1979: The Rise of the Longhouse; the fall of democracy

The theological development of the Mohawk Warrior Society

In 1979 they weren’t Warriors. They were longhouse traditionalists. A minority among the Mohawks at Akwesasne. They weren’t divided about Handsome Lake or Deganawida.

Smuggling had not began, and they worked primarily as Iron worker’s. They were humble individuals with strong religious beliefs. This is the Longhouse that many admired for their strong conviction of what is right and wrong.

They attempted to fight a justice system that attempted to impose jurisdiction upon their land. Not attempting to steal someone else’s land. All criminal charges against them were eventually dismissed.

They targeted institutions within their own community. They didn’t take their fight to outside communities. They didn’t harass non-natives.

Their religious beliefs had not been defined. They were defining themselves. They were identifying themselves. They did not yet understand who they were or what their fight was.

Although their fight was against their own communities and the New York State Police; many were hurt financially and emotionally as 1979: The Rise of the Longhouse; the fall of democracy had theologically developed into the new warrior movement.

Their are many similarities between 1979 and what is taking place in Caledonia. This article has been researched thoroughly.

From 1979 –1981 a conflict at the Mohawk Reservation at Akwesasne, located near Massena, New York, and Cornwall, Ontario, brought about a clash of cultural values and perceptions. The conflict was triggered by the arrest of Loran Thompson, a traditional chief, in May, 1979, under orders of the reservation’s elective trustees. Akwesasne means "Where the Partridge Drums." The reservation is also called "St. Regis," after a mission settlement established there in the 18th century.

The traditional chiefs are part of a Mohawk form of government that originated in early times. There are nine chiefs, three from each clan. They are appointed by the clan mothers (elder women in positions of leadership), subject to recall. The Chief’s Council is expected to follow the will of the people in making decisions. The Mohawk chiefs represent the Mohawk Nation in the Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee (People of the Longhouse), or Iroquois, Confederacy.

In the 19th century, the Canadian and American governments created separate elective systems on either side of the Canadian-American border, which had been drawn through the reservation. The institution of these systems was bitterly resisted.

In the late 19th century, protests and refusals to hold elections for the Canadian Band Council were forcibly put down, resulting in the death of Jake Ice, a Mohawk On the American side, the Mohawks rejected the organization of their government according to the Indian Reorganization Act in a referendum in 1935. In 1948, they voted by referendum to abolish the elective system. The elective trustees resigned, referring any correspondences to the traditional council. In 1949, however, an election for new trustees was held under police guard A traditional government has continued to operate, alongside the two elective councils On the "American" side, the elective council consists of three trustees or "chiefs." Their powers, as defined by New York law, are extremely limited. They have been given recognition by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and state agencies, however, as a reservation government. In the 1970s, the Akwesasne Police force was created and placed under their supervision on the reservation . Voter turnout has been low, with traditionalists generally boycotting elections.

Chief Thompson’s arrest was due to his confiscation of some equipment belonging to a construction crew found clearing land on his family’s property. The project involved the building of a fence around the reservation, which the traditionalists had opposed. The arrest led to a sit-in, during which the Akwesasne police were disarmed. Felony indictments relating to the sit-in were issued against 21 traditionalists, some of them chiefs. The traditional council advised those indicted not to submit to arrest, and an encampment was formed near Chief Thompson’s home. The camp lasted until February, 1981, when the indictments were finally dropped. In June, 1980, a shoot-out was barely avoided when vigilantes and New York State police came to the edge of the camp. According to traditional Chief Jake Swamp, tensions had been building up as a result of reported beatings of community members by Akwesasne Police officers . The Akwesasne Police force has since been disbanded, following the election of new trustees.

In the springs of 1980 and 1981, two of the three trustees comprising the elective council on the "American" portion of the reservation came up for re-election and were defeated by candidates committed to cooperation with the traditional government. The outcome appears to point to renewed unity on the reservation.

During the conflict, the gap between the perceptions of the traditional Mohawks and those of many outsiders became strikingly clear. The concerns of the traditionalists involve the continuity of the spiritual values represented by their government. The following story focuses on some of these values, which have deep roots in Mohawk culture.

In a letter written in 1979 the elected tribal chiefa stated that: the traditionals say that they represent the majority of Indians on the reservation,this is in fact not true. The majority of Indians on the reservation do not support this small group of "traditional" people who persist in ignoring the laws of New York State and the United States of America.

Readers will also be interested in knowing that the so called "traditional" Indians are the one's who are

bringing in non-Indians and causing interference with the internal administration of the reservation government.

Much has been published concerning the presence of RAIN (Rights for American Indians Now) on the St. Regis Reservation. Everyone will be interested in knowing that this organization is made up of non-Indians who act as if they are the saviors for their "Red Brothers." The truth is that RAIN is a group of paternalistic misinformed individuals who are meddling in on situations, thinking that they can solve the problems

for Indian people. If RAIN is that much concerned with Indians sovereignty then that organization should stay out of the affairs of Indian people and let us solve our own problems. The turmoil on the reservation happens to be the business of the Indian Community and not the affairs of non-Indians. They persist in acting in the "Great White Father"image.

As to solutions to the specific problem, the public should be informed that the St. Regis tribal Council offered to drop all charges against Mr. Loran Thompson and Mr. Joseph Swamp if they would return the tools that they had allegedly "confiscated.' This offer was made repeatedly yet these people refused to accept this solution. It is also interesting to note that these "traditional" Indians created this situation simply to challenge the jurisdiction of New York State over the Indian lands.

According to the laws of the United States, the United r. States Congress, has the supreme authority over Indian tribal lands. Pursuant to that power, the United States Congress vested criminal and civil jurisdiction over Indians and Indian land in the State of New York.

This delegation of jurisdiction was carried out by Acts of Congress in 1948 and 1950. That being the case, it seems that any challenge to State jurisdiction should be carried out in compliance with judicial procedure rather than by methods coached in illegality and disrespect for law and order. Sovereignty and self-government are highly valued principles extolled by all Indian people.

But trying to exercise these principles through violence and illegality results in a setback for all Indian people. Actions such as these self professed "traditional" Indian people are instituting perpetuate the attitude that Indian people cannot administer their own affairs and thus paternalistic principles of domination are implemented against Indian people.

Lastly, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Council is the recognized governing body for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe. It is a system of elected officials serving as chiefs for the tribal membership.

Much has been said that the tribal elected system is not the true form of government on the reservation. Well, it is true that the system was recognized by New York State in 1934. But, it is also true that the great majority of Mohawk people at St. Regis want and support this system.

If the "traditional" Indian people at St. Regis want to take over the government of the St. Regis Tribe and govern the affairs through the historical form of government then they must convince all the Indian people at St. Regis to accept that type of government. This does not seem to be probable at this day and age.

It should also be said that these "traditional" people constantly cry out that they are not consulted or informed of what is happening on the reservation. It should be pointed out that they can attend tribal meetings and be informed as well as everyone else. They also say that their wishes and desires are being Ignored; this is not so because they could voice their opinions at meetings just as other tribal members do.

The "traditional" people themselves ignore the desires and wishes of the majority of Indians at St. Regis and fail to express this factor in their media releases. ' 'Traditionalists" never admit • that they represent only about three (3) to five (5) percent of the Indian people at St. Regis.”

In summary, one last misconception must be exposed. These people that call themselves traditionalists are not being restricted in their travel on and off the reservation. The only barriers that have been erected are the ones that they themselves put up to barricade themselves against the exercise of proper legal procedure. These people are free to come and go as they please.

Barricading themselves in on the Thompson property and declaring themselves to be persecuted is their method of answering to the law for their illegal * actions. But, if all the readers want to believe this persecution bit, then they can continue to send their hard earned dollars to support a group of people who live by avoiding employment and obtain their food and clothing by utilizing "donations" made by other people. It is also interesting to note that all the so called t r a d i t i o n a l i s t s from Kanienkeh (the Altona Indian encampment),who supposedly live by the old

way of hunting and fanning, , are all here at St. Regis to receive their share of the donations of food, clothing and money sent here by the readers who have been deceived by this group of people. Shouldn't these people be at their encampment in Altona taking care of their unique community and tending to their way of life rather than be here at St. Regis living off handouts?

According to the Kanienkeh people, living the old way would give them the chance to get off welfare and other types of assistance programs. It looks as if the Kanienkeh ideology has failed.

Hopefully this statement will clear up the serious misconceptions that most people have of the desperate situation at St. Regis.

Respectfully Yours,

ST. REGIS MOHAWK

TRIBE

Chief Rudolph Hart

Chief Reginald White

Chief Leonard V. Garrow

"Yes," Jake Swamp replies, "they think (the longhouse religion) it’s all made up. And most of it is, I guess, through the years, you know. People study and they find out it’s just a myth. But when you talk about things that are real-I got a kick out of this. When we had a meeting with the vigilante group (Indian resisters) down here one of the men said, ‘We don’t want to bother you if you want to worship the tree, but we don’t want you to bother us.’ And they think-well, since they call us pagans, they think we’re idol worshippers. But all we do is give thanks to everything.

"But what I was going to say back then was, ‘I thought the cross was made from a tree too, but that’s not living; the cross is not living any more. But the tree is alive; you’ve got to respect it.’ But it wouldn’t have made any sense to him anyway, so we just let it slide.

"We take a lot of harassment; they call us pagans. When I was small I was told that when you go in the Longhouse you have to roll over on the floor and jump over broornsticks and all this stuff. And that’s what the priest tells them. He says, ‘If you go into the Longhouse you become a pagan and you will die and will go to hell. . Traditional spiritual practices of the Haudenoshonni (People of the Longhouse) are often referred to as Longhouse practices or beliefs. The Longhouse also refers to a traditional meeting place. Pressures against traditional religious practices had begun with early missionary influences, and have

Chief Tom Porter said: "This present problem here is only a very little problem," he says, "considering the huge problem that we’re concerned with actually. And that’s the whole world, the world that we live in. And the instructions that we were given long ago by our ancestors, which came from the Creator at the time of the beginning. And if those aren’t prescribed to then the destruction of the world will come, with no doubt. And so a lot of the struggle here has to do with those original instructions. That is why we fight so hard; that is why we take the chances we do with our lives.

"It has been said about us that we must be insane. They have said to us that the odds that we’re up against is the whole force of the State of New York and possibly even the whole United States-and Canada’s ready to help the United States-and there’s only a few hundred of us. And they say, ‘You people must be insane to even attempt such a thing with such tremendous odds.’ And they said, ‘You go against logic; you go against practical things. That’s not practical what you’re doing; it’s not logical. You’re going to get wiped out.’ And they’re amazed that we would dare such a thing.

"But it isn’t amazing to us at all. It isn’t surprising in the least. Because it’s our belief. It’s a thing that’s in ourselves that grows. And it’s because we have a picture from the beginning of the world: the evolution, the progress, the history of what we are today. And we look at that from the beginning of the world almost like looking at a map and seeing. Then we understand where we are today. And that’s why the odds don’t make any difference to us when it involves our children’s lives, our children. Will we be everlasting? Will our children have a chance?

"Either we do the slow, assimilated death or we do one that’s going to be just shot, point blank by an M-16, by either the vigilantes or the state police. It doesn’t make any difference. In fact it’s better to get it over with quickly if that’s what’s going to happen, if that’s going to be the fate, you see.

"But at least they’re going to know if that doesn’t happen-we don’t want it to happen-but at least they’re going to know that they’re not going to change us and they’re not going to get their way. They’re not going to change these instructions which we call the Creator’s instructions. They’re not going to use lies; they’re not going to stack history against us any longer.

"The truth has to be faced, and we believe that we are following and we are being motivated by the truth. And we understand that truth is the greatest enemy to a people who-to almost any people, because truth is a hard thing to deal with. Truth means you have to look at yourself in the mirror. Truth means you have to deal with yourself as an individual. And in the United States, truth is always suppressed. Truth is always camouflaged; truth is always doctored up or whatever. But when you match the world you live in with the things that are truth, it’s not a reality where we live in this country. Do you follow what I’m trying to say? This is not a truth. This society is not a truthful society is what I’m trying to get at."

"You know, when we have the opening ritual, there are things in there that remind us of our prophecies. Like the strawberry. We come to the part where we give thanks to the strawberry, and then it continues where it says, ‘Well, remind your people that someday you will see that the strawberry will no longer grow on the plant.’ And they said not to give up at that point, but to continue to give thanks, and use the red leaf. And so we’re still thankful that this hasn’t happened yet. But as time goes on, we can see it coming; the berries are getting smaller and fewer. But they said there will come a time when no berries will come out. And also the trees will start dying. And that’s happening today. And the fish would come to the top of the water and they would roll over and die. And every time we go down to the river here, we find a lot of fish floating down the river. And these things are taking place.

"What we’re working on now, if we survive this, is that we would like to see the religious leaders of all faiths in the world have a gathering someplace, and then just talk about the earth, the Creation, and how it came about. They have different types of prophecies. Come together and talk about these things, and then from there look at the world as it is today, and who is doing all this wrong. And try to correct it and try to stop them from destroying it. Because I don’t think people have the right to destroy the earth because they’re not the ones that created it. It’s a higher force that created the earth. I don’t think He meant for us to destroy ourselves. He only placed us here to be in harmony."

RESERVE ARRESTS MADE AMID TENSION

State troopers were continuing their search for persons charged in the seizure May 29, 1979 of the Akwesasne Community Building by followers, of the traditionalist wing on the St. Regis Mohawk Reserve.

Three arrests had been made as a high" state of tension continued in the affair. Tuesday after negotiations involving traditionalist followers as well as state police and a representative from NY Gov. Carey's office collapsed Monday. Police blamed an "unyielding posture" by the arreststhat stem from 15 traditionalists and the Franklin County Grand Jury handed up sealed indictments. A road block was put up on the Racquette Point Rd. for car searches.

Arrested early Tuesday and, on Wednesday, were Douglas George, 24,burglary and conspiracy, and Harriet Boots. 35 for conspiracy.Kenneth Thompson, 44, was arrested for burglary and conspiracy.

Teams of state troopers moved onto-the reservation of the elected tribal council. The Longhouse group has claimed the state deprived them of their Indian lands.

The trouble was ignited May 22^nd by the arrest of traditionalist chief Loran Thompson after he confiscated gear from the Youth Adult Conservation Corp. on the reserve. Thompson and Joseph “Jake” Swamp have been arrested for Grand Larceny and they have refused to appear in court. Reserve calm but issues are still unsettled.

A general but possible deceptive calm has descended over the St. Regis Mohawk Reserve in the week since the temporary takeover of the Akwesasne police station and barricading on Rt. 37 on May 29 by traditionalists and their supporters.

During the interim, the elected Tribal Council, which has been pitted against the traditional Longhouse faction, near their annual election, without incident. Leonard Garrow was reelected to another three-year term as one of the three chiefs, defeating Julius Herne.

When the Longhouse group and their supporters decided late Tuesday last, to abandon the station, it was on the assurance by the elected chiefs that negotiations would begin the next day. But the elected chiefs said they had been assured that the community building, which houses the police station, had been left untouched.

The outgrowth has heen negotiations which have been stalled for the past week over the Longhouse claim that the police be disbanded on the reservation. They've likened them to an occupying army.

The elected Tribal Council, meanwhile, demands the return of police guns and other items it claims taken during the seizure as well as the departure from the reserve of "outsiders," or Longhouse Indians from other tribesv which the traditionalists have said should stay because they belong to the same nation.

Police woman-neighbor of traditionalists: why she opted to take sides. In her casual clothes, Patricia Ransom looks like the typical young housewife and mother that she is. But Mrs. Ransom has a change of clothes which sets her apart quite distinctly:

the uniform of the Akwesasne Police Department.

Recently, she not only qualified as a partolman, but became the force's first female member. Moreover,she's also unique because her residence is located right in the middle of the Raquette Point encampment of the traditionalist Mohawks now under siege by state police and pro-tribal council Mohawks.

In her street olothes last Friday, Mrs. Ransom was among the self-termed Concerned Mohawks who blocked off the Raquette Point Rd. at Rt. 37 as the first step to flush out the traditionalists holed up a mile away. Later, she switched to her Akweasene uniform and helped in the crowd control as the state police took over the road block.

In between, she discussed why she has shed what she termed an unsuccessful effort to remain neutral in the reservation-splitting situation. "I'm not afraid anymore," she said. "I've been afraid so long that it's worn off."

Her life and her husband's life have both been threatened, she said, adding that they live in fear for their child who, under guard, must leave through the traditionalists' gate to go to school.

Indeed, Mrs. Ransom, contends, the reserve residents have been afraid to speak out because of the "outsiders" who have swelled the ranks of the traditionalists. "What do they care what they do," she said, noting they don't have to stay and live in the community.

"Those people in there don't come from here."

For herself and others, she continued, harassment has become an "awful" way of life. "The thing is to get those people out of here." Since she's become a police officer and must pull duty with her male colleagues, Mrs. Ransom said, she's been subjected to verbal abuse - "garbage, she called i t - personally and over CB radios that she's sleeping with the other officers.

"We've been condemned and we're tired of it," she stressed, adding that the* traditionalists also make threats with their guns and try to force off the roads with their cars people who disagree with them. She dismissed out of hand the traditionalists' stance that they are peaceful people.

Mrs. Ransom is now concerned that her home will be burned. "Everything we own is down there in that house," she said. Her next door neighbor is Loran Thompson, the Longhouse chief whose arrest after she confiscated equipment from Youth Corp workers allegedly cutting wood on his property in May 1979, triggered the tense standoff for the past year.

Mr. Thompson is also Mrs. Ransom's second cousin.

The Raquette Point encampment has been nicknamed "Fort Thompson, she noted. The traditionalists had promised her husband that they would keep away from their home.

But that, she noted, was before she decided she had to take sides. The traditionalists, she said, had "good intensions in the first place. Loran's rights were violated, but then he went crazy" by bringing in the outsiders and stirring up trouble, including the May 29, 1979 takeover of the Akwesasne Community Building and police department.

For the traditionalists, she wondered, "Why don't they move someplace where they won't be bothered," such as the encampment in Altona?

For her family, she noted both her parents served in the military, and said, "We stood behind this nation, and this nation should should stand behind the law abiding people of Akwesasne.”

In 1981 charges were dismissed against the traditionalists and the warrants were recalled only to set the stage for the Mohawk Civil War in 1989 -1990.