Reclaiming surfing as a traditional native women’s sport
By Alexandra Mehl, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tofino, BC – As the sun beamed onto Esowista beach, youth of the Mu?aa, Rising Tide Surf team gathered around Lacy Kaheaku, a native to Hawai?i, to learn how to carve traditional wooden surfboards and the Indigenous roots of the sport. “Women did a lot of the surfing in native Hawaiian culture,’’ said Kaheaku, adding that royalty, alongside warriors, would also surf. “But majority of the leisurely surfing was done by women.’’ Since ancient times, Pacific islanders have surfed. The pastime is believed to have originated in Polynesia, where cave paintings from the 12th century illustrate people riding the waves. During seafaring journeys the activity reached Hawaii, long before contact with European explorers and the process of colonization began. Despite these Indigenous roots,...
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Rivermen have lofty expectations for national Presidents Cup tournament
By Sam Laskaris Writer They’re in it to win it. That’s the thinking of Marko Celic, the general manager of the Six Nations Rivermen, who are preparing this week to once again participate in the Presidents Cup, the national Senior B lacrosse tournament. The seven-team event, which will be held in Oakville, begins this Sunday, Aug. 27, and continues until Sept. 2. All matches will be held at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre, which despite its moniker is actually in Oakville. “The goal is to win it,” Celic said of the national tournament, which is frequently simply called The Prezzy. “Whenever you go to the Presidents Cup, the goal is to win it. A coach once said if you have a chance to win a trophy, you go for the...
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Six Nations hosting Indigenous provincial fastball championships
By Sam Laskaris Writer A total of 33 squads will be looking for provincial bragging rights in Six Nations this weekend. The 2023 All Ontario Native Fastball Tournament begins on Friday and continues until Sunday. Five divisions will be contested at the tourney. They include the women’s and men’s categories. There will also be an Under 18 men’s grouping. Plus, a women’s masters division for those 35 and over and a men’s masters category for players aged 40 and up. The Ohsweken Redmen, who are participating in the men’s division, are co-hosting the tournament with the Sour Springs Fastball, a women’s masters squad. All matches will be staged at the Ohsweken Ball Diamonds and the Caledonia Diamond. “I think this is the fifth time we have hosted this,” said Darrell...
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Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation settles century old grievance with Ottawa
By Alessia Passafiume THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA- Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation in Saskatchewan has settled a specific claim with the federal government over nearly 20,000 acres of land. The Nation of 1,600 north of Regina and the federal government announced this week the settlement of a claim for Canada’s “breach of statutory and fiduciary duties” relating to nearly 18,352 acres of reserve lands in 1909. The specific claim was settled 33 years after the Nation submitted its case to Canada. The settlement agreement provides total compensation of $150 million and includes the potential to add the lost acres back to the reserve. “Now we have an opportunity to bring prosperity to our people and homelands, we invest in ourselves so the future generations will grow up proud to be from Muscowpetung,”...
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UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY: Traditional Land Based Teachings For Wabun Youth
By Xavier Kataquapit www.underthenorthernsky.com Land based living and learning was the main focus of the Wabun Youth Gathering held at the School Of Indigenous Learning in Neebing, Ontario. Pictured are Wabun Youth (from L-R) Kylea Naveau, Leeon Prince and Nakiyah Naveau. (Photo provided by Mattagami FN) Indigenous youth from the Wabun Tribal Council territory came together for a land based event at the 16th Annual Wabun Senior Youth Gathering. The event was held in western Ontario in Neebing, Ontario at the School Of Indigenous Learning (SOIL), a land based traditional facility. The week long event from August 15 to 17 was held for youth between the ages of 14 to 18. The event was organized by the Wabun Tribal Council Health Department with the support of the tribal council’s...
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Former Quebec NDP MP Romeo Saganash charged with sexual assault in Winnipeg
OTTAWA-Winnipeg police say former New Democrat MP Romeo Saganash has been charged with sexual assault. Police say they arrested Saganash on June 27 in relation to an allegation from May 1 in Winnipeg and the matter is now before the courts. Saganash represented the northern Quebec riding of Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou from 2011 to 2019, serving as the Indigenous affairs critic. He has not responded to a request for comment The Canadian Press sent by email on Friday, but APTN, which first broke the news, reports he confirmed the sexual-assault charge to them. The federal NDP has not responded to a request for comment. Saganash had been one of the residential school survivors working with a national advisory committee for missing children and unmarked burials set up by the federal government and...
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Ontario chiefs call for housing minister to resign, add to calls for Greenbelt probe
TORONTO-First Nations leaders from across Ontario are calling for Housing Minister Steve Clark’s resignation or his removal from cabinet over his handling of changes to protected Greenbelt land. The Chiefs of Ontario, a group representing 133 First Nations, says it was “extremely” concerned by the issues raised by the province’s auditor general in a damning report last week. The report found the government’s plan to open Greenbelt lands for housing favoured certain developers who had access to the minister’s chief of staff in a process that disregarded or ignored possible environmental, agricultural and financial risks and impacts. Premier Doug Ford has said no one received preferential treatment, and that the government would accept all of the auditor’s recommendations to change the process, except for one suggesting he reconsider the removal...
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THEY ARE THE ONTARIO CHAMPIONS!
Six Nations U91 team won the Ontario A Championship at the provincials last week bringing a crowd of locals out to welcome the young champions home in style. Six Nations Fire and police led a long parade through the community to the Six Nations arena in a community welcome to the champions. (Photo by Jim C. Powless)...
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Six Nations Firefighters in labour dispute with band council
Six Nations Firefighters in labour fight with Six Nations Elected Council over right to bargain collectively By Lisa Iesse Writer Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) is facing off with its firefighters in a labour hearing that could see the first unionization of local “band “ employees. The hearing before Canada’s Industrial Relations Board began last week and is continuing his week. At the heart of the argument is a bid by Six Nations Fire Fighters and Fire Captains to uphold their rights under the federal labour code. If successful they could join the ranks of local federal employees including nurses, some health employees and teachers, all members of unions and working at Six Nations. A win would mean they can begin to bargain collectively with their employer (the Six Nations...
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Court says no to Indian Day School compensation deadline extension
‘This decision should not be taken as a dismissal of the concerns put forward;’ court docs say A Federal Court decision says no to any extension for Indian day school survivors to apply for compensation. The Federal Court decision released Thursday, Six Nations Elected Council had sought a deadline extension for day school survivors to file claims charging both theCOVID-19 pandemic and process deficiencies impacted survivors ability to file. On Thursday the court said no, refusing to extend the deadline. “We had thought that the record was very clear that the pandemic had a very negative impact on the ability for people to make claims,” said Louis Sokolov, legal council for Audrey Hill who represented day school survivors. Six Nations, the largest Indigenous community in Canada with more than 28,000...
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Six Nations Police upgrade charges after woman passes away
OHSWEKEN, SIX NATIONS- Six Nations Police have upgraded charges against a 28-year-old man to Dangerous Driving Causing Death after a woman found on River Range Road suffering life-threatening injuries passed away. Six Nations Police and paramedics responded to the scene of an injuried female Friday, August 4, 2023, at about 10:00 PM. The woman was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries. Sadly, on Friday, August 11, 2023, the she passed away as a result of her injuries. The charges against the accused in this matter, Dalton Hill-Doxtador, 28, of Ohsweken, ON have been upgraded to the following: – Fail to Comply with Release Order – Dangerous Driving Causing Death – Disobey Court Order – Impaired Operation Causing Death – Assault Peace Officer The man has been remanded in custody pending...
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Six Nations Elected Council to hold AGA featuring Walk the Tract event
With only three months left in their term Six Nations Election Council (SNEC) is hosting it’s first “annual general assembly” that is expected to focus on its almost four years in council. SNEC announced the meeting at its August 8th meeting. “We haven’t had (an AGA) in a long time,” remarked Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Darrin Jamieson. The AGA will take place August 24 between 5 pm and 9 pm at the Community Hall, he said. There will be booths set up from all Six Nations of the Grand River council departments, and there will also be a presentation, he added. The presentation will cover what has happened during this term of Council, and also discuss future plans that have been developed, said Jamieson. He said a booklet which will...
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Six Nations Elected Council to be in person for first session since COVID-19
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) is heading back to the council chambers for at least one meeting. SNEC passed a motion at its August 8th ZOOM meeting to meet in person with two community members later this month over an issue of a non-band member living at Six Nations Councillor Greg Frazer, attending by ZOOM as chair, was in Kahnawake attending an Iroquois Caucus meeting. He said the motion would require a majority of its members to be present in-person at the chambers. The motion came after a community member said he had been trying to meet with SNEC over a residency by-law grievance. Rick Clause, who was at the band office during the August 8 General Council meeting, questioned council members’ failure to...
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SN Elected Council to look at residency bylaw after complaints
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) is reviewing its residency by-law amid complaints from community members. Rick Clause told SNEC at its August 8th meeting his family has suffered abuse and threats from a non-Six Nations Band member who has taken up residency here. Clause said it has taken him years to get a home at Six Nations. “How can he be here,” he asked SNEC. “There’s some French people living here for years. Why are all these people given all these privileges on our land. I got lot of friends wanna come home. Come home to what? “ Clause attended the council chambers in-person as a delegation with some of his family members only to find council members joined via Zoom. Clause used a...
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Woodlands latest art exhibit features new Indigenous artists
By Lisa Iesse Writer SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – Woodland’s 48th annual Indigenous Art exhibit is boasting the largest first-time entrance of works by new artists yet. The opening reception on Saturday (July 30), drew hundreds of people to the Woodland Cultural Centre to find a striking collective of paintings, photography, carvings, beadwork, pottery, ceramics, and mixed media works that filled the room with life. Artworks that talk to each other, said Woodland’s curator Patricia Deadman. “I found this year that really the pieces start talking to one another and, and that’s really quite unusual for a juried exhibition,” she said . There were over 100 submissions making it difficult to choose works, Deadman said. Fifty-two works by 41 artists were selected this year. “It’s really hard to put...
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SN election code a vote or bragging rights?
Six Nations band council’s annual audit is now over two months overdue. The audit, normally, is released, at the latest by July with previous elected chief’s holding an audit meeting, whether during a council session or Annual Generall Meeting for the public by the first week of July. Not so with this council. Six Nations is heading shortly into September with any hint of an audit being released possibly, maybe, we think, at what the current band council is calling its Annual General Assembly. The first of this experimental four-year term council. That meeting will include an update report on the community’s infrastructure and plans and needs going forward. A plan that is supposed to be the meeting’s gem along with promoting a planned bus trip along portions of the...
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Six Nations Elected Council grants $6,000 to local athletes
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – Six Nations gives $6,000 to athletes travelling to the Canadian Nationals tournament in Saskatoon. The motion was moved by Councillor Helen Miller and seconded by Councillor Kerry Bomberry on Tuesday (August 8) at the General Council meeting over Zoom. The funds will help pay travel expenses for four Six Nations athletes travelling to Saskatoon for a softball tournament including Cara Skye, Chole Bomberry, Tess Squire and Kyla Miller. The four received $1,500 each to be able to attend the Canadian Nationals tournament in Saskatchewan, from August 8 to 13. The funds came from the Ontario First Nations Limited Partnership (OFNLP) and the donation fund. Councillor Michelle Bomberry asked if the council would also support 11 athletes from Six Nations who went to Calgary. But...
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Rivermen hoping to defend league championship
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Six Nations Rivermen will be looking to capture yet another league championship on Wednesday. But don’t expect members of the local Senior B lacrosse squad to be overly upset if they do not manage to accomplish that goal. The Rivermen will be squaring off against the host Oakville Rock in the third and decisive game of the Ontario Series Lacrosse (OSL) best-of-three championship final series. The match will be staged at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre, beginning at 8 p.m. Regardless of the outcome of Wednesday’s contest, both the Rivermen and the Rock will still move on to participate in this year’s President Cup, the national Senior B tournament. The Oakville squad is hosting the Canadian tourney and thus receives an automatic berth in the...
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Attack to compete at provincials
By Sam Laskaris Writer A local women’s lacrosse club is set to go on the Attack. The Grand River Attack will be participating in the Women’s Lacrosse Series Lacrosse (WMSL) playoff championship tournament, which begins on Friday and continues until Sunday in Akwesasne, Ont. All nine squads in the WMSL will participate in the season-ending tourney, which will decide provincial bragging rights. The Attack had placed fifth in the regular season standings of the league after posting a 5-3-0 mark. The Grand River side has been placed into a division with four other squads for the WMSL playoff tourney. Thus, it is guaranteed of playing four round-robin matches at the event. The Attack will play the top-seeded Whitby Rush in its tournament opener, scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday. Whitby...
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