On June 1st I warned in my first post on the border guard incident in Akwesasne about false prophets and bogus leaders using the issue to further their causes. I reiterated my concerns on my June 24th post. Today I must again address this concern.
What ever this new group of Meredith Quinn/Lester Howse/Kenny Kapplemier/Larry Thompson/Donny Smoke followers call themselves, I wish they would formally distinguish themselves and just renounce themselves as Mohawks. They hint at it. They condemn the Kaianerehkowa. They play all kinds of semantics and prey on the ignorance of others, yet they insist on using the people of Akwesasne, the Kanienkehaka, to build a foundation for their new religion/history/cult/scam. They come in and out of Longhouses, that they don't believe in. They participate in meetings with "other Mohawk leaders", although they no longer consider themselves Mohawks. They seem to have taken over the Akwesasne Women's Fire website with full coverage of the Larry Thompson Show. The buzz is that they plan to use the the history of Mohawk resistance to suck money out of Momar Khadafi and other American haters. What is the end game? Who knows! I, like many, simply want to just ignore all this nonsense. But opportunists like these use events like the Kawehnoke issue to confuse and undermine the will of the people. Most of us are just plain embarrassed by the ramblings and antics of these guys. The problem is that when the patients take over the asylum it comes to a point where it is hard to tell the mad scientist from the mad men and the mad men from the mindless. Someone is behind all this and who ever it is has a purpose. No, it isn't enlightenment or eternal life. It is something much easier to grasp; $. Most of us have gotten used to looking the other way while our neighbors figured out the next get rich quick scheme. This time it is different. This time it isn't about selling out your own ethics or morality; or jeopardizing your own freedom or security. This time it is about selling out our identity. There are plenty of non-natives looking for a group of "onkweohnwe" to deny everything we have ever stood for; sovereignty, freedom, ties to our land, stewards of that land, government by the people, equality, inherent rights, natural law and our connectedness to creation. These prophets of the camel's eye are just what the doctor ordered for all those that would do us harm. A few corrupt, well spoken men can easily find those weakened by years of alcohol and drug abuse, desperate for something to believe in, abused or abandoned as kids, hooked on easy money and disgruntled because no one has ever done anything for them. This isn't the first attempt at this for some of these guys. After making millions and establishing themselves as the envy of others, ruling over them becomes the next brass ring to grab. These guys have worked in and out of every court system, every political system, every religion and every movement, but never once learning about who they were. It is no wonder that they are drawn to the Egyptians. In our way there is no hierarchy. These guys admire the pyramid; the symbol of wealth and power.
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23 comments:
This isn't to suggest that there aren't other bogus "leaders" running around with crazy ideas. Mike Mitchell wants to put the MCA police and Native border agents in a booth for inspecting vehicles that come on to the Island. Doug George also thinks that the Island should have a booth with Native inspectors. What I don't hear out of these guys is why the Island should have this but no other part of Akwesasne. In fact I have not seen where anyone has pushed the point that there are several other parts of Akwesasne that Canada claims that does not require inspections, reporting or RCMP. Obviously, I am not suggesting that these things should exist but rather that there is precedent for their absence.
You are starting to sound like K. Horn. what gets you so upset because people are thinking and questioning history. you like to be quasi sovereign? well I don't. but that is a personal choice. anyway i disagree with your writing and the rant style you chose. maybe if you were here in the mix of what is happening you would be in some know.
I think studying history and questioning what is put out as fact is a good thing. Just making things up for the sake of conversation is not the same thing as having an intelligent conversation on a given concept or subject. The history of many people including Egyptians make for interesting analysis. The people of this continent did stupid things like building cities too big to support the population, worshipping man-made gods and building pyramids. Like the ancient Egyptians they're all gone too. Trying to connect everyone's history in some crazy attempt to rewrite ours is foolish and serves no good. There is plenty to be learned and studied and put into practice from our own history that would serve us well today.
I feel no "Pride" from this Native page. So, are there any good people left on any of our Nations? Someone or something we can be proud of? Greedy, nuts, liars, thiefs, too rich, too poor, drunk...hmmm
Point taken. I started this blog to give clarity to some issues and to encourage debate and conversation over others. With all the controversy in our territories it is easy to over look the good in our people and the good in our communities. We truly have plenty to be proud of. We have young people that are not content with what we are passing on. They want more. It is on us to help remove the dust from our history. We don't need to fill their heads with fantasy and myths. We need to be honest about our short comings and those that came before us, but not overlook what has been accomplished and the opportunities that lie ahead.
opportunities, mail order cigs.....???
Mail order, wholesale, manufacturing - pick one, or be really independent and venture off into something different. No one said tobacco HAD to be our legacy. Use it as a springboard to something else.
your story is not completely accurate, but no worries, we know you did not speak with anyone from AkwesasneWomensFire.com website and you apparently have not spoken with the elders in our community that each have very different views and opinions about all of this.
Please do make time to speak with Jake Swamp, Tom Porter, and Ernie Benedict in person because they are most capable of speaking for themselves. It should only take you a few minutes and will help you to learn the consequences of attacking your own family members, during War.
Some info to help you clarify:
1. AkwesasneWomensFire.com does not collect nor ask for $$$$ from anyone. It is completely funded by a volunteer Onkwehonwe in Akwesasne.
2. The admin of AkwesasneWomensFire.com has never received easy $$$, worked in tobacco trade, been a long-time drug/alcohol abuser, nor any of the ASSumptions you posted. You can google 'monica peters','monica lamb' for more info.
3. When a writer or researcher shares information they discover, that does not equal a 'follower' of the information source.
4. Next time you have any concerns or questions about AkwesasneWomensFire.com website and any of the writers their, you are always welcome to ask, comment, and discuss with the writer.
5. Maybe you can visit the community of Akwesasne in person, so you can discover more of the truth about what is going on here, rather than making ASSumptions from middlemen that never set foot in our community, nor have any conversations with those that live in our community.
6. Mike Mitchell lives in Akwesasne, he spoke with Onkwehonwe, eye to eye about his recent statements. You may want to consider how much you rely on mainstream news sources for your information about Akwesasneron.
7. I don't agree with all of my friends, neighbors, and family here in Akwesasne, but we are all still family and a community here.
Sad to see your efforts going towards malicious attacks on free thinking Onkwehonwe in Akwesasne, during a time that our community, family, friends, and neighbors are under attack.
Guess the Queen can just sit back and let you take over the job?
I heard about the Camel's eye treaty a few years back. Many other obscurities, too: treaties, alliances and claims, from alot of different people. I've worked with a few of them.
I gotta say, I absolutely NO interest in stimulating any kind of conversation about any of it, because, in my view, it is a waste of time. Like talking about "how to bake bran muffins" in the middle of a war zone. It is nothing more than a distraction.
Instead, I would just like to say how revealing it is, when someone turns to "logical fallacies" to validate their own positions/opinions or challenge those of others. When people turn to logical fallacies, it is usually because their argument has no foundation.
"Shooting the messenger", for example. The article here is not malicious. Instead, It is expressing legitimate concerns. Whether or not everything is spot-on accurate, which I can't speak on either way, I am thankful for the heads up.
As a general thought, it is important to remember that we are at the end of a 500 year long, full-spectrum assault (which means they've been attacking every aspect of our being, from every angle they can, for 500 years).
It's taken its toll on all of us. But even so, there is hope, and there are many different ways to address the problems we know all too about.
In all cases, these solutions, these actual solutions, are a process--not an "event" or a "document" or some fixed notion that cannot adapt to real life (much like colonialism).
In my view the process is multigenerational. And it is about empowerment and reclamation and resurgence and physically removing the colonial bonds from our lives. It's alot like getting over a cold.
This work cannot be escaped if we're ever going to live an authentic life as Ohnkweohnwe. Even if those treaties held merit, we would still be left with this work, wouldn't we?
At the same time, if we avoid it, or if we allow ourselves to be distracted by nuage dogma and other silly rhetoric while the colonization process is completed, then we are done.
Think about it.
This is for your cameltoe treaty believers.You Sound lost one to many hits to the head with a case of smokes or what? Sounds like you need to get your heads out of each others asses! do not wait to hear the pop.I am loving this! due to it shows me how you really lost yourself in the way of new age!what in the world have you guy's been smokin up there it definitely can not be tobacco?You cameltoe guy's must be affiliated with the Alqeada or some tribe overseas.?sounds like the way ken dorkmeyer talks out of his ass???
It is well to examine the implications of this phenomenon. A rational onkwehonwe can easily discern that this whole thing is a load of hogwash, however, by attacking it, one attaches more credibility than is warranted.
In my estimation it is merely the latest attempt of desperate people to divine the magic words that will make the big bad government disappear and the world to be flooded with roses and bunny rabbits.
This is similar in effect to the phenomenon of Onkwehonwe who wish to work within the system and divine the magic ways and mystical words that will deliver our justice through the court system.
Both groups wish to substitute risk, labor, time and control for a shortcut through the rabbit hole.
Neither will bring good results.
Offer a criticism, offer a solution: I will deliver you a bag of my own form of crazy, make of it what you will. I think one possible path to our continued and increasing freedom is through counter economics. Some of the details can be found here:
http://agorism.info/new_libertarian_manifesto_audio_book
Viva La Akwesasne
Response to MNN:
What was your point behind trying to attack me by forwarding http://letstalknativepride.blogspot.com/. Like to know what I did to you. I must you take me for fool to have ever promote your site. Guess I can add Mohawk Nation News and you to my enemy list.
I don't run around with Lester, Larry or Donny. Neither of them have any idea what they are talking about.
Need to get your info straight next time.
Ken - ongwehonweh@netscape.net
It is obvious from the reaction to this post that there is a lot of passion surrounding this issue. It is unfortunate that the passion, energy and talent being used to promote this ideology has not been used to promote the concepts and processes laid out in the Kaianerehkowa. I was always told that the only "treaty" that we should have ever put any weight on was the Kaswentha. The "Two Row" warns about the objects in the other vessel and that we need to concentrate on what is ours. I've heard concerns raised about abandoning our "Original Instructions". Whether you believe these instructions came from Creation or from those that came before us, we know what they are. This is the area of common ground that we all have. Not even the band councils or tribal councils are willing to completely disassociate themselves from our roots and that is because far too many of us are still trying to keep a foot in our original vessel while reaching for all the shiny objects it every othere vessel that flows by.
I watched those stupid videos. Larry has tried to tie this BS to the Warriors, to clan mothers and to some bazaar concept around one global or universal law. If the law he speaks of is supposed to be Natural law then where does all this nonsense about clan mothers having supreme authority come from? The rest of the natural world doesn't follow this. On one of the videos he and Donny try explaining the 666 and serpent symbols. If the serpent represents all that is good, like they say, then why is the serpent referred to negatively in the Kaianerehkowa? How prophetic is it that we are told to cast out the serpent with a stick if it tries to make it to our fire? Words to live by, I think.
where does Kaienerekowa teach us to belittle, gossip, and tell outright lies about Onkwehonwe?
Where does Kaianerehkowa state that Onkwehonwe should never research on their own?
Where does Kaianerehkowa state that Onkwehonwe are not allowed to think, speak, look, hear, and try out new tactics - that have not been tried yet by our tired elders?
Where does Kaianerehkowa state that Kaianerehkowa is to be used as excuse for belittling, name calling, gossiping, and false allegations against other Onkwehonwe with spam all over the Internet?
No one is locked in a Longhouse. Anyone is free to leave it and pursue other beliefs and customs. Being Ohnkwe Ohnwe is our birthright. Anyone that feels being "real" isn't enough can adopt any belief system they choose. Questioning ourselves and what it means to be Kanienkehaka or Ohnkwe Ohnwe is certainly not disallowed. It is necessary. Just as it is necessary to challenge false prophets and those trying to convert us. There is nothing really new here. It has all been done to our people before. The Kaianerehkowa has been undermined before. This is why we have token administrations trying to pass themselves off as our nation governments. One day a year these tribal and band councils get a couple of hundred people out of the thousands that make up a given community to cast a ballot so that a couple of guys can pretend that they are the "duly" elected leaders. Does the Kaianerehkowa allow for this kind of criticism? Yes it does. Does it call for anyone who sees a threat approaching to sound an alarm? Yes it does. Our way does warn about gossip and rumors. But it does not suggest that we should ignore suspicion or avoid skepticism.
You sound an Alarm when you see danger. How can you see anything at Akwesasne from where you live? You probably just going on what others told you, but didn't take the time to actually talk to those you belittled.
I don't expect or even wish that all who read this blog agree with my posts or comments. As you see I will even keep some of the antagonistic comments posted as long as they in some way contribute to the conversation. It is important to note that it appears that all these are coming from one source. My original post is not rumor or gossip. It is opinion; mine. I share it for discussion purposes.
It is easy to see the dangers approaching Akwesasne when the videos of all this camel crap are posted on YouTube. This blog was one of the only places people could go for information on what was going on over the border issue. From day 1 of the CBSA pullout this blog has been one of the best sources of info on the issue.
ya, I prefer to find out what's going on in akwesasne from a dude that is hiding out in buffalo, claiming the kaienerekowa is a weapon for gossiping and judging Onkwehonwe that he never met or talked with.
when can we see details about what life is like in an african village here?
Would this last comment be rumor, gossip, judging or belittling?
I just want to reply to what MONICA PETERS wrote.....
You have no business talking about anything or arguing with anybody... you are a thief.
For YEARS you have been stealing language materials that Six Nations people have produced and you go and SELL IT. I know because I have helped create some of the materials that you have been selling on your stupid sites.
You are a plagiarist and an opportunist... Iah tesahronkha ne kanien'keha tahnon iah tesa'nikonhraientas..... thats why you steal from people whom have worked for years to become fluent and create learning materials then you take their intellectual property and you SELL IT and make a profit.
Its people like you that make me sick.
May the punisher have his way with you once you are gone.
ONEN KI WAHI
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