Caledonia External Support

Public Forum in Caledonia: Moving Beyond Conflict and Blame: Why Canadians Should Support Six Nations Land Rights - Sept 30th,

ant — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 16:45:48 -0400

Community Friends for Peace and Understanding with Six Nations Presents:

Moving Beyond Conflict and Blame: Why Canadians Should Support Six
Nations Land Rights.

A PDF file of the poster is available by clicking here.

A panel discussion on the background to the Douglas Creek Estates
reclamation and the possibilities for peace, justice and reconciliation
between Canada and Six Nations.

September 30th 2006, 1pm-4pm

At the McKinnon Park Secondary School (91 Haddington Street) in Caledonia.

Speakers:

Jan Watson, Caledonia resident, member of Community Friends.

Kate Kempton, a lawyer with Olthuis Kleer Townshend in Toronto, with
expertise in indigenous peoples' rights, environmental and social
justice law.

Rolf Gerstenberger, President, United Steelworkers Local 1005.

This event is being put on in the spirit of peace and togetherness and
is designed as a safe environment for discussion and exchange of ideas
about the possible ways that the issue of Six Nations land claims can be
peacefully and justly resolved. All open-minded people interested in
genuine discussion and dialogue are welcome.

Peace and Friendship Gathering in Six Nations August 22nd-24th

ant — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:45:03 -0400

*Please forward widely*

Friday, August 22 to Sunday, August 24, 2008
Chiefswood Park, Ohsweken, Six Nations Territory

The third weekend in August will witness a historic gathering of the
people of Six Nations and their allies from across Ontario and Turtle
Island. From Friday, August 22 to Sunday, August 24, hundreds of people
will gather at Chiefswood Park in the town of Ohsweken, Six Nations
territory for a three day festival of friendship and solidarity.
The vision for this event was inspired from the work that has been
accomplished by the people of Six Nations in the spirit of the Great Law
of Peace and the good minds that have been tireless in moving this
vision forward. Many have lent their voice, strength and support to
building greater awareness, understanding, friendship and solidarity
between our peoples. The Peace and Friendship Gathering will facilitate
the opportunity for and all of us to learn, be inspired, and gather a
greater understanding and respect of the relationships that indigenous
and non-indigenous people have.

The primary focus of the festival will be a series of workshops, talks
and presentations related to indigenous sovereignty, environmental
politics and issues of anti-racism and social justice. In addition to
talks and workshops, we will also be holding a series of cultural events

Brantford land claims - the true history behind the headlines

ant — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:47:24 -0400

What: An informative lecture and Q&A time with 30 year veteran of Six Nations land claims research Phil Monture and other leaned special guests.

When: Thursday, May 15, 2008, beginning at 7 pm.

Where: At the BCI Auditorium, Brant Ave. Brantford.

Why: Without the truth, it will be impossible to understand why Six Nations are blocking development in Brant/Brant County and elsewhere.

DID YOU KNOW:

Did you know that more than 50% of the present Six Nations land and resources disputes registered with Canada involve Brantford or Brant County?

Did you know there are dozens more yet to be filed?

Did you know that since 2002, the Supreme Court of Canada has ordered the federal and provincial governments of Canada as well as municipalities and developers to engage in meaningful consultation and accommodation with First Nations where contested land land claims or treaty rights are concerned?

Did you know that the Canadian Constitution Act of 1982 recognized and affirms Aboriginal Rights and Treaties?

Did you know that only 807 acres of Brantford is accounted for, and most of that has yet to be paid to the people of Six Nations?

Don’t believe it? Come and hear the real truth behind the settlement of Brant County and the expansionism policies of today’s City Hall.

Six Nations Defendants in Solidarity With Others Being Charged For Land Rights Stands

ant — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:58:20 -0400

Statement by Skyler Williams At The Cayuga Court House
Six Nations of Grand River Territory

April 28, 2008

My name is Skyler Williams. I am a Mohawk, Wolf, from Six Nations of The Grand River Territory. I am speaking on behalf of myself and several others that have been charged with criminal offences in connection with defending our land rights at Six Nations.

We have instructed our lawyer today not to proceed with our legal defence, so long as police have guns turned on our brothers and sisters in Tyendinaga.

Over the past months, Canada’s efforts to criminalize those of us who are standing up for our land rights has reached epic proportions. The message is clear: participate in negotiations that go nowhere as our lands are developed and destroyed - or go to jail.

Today, Six Nations is standing in steadfast solidarity with those in Tyendinaga whose lives and freedoms are in jeopardy because they are standing up for their rights. We also stand with those in Akwesasne, Kanawake and all peoples who have joined in this stand.

Also, we stand with those leaders of Ardoch Algonquin and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug that are in jail because they refuse to betray their people and allow for mining exploration in their traditional territories.

Six Nations spokesperson speaks on April 27th blockade of Highway 6 in Solidarity with the Mohawks of Tyendenaga.

ant — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:05:29 -0400

Six Nations spokesperson speaks on April 27th blockade of Highway 6 in Solidarity with the Mohawks of Tyendenaga. Video was filmed in the early evening of Sunday April 27th by members of the CUPE 3903 First Nations Solidarity Working Group.

Incarcerated Six Nations Man Threatened by Institutional Staff

ant — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 23:25:54 -0400

***PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY***
Thursday October 25, 2007

Incarcerated Six Nations Man Threatened by Institutional Staff
by Janie Jamieson
Six Nations

Skylar Williams, a Mohawk Wolf from Six Nations has been held without
bail at the Hamilton Barton St. Jail since the illegal arrests at
Stirling Street September 19, 2007. Today we held a rally for him
outside the jail where he has been in the "hole" for two days.

We have reason to believe if Skyler is harmed in anyway, we know he is
the target of planned and deliberate threats and violence by jail
institution staff members.

A few days ago Skylar woke up to find the plumbing in his cell on range
5 was backed up. He notified institution staff on his range. He was
accused by staff of backing up the plumbing. The mess was left.
Skylar asked for a drink of water, he was told by staff to drink from
the toilet. Skylar responded, "there's sh*t" in there. The institution
staff's paid professional advise to Skylar was to "take the sh*t out and
then have a drink." Skylar refused and notified his lawyer of the
situation. At this point Skyler was without clean water for
approximately 18 hours.

The Politics of Solidarity: Six Nations, Leadership, and the Settler Left

ant — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 09:15:26 -0400

By Tom Keefer

This article will address some issues which have arisen in the context of non-native activists doing solidarity work with the Haudenosaunee (Six Nations) people of the Grand River Territory who recently reclaimed land near Caledonia, Ontario.1 I will begin by discussing the problems with how many non-native activists have used the concept of “taking leadership” to guide their activism around this struggle, and I then will look at the spaces and places where I think non-native activists should focus their efforts in support of indigenous sovereignty. In order to do so, I will draw on the work of black power activists Stokely Carmichael and Charles Hamilton as their work provides a relevant model for non-native activists looking to build solidarity with Six Nations. I will conclude by addressing the importance of the work being done by trade union activists supporting the people of Six Nations.2

Hip-hop for Six Nations: Saturday, June 9th

ant — Thu, 31 May 2007 15:22:42 -0400

Chris Hill’s family and friends, the CUPE 3903 First Nations
Solidarity Working Group, and Community Friends present:

*Hip-hop for Six Nations: a benefit for the legal costs of former
political prisoner and Six Nations warrior Chris Hill.*

Saturday, June 9, 1pm till 7pm - Chiefswood Park,
Ohsweken, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory.

Featuring hip-hop artists including: Blues Brigade,

UTA #3 From Anti-Poverty to Indigenous Sovereignty: A Roundtable with OCAP Organizers

ant — Sun, 06 May 2007 22:27:58 -0400

This roundtable was conducted in September 2006 with AJ Withers, Josh Zucker and Stefanie Gude of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty

What led you to get involved in supporting indigenous struggles in general, and the Six Nations struggle in particular?

AJ: The Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) is a social justice organization and, as such, we support indigenous struggles. I hadn’t heard of what was going on outside of Caledonia until some friends of mine in Tyendinaga told us about it and suggested we go. We went to check it out and see if there was anything we could do to support it. We didn’t know anyone and were quite shy so we sat silently by the fire a lot and hoped people would speak to us. Finally, we learned about things we could supply, and asked if there were things in Toronto we could do to show our support.

Josh: I got involved with indigenous struggles through working with OCAP. When I joined OCAP in 2001 there were 5 paid organizers, one of whom was Shawn Brant, a Mohawk from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory which is near Belleville on the Bay of Quinte in southern Ontario. Most members of OCAP, I would say, started learning more about native issues and sovereignty through the links Shawn brought to OCAP, which went back to before 2001.

There were a number of actions over the years that built this connection, the most notable of which was the attempt to open up the bridge that runs from the U.S. through the Mohawk territory of Akwasasne into Canada. This action was planned when demonstrators came from the U.S. to attend the anti-FTAA demonstrations in Quebec, and it was done in conjunction with Mohawk people. The Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte have also been providing OCAP with deer meat, fish, and other kill from their hunts for a number of years which we serve at demonstrations in Toronto. They always reminded us that “every hunting issue is a sovereignty issue.” These connections increased our consciousness about the issues grew greatly.

UTA 3: The Six Nations Land Reclamation Roundtable - Overview and Context

ant — Sun, 06 May 2007 22:21:28 -0400

Upping the Anti is pleased to bring you a roundtable discussing the important land reclamation being carried out by the Six Nations people of the Grand River Territory and the role of non-native solidarity work in that struggle. To begin with, Tom K. provides a brief overview of recent events surrounding the reclamation to provide some context for the discussion. Brian Skye of Six Nations, who has been heavily involved in the activities of the site, then provides his perspective on the significance of the reclamation and the place for external support. Jan Watson, a local Caledonia resident and founding member of Community Friends For Peace and Understanding with Six Nations, then talks about the work she has been involved to build support in her community for the Six Nations reclamation. Finally, we interview three longtime members of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty – AJ Withers, Josh Zucker and Stefanie Gude – to ask for their thoughts about organizing support as non-native activists.