Pivotal moment in Indigenous history
Ellen Gabriel stands amongst the crowd of reporters for an interview during the Siege of Kanehsatà:ke, August 28, 1990. (Courtesy: Library and Archives Canada/Benoit Aquin fonds/e011312013)
Story told by Ellen Gabriel
To say it was okay to extend the Oka golf course over our ancestral cemetery in 1990 was just another way to dehumanize us.
Thirty-four years ago was a different time. Canadian society knew nothing about us. The norm was to do whatever they wanted with us, without any consequences, with impunity. At that time, if someone were to beat up a Mohawk man or rape a Mohawk woman, they’d say, “It’s just a dirty Indian.” We were considered less than, inferior to. They didn’t care. But it is still the same when we include the situation of missing and murdered Indigenous women, and how they continue to steal our land.
The Siege of Kanehsatà:ke and Kahnawà:ke in 1990 was an example of settler colonial racism that is the accepted norm. It was a manifestation of this racist norm. They figured that they had subdued us because of their violent nature, and that we would not get in the way of their continued land theft.
In 1990, the people thought we’d just get arrested; we didn’t expect to be shot at. We didn’t know that the SWAT team would be the ones to do the politician’s dirty work or that they would open fire upon us.
After many community meetings before the raid, it was decided that since women are the titleholders to the land that they would be the leaders, as we are there to protect the land. We had agreed to be at the forefront when the police arrived. We all agreed on that. The women would protect the land and the men would protect the women.
When I was learning about our ways in the Longhouse, one of the elders told me that even if there’s one person left holding up the Great Law of Peace, then our laws exist, our governing structures exist. That’s exactly what we were doing in protecting the land and the people. As Onkwehón:we peoples under our constitution of Kaianere’kó:wa, it is our obligation to protect the land for present and future generations.
During the Summer of 1990, Canada and Quebec kept calling us criminals, saying that we were violent people, not acknowledging their own history of violence against our people. Nor the fact that the issue was a long-standing historical land dispute that they have refused to deal with fairly. They have “spin doctors” to create propaganda against Indigenous land defenders and people standing up for the land, because they are willing to do anything against Indigenous Peoples in order to protect their economic interests, especially the third-party interests, whose theft of our homelands provides economic benefits to government.
Before the raid on July 11th, Canada and Quebec’s representative along with the band council did not negotiate in good faith. We had our own people sabotaging the negotiations and making deals that we were unaware of. They wanted the barricades down and said that they would talk to the Longhouse people to negotiate the so-called ‘land claims’ after the barricades came down. But they lied, as they persistently do, it’s a game to them and we are their pawns.
Despite all the divisions in the community, people understood that this was an attack upon all of us. It didn’t matter which side you were on. Some of our community members who disagreed with the barricade, harassed and threatened people at the barricades. It was an attack on all of us.
For a brief moment in time, there was unity amongst the community. People could see the injustice, and other Indigenous communities and nations could identify with this injustice because they lived it and were still experiencing the ongoing colonial thievery of our homelands.
A Warrior stands on watch on top of the barricade in Kanehsatà:ke on August 28, 1990. (Benoit Aquin / Library and Archives Canada / Benoit Aquin fonds / e011312031)
That kind of unity, solidarity and support was so morally and spiritually important because as a small community, it’s often challenging to go up against the government. The situation is always the same, the government is dismissive and condescending and drags their feet in negotiations. But when communities come together, especially if it becomes a national issue, the colonial government feels pressure, they see that we aren’t alone, as they witness the outpouring of support from across the country.
Nineteen-ninety was a pivotal moment in Indigenous history. Internationally, we tarnished the reputation of Canada and reminded Indigenous Peoples of the struggles we all have in common. We reminded the world that we have rights, we are sovereign nations who have been oppressed for centuries. In the end, our struggle exposed Canada’s genocidal history.
The Royal Commission on Aboriginal People (RCAP) was created because of what happened in Kanehsatà:ke and the recommendations we made during a Senate Commission investigating what happened during the crisis.
From the RCAP came the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Through all that suffering came something positive and that was revealing to the world the realities and challenges Indigenous Peoples faced in this colonial project.
It was difficult for many, especially survivors of the Indian residential schools, showing Canada’s genocidal history was truly painful for many Indigenous Peoples. At that time, no one was talking about the different kinds of abuses committed at Indian residential schools, only within our communities, within ourselves. It wasn’t spoken out loud nor exposed.
The theft of our homelands has been normalized because it’s been going on since contact, this normalization of dispossession supports Canada’s justification of the theft and displacement of Indigenous Peoples from their Homelands.
In 1990, it was considered a fact by the colonizers, that Indigenous Peoples were conquered and there was no more ‘Indian problem.’ People were oblivious to the plight of Onkwehón:we Peoples about the fact that the colonial state was continually stealing our land.
What the 1990 Resistance did was expose these lies and bring pride back to our people. Today we have the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, obliging developers to obtain our prior and informed consent before any development occurs.
Sometimes when you are in the thick of things, it’s “hard to see the forest for the trees.” Overall, the majority of Indigenous people across Canada have benefited in some way from the work we did in 1990. But unfortunately, I don’t necessarily see that for Kanehsatà:ke. We’re still trying to stand on our own two feet.
Things may have changed in how people see Indigenous human rights, but as a community, we are still feeling the impacts of the trauma we endured at the time. The whole community is still in a type of trauma state. Because we have had colonial-enforced poverty for generations, attitudes towards the land have changed. Our people have internalized colonial capitalism to a degree that I don’t recognize this community anymore. Until we remove jealousy and greed, we’re going to continue to have those trauma responses.
The land we fought for is still under dispute and being threatened at so many levels. The government of Canada says they bought it for our benefit and use and under colonial laws, we still do not have title to the land. But under our laws, the land is still ours no matter what Oka, Quebec or Canada says.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Kwah tokèn:’en tsi wa’karihwaierón:nitste’ Onkwehón:we tsi nihotiia'tawénhseron
Ellen Gabriel revisits the Pines on July 13, 2022. (Credit: Simona Rosenfield)
Ellen Gabriel IAKOKÁ:RATON
Tióhton iawén:re tewen'niáwe tióhton niwáhsen shiiohserá:te'
wa'onkhika'én:ion' tsi ní:ioht iah iatión:kwe té:ken shahonnì:ron' thikawenní:io ne sénha akakowanáhton ne Oka tsi teionhthenno'óktha' tsi nón:we niiakhiia'táta'skwe'. Ó:ia' niiohtòn:ne' áhsen niwáhsen áhsen niiohserá:ke tsi náhe'. Korahró:non iah thé:nen tehonaterièn:tarahkwe' nonkwarihwà:ke. Tsi niioren'nhà:'on thikawenní:io ok nenionkhiié:ra'se', iah thé: thaiá:wen'ne', iah thé:nen thahonwatihré:wahte'. Ne tho shontakahá:wi, tóka' ónhka'k enhonwário' ne Kanien'kehá:ka nahaia'tò:ten rón:kwe tóka' ni' entiontatenónhton'se' ne Kanien'kehá:ka na'eia'tò:ten' iakón:kwe, enhonnì:ron', "Kwah nek ne teiakoia'tá'tson Onkwehón:we." Wa'onkhika'én:ion' tsi ní:ioht tóka' iah thiekaié:ri teiakwaia'tò:ten tsi ní:ioht ne ronónha. Iah tehonatsteríston. Nek tsi shé:kon ne shà:ka tsi nonkwá:ti tsi niiawen'hátie' ne Konnonkwehón:we Iah Teskonwatiia'tatshénrion tánon' ne Konwanahséhton, nok tsi ní:ioht tsi ieshonatahsón:tere' aionkhinénhsko' ontionhóntsa'.
Sha'thonwatinatáhnhake' ne Kanehsatà:ke tánon' Kahnawà:ke ne tióhton iawén:re tewen'niáwe tióhton niwáhsen shiiohserá:te' tho ki' ní:ioht tsi ionkhikèn:rons. Wa'karihotáhsi' tsi ní:ioht tsi iotkà:te' ionkhikèn:rons. Wahón:nehre' tsi ionkhi'shénnion nè:'e tsi ronteriiohseranòn:we' nihatiweiennò:ten, nok iah thaiakhiió'tatshe' tsi ieiotkontáhkwen tsi rononhontsanenhskwenhátie's.
Ón:kwe wahón:nehre' kwah nek enionkhiié:na' ne tióhton iawén:re tewen'niáwe tióhton niwáhsen shiiohserá:te'; iah teionkwahrhá:rehkwe' naionkhiiaròn:tate'. Iah teionkwaterièn:tarahkwe' tsi SWAT raotinèn:ra' enhshakotirì:wawa'se' ne kakorahserá:kon ronaterihón:ton tsi nonkwá:ti ne kaio'tenhserahétken. Iah ni' teionkwaterièn:tarahkwe' tsi enionkhiiaròn:tate'.
Tsi ó:nen é:so wa'akwatkennísa' ne kanakeráhsera' ohén:ton shiionkhinenhrenhtén:ni, ia'tekarihwaientà:'on tsi konnón:kwe enkontiia'takwe'niióhake' ase'kénh onónha konnonhontsakwe'ní:io, nè:'e tsi tho ki' iákwe's aiakwatonhontsanòn:na'. Wa'akwarihwanòn:we'ne' ne ohentónhshon eniakwè:sheke' shahón:newe' ne karíhton. Akwé:kon wa'akwarihwanòn:we'ne' ne tho aorihwà:ke. Konnón:kwe enkontonhontsanòn:na' tánon' ronnón:kwe enhshakotiia'tanónhstate' ne konnón:kwe.
Shiwakeweientehta'onhátie' tsi niionkwarihò:ten ne Kanonhsésne nonkwá:ti, tseià:ta tiakó:ien' ionkhró:ri tóka' tseià:ta tsakotatén:ron iakokéhte' ne Kaianere'kó:wa, shé:kon ki' í:we' nonkwaianerenhsera'shòn:'a. Tho ki' niiakwaiéhrha' tsi iakwatonhontsanónhnha' tánon' iakhiia'tanónhste' ne onkwehshòn:'a. Iationkwehón:we ionkwaterihwaién:ni aiakwatonhontsanòn:na' ne ken' rón:ne' onhontsà:ke raotirihwà:ke tánon' ne takahwatsiratátie' raotirihwà:ke kaianerenhseró:kon ne Kaianere'kó:wa.
Tsi niwakénhnes ne tióhton iawén:re tewen'niáwe tióhton niwáhsen shiiohserá:te', Koráhne tánon' Quebec thotikontáhkwen ionkhina'tónhkhwa' tsonkwaterihwate'wáhton, rón:ton tsi iakwateriiohseranòn:we', iah tehotiienterè:'on tsi niiawénhseron tsi ionkhiiesáhton nontionkwe'ta'shòn:'a. Iah ò:ni' tsi karì:wes tsi náhe' shikarihwatátie' tsi tehotirihwatí:ronte' nonhóntsa' aorihwà:ke ne iah tehonathontá:ton norì:wa' ahonterihwatsté:riste'. Rononkwè:taien' ne rotinó:wen ok thahatikarón:ni' ne aonsahonatkarenhrákwahte' nonkwehón:we rontonhontsanónhnha'. Né: tsi rón:nehre' tahonwatí:tahste' ne onkwehón:we ne tóhsa Kakoráhsera' ahotihwistón:ti', kwah sénha ne tsi nihá:ti skátne ronaterihwahtentià:ton rotinénhskwen ontionhontsa'shòn:'a ne sénha ahonthwistón:ni' ne Kakoráhsera'.
Ohén:ton shiionkhinenhrenhtén:ni ne Ohiarihkó:wa 11 shískare', Koráhne tánon' Quebec tánon' ne ratinatakwe'ní:io ne kèn:'en wahatitsénhaien' tánon' iah tethotirihwakwarihsià:ton tsi na'teiotonhontsóhon. Í: ki' ontionkwe'ta'shòn:'a wa'thatirihwà:rihte' tsi rotitsénhaien' tánon' ó:ia' nahò:ten' wahonterihwahserón:ni' ne iah teionkwaterièn:tarahkwe'. Wahón:nehre' é:ren aonsahatihá:wihte' ne wata'enhrotónnion tánon' wahonnì:ron' tenhatihthá:ren' ne rotinónhses ahatitsénhaien' akarihwanirá:ton ónhka káti' enieia'takwe'niióhake' nonhóntsa' nó:nen enwateríhsi' tsi wata'enhrotónnion. Nek tsi ki' wahontenó:wenhte', tsi niioren'nhà:'on, teietsihkwaientáhkhwa' khok ne raotirhwà:ke tánon' ì:'i ki' raotitsihkwa'shòn:'a.
Arenhátien tsi tehotinenhrakháhsion kaná:takon, wahoti'nikonhraién:ta'ne' nón:kwe tsi akwé:kon ieionkwatia'tóntion kí:ken. Iah thé:nen teiontié:ren ka' nonkwá:ti níhsete'. Ótia'ke ontionkwe'ta'shòn:'a ne iah tehotirihwanonhwè:'on tsi wata'èn:rote', wa'tehshakoti'nikonhrhá:ren' tánon' wahshakotihterónhkwen' nón:kwe tsi wata'enhrotónnion nón:we. Akwé:kon ki' ieionkwatia'tóntion.
Ken’ nikarihwésha shontóhetste’, ska’nikòn:ra wahón:ton’ ne kanakerahserá:kon. Wahontkáhtho' ki’ wáhi nón:kwe tsi niió:re tsi iah teioterihwakwaríhsion, tánon’ ne thihatinakerahseraténion tánon' thihonnonhontsaténion wa’thonterihwahsónteren' ne kí:ken iah teioterihwakwaríhsion ase'kénh ó:nen tehonatohétston tánon’ shé:kon ki’ nòn:wa tehonatohetstonhátie’ tsi shakonatonkwehnestén:ni ronatonhontsahkhwenhátie' tsi nón:we iakwanakere'ón:we.
É:so tsi iorihowanèn:ne' tsi nonkwá:ti ne tkarihwaié:ri tánon’ natónhnhets tsi ní:ioht tsi énska ronaton’òn:ne’ ase'kénh tsi ken’ niionkwanakerahserà:’a, iotkà:te’ se’ é:so tsi karihwanó:ron ne kakoráhsera' aontakonwanatia’tón:ti’. Tió:konte’ énska tsi ní:ioht ne tsi niwaterihwatié:rens, roti’nikonhrhenhtà:tskon tánon’ ehtà:ke shakonón:nis tánon’ tehonarahsi’tì:sere' ne kakoráhsera’ tsi tehatihtharónnions. Nek tsi nó:nen enhonnitiohkwakwe’nón:ni’ ne kanakerahsera’shòn:’a, sénha ki’ wáhi nó:nen kanakerahserakwé:kon tenhon’nikonhrhá:ren', iohní:ron enhónttoke' ne shakonatonkwehnestén:ni raotikoráhsera’, enhontkáhtho’ tsi iah teiontionhahstsíhon, enhontkáhtho’ tsi nikahretsarónhtshera’ entkaiá:ken’ne’ ne tsi nikanakeráhseres.
Two soldiers under the Mercier Bridge in Kahnawà:ke with view of painted message that reads, “In Washington they call it assimilation! In Ottawa Indian Progress. In Quebec Francization. We who are the victims call it genocide.” Taken on September 3, 1990. (Courtesy: Benoit Aquin / Library and Archives Canada / Benoit Aquin fonds / e011312120)
Kwah tokèn:’en’ tsi wa’karihwaierón:nitste’ ne tióhton iawén:re tewen'niáwe tióhton niwáhsen shiiohserò:ten ne ne Onkwehón:we tsi nihotiia’tawénhseron aorihwà:ke. Ne teiaonhontsawéhrhon, wa’tiakhiianiskonwaráhrho’ ne Koráhne tánon’ saiakhiiehiahráhkwen’ ne Onkwehón:we tsi niió:re tsi énska tsi ní:ioht tsi teionkwatatiénhton. Saiakhiiehiahráhkwen’ ne onhontsakwé:kon tsi ionkwaianerenhseraién:ton, tsi iakwatathá:wi nonkwanakerahsera'shòn:'a ne ne tewen’niawe’ékhon niiohserá:ke sha’teionkhiiahsi’tò:raraks. Tsi ontò:kten’, ne teionkwatatiénhton wa’kaianotáhsi’ ne Koráhne tsi ní:ioht tsi ronanitiohkwenthóhseron.
Wahonnitiohkón:ni’ ne Royal Commission on Aboriginal People (RCAP, 1996) ase'kénh tsi nontaiá:wen’ ne Kanehsatà:ke tánon’ ne tsi wa’akwathró:ri’ tsi niionkwaterien’tò:ten's shiioterihwahténtion ne Senate Commission shahonterihwátken'se' tsi nontaiá:wen’ tsi nikarì:wes wa’tewattsiró:ko’. Eh RCAP nón:we nontá:we’ ne Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Ok nahò:ten’ karihwí:io saiokè:tohte' ne ne tsi nikaiesáhtsheres tánon’ é:so tsi wa’thotikahkwaríhsi’ nohontsakwé:kon ne ne tsi nahò:ten’ tehonatohetstánion tánon’ tehotihniotónnion ne Onkwehón:we tsi náhe' ne shakonatonkwehnestén:ni shihonanitiohkwahtentià:ton. É:so iá:kon wa’ako’nikonhráksa’te’, sénha ki’ wáhi tsi niiá:kon’ teshonatohétston ne Indian Residential Schools, é:so tsi wahoneriahsakaré:wahte’ é:so rá:ti nonkwehón:we tsi ontianotáhsi’ ne Koráhne tsi ní:ioht tsi ronanitiohkwenthóhseron. Ne tho shitkahá:wi, iah ónhka nè:’e teiakohtharáhkwen tsi nikakenhren’serò:ten's onterihwatié:ren’ ne Indian Residential Schools, nek onkwanakerahserakónhshon, onkwa’nikonhrakónhshon. Iah énska tha’teioterihókwen tóka’ ni’ teiototáhsion.
Karen’nháhtshera’ iotòn:’on tsi watonhontsáhkhwen ne iakwanakere'ón:we ase'kénh eh shiioterihwahténtion’ tsi náhe’ sha’tiakwatátken’, ne ken’ nikaren’nhahtsherò:ten tsi watonhontsarákwen iakorihwawà:se’ ne Koráhne ahotiianerenhseraién:take’ tsi ronatonhontsáhkhwen tánon’ shakonarekwáhton ne Onkwehón:we tsi nón:we Ratinakere'ón:we.
Ne tióhton iawén:re tewen'niáwe tióhton niwáhsen shiiohserò:ten, iohní:ron tsi ronnonhtónnionhkwe’ ne shakonatonkwehnestén:ni, tsi ronwati’shénnion ne Onkwehón:we tánon’ iah othé:nen teská:ien’ ne “Indian Problem”. É:so tsi rotinekhé:renskwe’ nón:kwe tsi niió:re tsi ronate’swaksèn:’en ne Onkwehón:we tsi niió:re tsi tó:kenske’ thotikontáhkwen tsi ronatonhontsahkwenhátie' ne shakonatonkwehnestén:ni. Ne tióhton iawén:re tewen'niáwe tióhton niwáhsen Resistance wa’otáhsi’ ne ken’ nikanowenhtò:ten's ne tánon’ wahotira’séhtsheron’ ne ontiokwe’ta’shòn:’a. Ok nòn:wa wenhniseraténion ionkwá:ien’ ne United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, iakosterón:wis ne ne ronnón:nis ne aionkwaterien’tarahstsíhon’ tsi eniawarihwanòn:we’ne’ nohén:ton othé:nen enhonnón:ni’.
Sewatié:rens nó:nen kwah tokèn:’en tesaweienhnhara’onhátie’, “wentó:re’ se’ ne orihwakwé:kon aiontkáhtho’”. Ne norihwakwé:kon, thó:ha akwé:kon ne tsi nihá:ti Onkwehón:we ne tsi nikorahnéhtsheres kwah ok ní:ioht tsi wahotiianerénhsten’ ne tsi niionkwaié:ren ne tióhton iawén:re tewen'niáwe tióhton niwáhsen shiiohserò:ten. Nek tsi iohnhá:ten, iah orihwí:io tekatkáhthos thí:ken ne Kanehsatà:ke aorihwà:ke. Shé:kon niiakwate’niéntha’ ne ioianerehstsíhon taiakwá:ta’ne’. Ki’ ónhte’ wáhi wa’tewatté:ni’ tsi ní:ioht tsi ón:kwe rontkáhthos ne Onkwehón:we akoiánerenhsera’, nek tsi tsi nonkwá:ti ne kanakeráhsera’, shé:kon se’ niiakwattó:kas tsi na’tionkwatenonhianíhten’ tsi wa’akwatahkátstate’ ne tho shitkahá:wi. Kwah kanakerahserakwé:kon shé:kon ok niwatenonhianihtahtsherò:ten eh thatiia’tò:ron. Tsi tohkára ní:kon watere’seratátie’ ó:nen shakonatonkwehnestén:ni shiionkhitenhtsherón:ni, teiotténion tsi ní:ioht tsi iakwaka’én:ions ne onhóntsa’. Sótsi raoti’nikòn:rakon’ ronéten’ ne tsi ní:ioht tsi shakonatonkwehnestén:ni ronthwistón:nis kwah iah testién:tere’s ne kí:ken kanakeráhsera’ ó:nen. Tsi niió:re tsi entsakwará:kewe’ ne aten’kéwhen’ tánon atétshen, sénhak ki’ eh nentsohtonhátie’ ne tho niwatenonhianihtahtsherò:ten's.
Shé:kon nòn:wa tekarihotahrhonhátie’ tánon tekahniotátie’ ne nonhóntsa’ ionkwahskenhnhà:’on kwah tsik nitiotierà:ton. Rón:ton wáhi ne ne Koráhne kakoráhsera' tsi ì:’i ionkhihninòn:se’ ne naionkwaianerénhsten’ tánon' ne aiákwatste’ tánon ne shakonatonkwehnestén:ni raotiianerenhseró:kon, shé:kon iah ì:’i teiakwaia’takwe’ní:io ne nohóntsa’. Nek tsi ne ì:’i onkwaianerenhsó:kon, shé:kon’ ì:’i ontionhóntsa’ í:ken arenhátien ki’ wáhi’ tsi nahò:ten rón:ton ne Oka, Quebec tóka’ ni' Koráhne.
Translated by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette & Karonhí:io Delaronde