p.2), the representative of the Crown, by virtue of his actions, made a bold statement of what side he favours in the ongoing battle between the Elected Council and the Hereditary Council.  Really?  Reading the article one would think that the Governor General (GG) of Canada who is the Queen's representative in Canada, and thus by association the Crown, had made a major gaff and insulted the people of Six Nations.  That is patently false, but is typical of what one will see in a newspaper which has a distinct political bias - in this case without reservation pro Hereditary Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC).  There is no to little unbiased reporting, except on mundane topics.

So Governor General David Johnston, who by the way is a descendant of the Port Carling, Parry Sound, Anishinabe - Algonquin people, was invited to Six Nations to spend Aboriginal Day.  One might presume that the invitation came from the Elected Council since they are the legal representatives of the Six Nations in their dealings with the "big Crown" (Federal Government) and "little Crown" (Province of Ontario).  Of all places he chose to accept the invitation from here and come to Six Nations - a profound honour.  How he is treated on this occasion speaks volumes. First the venue.  Instead of a setting such as the Mohawk Chapel (Her Majesty's Chapel of the Mohawks, built 1786), he was shunted to the controversial Mohawk Institute (now the Woodland Cultural Center) across the road - the old residential school.  Apparently there were some there to see the Governor General pay his respects at Six Nations and considered it a "historic moment".  However, instead of welcoming the representative of the Crown, some at Six Nations took the opportunity of "grilling" him (good luck in ever getting him to return - or to be sympathetic to Six Nations causes).  He was made out to be the party responsible for the Hereditary Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC) not being in attendance.  That is patently ridiculous.

The reporter accused the Governor General of, evading questions on the treaty relationship between the HCCC and the Crown.  That was a below the belt question, entirely inappropriate, and frankly an embarrassment to Six Nations.  So the GG was forced to provide platitudes since anything of substance he said could and would be used against him and the Federal Government.  It seems to have been an attempt at entrapment.  He also, refused to answer if he recognizes the HCCC as the legitimate governing body of Six Nations.  That was a loaded question, and profoundly insulting.  Being astute, he noted that he knew this was, a political question and that's one where I don't have the expertise to give you an answer.  It must have been tempting (it would have for me) to say, go ...........  yourself.  The GG is a gentleman and has a political background and so knew that any answer would be potential dynamite at Six Nations.  Of course, he had to say something about the residential school situation and gave the politically correct answer.  I expect that this part had been scripted - although I doubt that he knew that the situation at Six Nations and the situation in say Alberta was as day is to night.  He had to sit though a clip where two Six Nations boys played the parts of a young boy out west who died after running away from school (who hasn't run away from school at some time).  However, the reporter fails to note that this scenario had nothing to do with the Mohawk Institute.

Who knows if the GG knows that the HCCC is presently in turmoil and without leadership.  The last meeting (and others before) the Mohawk Head Chief stormed out of the Longhouse, or most recently simply did not attend.  There was no quorum and the meeting adjourned.  The HCCC is in the process of disintegration through factional disputes and inertia and for the editor of one of these newspaper must be wearing blinders to still continue to assert that they are the only legitimate governing body at Six Nations - and would have the Federal Government turn over responsibility of governing Six Nations to this dysfunction group defies logic.  Then to blame the Governor General, who does not make the arrangements, and merely accepts the invitation from the legally constituted governing body the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC).  If SNEC wanted HCCC to be present they would have invited them.  Perhaps they did, but in the past the latter has refused to even be in the same room as the former - that is how petty they have become.  So blame the Governor General for internal decay at Six Nations - amazing.  Then to fire off a series of politically charged questions, many of which would have required research due to the specific nature of the question, is putting Mr. Johnston on the spot.  He, as the Queen's representative cannot answer those types of questions anyway.  That is the responsibility of the Aboriginal Affairs people in Ottawa.  Very embarrassing all around.  Of course I would have loved to hear Mr. Johnston say, when asked about the residential schools, something like, "Why are you equating the situation in the West with children taken a thousand miles from their home and abused by the representatives of the Catholic Church when at Six Nations the school was requested in writing by the Six Nations Chiefs in 1838, and run by the Anglican Church for the benefit of the children, and with the full acceptance and knowledge of the Chiefs and parents at Six Nations".  Not going to happen.  The truth bites.

DY.

Six Nations Residential School: Compilation of Postings to this Blog

The whole matter of the Mohawk Institute, the residential school established for the Six Nations by the Anglican Church, is highly controversial here.  The "party line" is well known, with former attendees being labelled students, then "victims", then "survivors" of what came to be termed the "Mush Hole".  In reality it was the Chiefs who in 1838 requested the residential school be set up on Reserve land, and who in 1970 pleaded with the Canadian Government not to close down the school as it had served an important role in the education of those at Six Nations.  Elders told of seeing the school as a shelter from dysfunction at home, where at least they were fed and they learned something worthwhile.

However, despite these facts, many at Six Nations buy into the view that the Mohawk Institute was a place of horrors, where children were mistreated, murdered and tossed into mass graves, and other and unproven outlandish claims.  This view largely emerged out of the "Truth and Reconciliation Commission" (TRC) which ultimately used some unfortunate situations in one part of Canada to paint broad strokes and demonize the entire system of education which gave many the entry into the wider world allowing them to make a success of their lives, not simply drifting back to a home community where dysfunction was the order of the day long before the introduction of residential schools.

Here follows the postings made to this blog about the subject of the Mohawk Institute; the rationale being that having all the information in one place rather than scattered among 200 postings would facilitate access to the data.  While there is overlap, each posting is categorized under the heading that seems to be most salient.

1) Detailed overview:  A recent comprehensive balanced look at the Mohawk Institute based on facts not beliefs - click here.

2)  General information:

 Click here for the earliest exploration into the matter on this blog.

3)  Hoaxer involvement:

For years now the Mohawk Institute has attracted hoaxers and those with an axe to grind - click here.  It is mind boggling that so many at Six Nations simply uncritically accepted these absurd allegations, then went about trying to convince all that the fantasy was the truth.  These hoaxes and the role of K.A. are woven into the links both above and below.

4)  Entrenched belief that murdered children buried around the Mohawk Institute:

There are many at Six Nations who are conspiracy theorists and believe that there are numerous bodies of children, murdered at the Mohawk Institute, that were cast out into mass graves - even to the extent of using ground penetrating radar to seek out these supposed remains.  The fact that only animal bone has been found does not deter the belief of many.  Click here to see evidence that the inevitable deaths at the Mohawk Institute (of disease) were dealt with sensitively, with the bodies being buried by the Anglican ministers in the cemetery at the Mohawk Chapel across the road from the Mohawk Institute.

5)  Residential School is used as a reason for the dysfunction at Six Nations:

Click here.  More of the blame game so prevalent at Six Nations.

6)  Involvement of lawyers and financial reward:

Click here.  Lawyers still trying to extract more money from the Government by encouraging more persons to hop on the gravy train, thereby enriching themselves and their "clients".

7)  Summary:  I am not speaking here about the situation in say Alberta since I have not sifted through the evidence, but only what happened at Six Nations, where I have explored the relevant data.

The Mohawk Institute, the residential school located physically on the Six Nations Reserve, was an educational institution supported by the Chiefs (and thus the Clan Mothers) from the year it opened (1838) to the year it closed (1970) when the elected Chiefs petitioned to allow it to remain open.  Most of the Six Nations teachers of the time were educated there, and it was here that many found a launching pad to success in the wider world.

With the TRC came an entire change in perception.  Those with a vested interest in portraying the Mohawk Institute in the same boat as the worst of the Residential Schools out west, came up with a catchy name, the "Mush Hole" to enhance the evil reputation they were intent on cultivating.  They collected "stories" or "recollections" from those who chose to come forth - but many didn't because they could not in all conscience depict their school, frequently recalled with fondness, in a way that would meet the wishes of the detractors who promised "compensation" if you would step forward and claim to be a "survivor".

People started coming out of the woodwork and all sorts of crazy theories surfaced (the mass graves being the most egregious) and ultimately for many it boiled down to how much money could be had by playing along and recalling horrible things (all of which happened at day school to those of us in earlier times) that could sound convincing to those wanting to compile examples of lurid experiences that could be tied to "school days".

The fact that the Ontario Government wishes to include the experiences (only the negative ones of course) in the Ontario school curriculum is a farce which will implant a false picture in the minds of children across the Province.  The grovelling apologies of officials in the Anglican Church and the various levels of Government (who clearly either did not have all the facts, or chose to be politically correct) was a positively sickening aspect of this business, as is the fact that there are those even outside Native circles who are profiting from the perpetuation of the party line, the truth being unimportant and an encumbrance.

I am very pleased that there is a move afoot to save the Mohawk Institute from demolition.  It has served many functions at Six Nations including housing a unique library of Six Nations culture, history and language that is in my opinion unparalleled.  What is galling is the the rationale for putting a new roof on the building, and ultimately restoring it, is to "save the evidence" - meaning that it will act as a testament to the residential schools era and include tours that will explain the horrid things that allegedly happened there.  It will then be somewhat similar to the old Kingston Penitentiary where tours through this historic structure are now being organized.  The big difference, however, is that the historical truth will be told at one (although likely from the guard's perspective), while the other will in all probability offer up only a skewed version of events that fit the political mold - a balanced consideration of all the facts and the truth being assiduously avoided.

DY.

Sovereignty and Nation to Nation Dialogue: Summary of Facts Posted to this Blog

Every so often it is important to pause and reflect on what has been accomplished.  In the previous posting I have listed the data included in a number of posts on the subjects of treaties and land claims said to pertain to the Six Nations.  Another broad topic to come to the fore from time to time is the belief that the Six Nations are a sovereign people and that any discussions with Canada must be of the nation to nation variety.  For a litany of reasons I vehemently disagree with any concept of a "nation within a nation" where in this case a group comprising 0.01% of the Canadian population believe that they should be on an equal footing with the Nation of Canada.  There would be much less justification for anything of this nature involving Six Nations and Canada than say allowing the representatives of the Cornish people (the last Cornish speaker died in the 19th Century) of the County of Cornwall to sit down at a table as an independent body, equal to the representatives of the British Nation of which Cornwall is a part.  Most recognize that this is entirely unrealistic, and those who may harbour these wishes are really only engaging in flights of fantasy.  It is certainly even more "out there" in relation to Six Nations.

Any true nation must be self - sufficient.  Despite the objective fact that Six Nations does not have any treaty with Canada, any source of income for schools, infrastructure and virtually everything you care to name comes directly from the Canadian taxpayer via transfer payments.  Since the old Six Nations Trust fund is likely defunct (an audit would need to confirm its status), and since they have no other source of income (since earnings or businesses on the Reserve are not taxed), it begs the question as to where the "Nation's" inflow of cash will be found.

The matter is considered to be of immediate interest since Chief Nepinak of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is leading a motorcycle brigade to the Niagara Region to make his assertion for nation to nation talks and Native sovereignty as well as abolishing the Indian Act (click here).  Since much the underpinnings of his assertions are built upon quicksand, and have no documentary support, this is an attempt to be proactive and keep one step ahead of the forces who would use beliefs and soft evidence in the attempt to convince Canadians of the truth of what they are saying.  There are plenty of "beliebers" out there ready and willing to eat up anything fed to them by "Natives".

Here follow the postings which are largely focused on the assertion among many at Six Nations that they are a sovereign Nation.   At Six Nations this concept is tightly woven around the conceptualization of the Two Row Wampum, despite the harsh reality of the complete paucity of anything even remotely resembling evidence, or facts, or even a sound rationale.  Hence the following posts from the 15 July posting also apply here:

Two Row Wampum - 1613:

Click here.  The first part of this posting includes an overview discussion of sovereignty and the Two Row Wampum.  It includes photographic copies of the document purported to be the trade agreement of 1613 upon which the concept of the Two Row Wampum supposedly evolved, and the wampum belt that supposedly supports this document and the "ship" and "canoe" analogy that has become a "sacred cow" at Six Nations - to the extent that if you don't believe in it something is wrong with you or you are a racist.

Click here.  The validity of the Two Row Wampum agreement, and the "ship and canoe" inference is considered.  It also is brought forward in the discussion of treaty status and sovereignty by Six Nations.  Included is a photocopy of the original document (although the authenticity of this document has been questioned).

Click here.  The value of oral history, and the fallibility of  human memory is discussed.

Click here.  How the Two Row Wampum concept has impacted thinking and decisions is described.

Sovereignty:  

The following postings were not included in the previous summary post.

Click here.  An early general look at sovereignty at Six Nations.

Click here.  Again, another general perspective on the matter.

Click here.  Sovereignty and Six Nations passports.

Click here.  Sovereignty and hypocrisy.

The above represents the facts and evidence found in this blog. Such "unorthodox" views however fly in the face of the mind set at Six Nations which is firmly focused on the community beliefs - and changing these for any reason for whatsoever is not in the cards.  That is the reality within which we operate - perception is reality at Six Nations.

DY.