... as oppossed to his-story

The Bering Strait story is bogus, unprovable, inflammatory, guilt-ridden, and extremely racist. Imagine the arrogance and audacity of a group of people fabricating such a story about another group of people just to alleviate their own guilt, and to attempt to lessen our aboriginal claim to our own territory. (How childish.) The Creator placed 4 races of people here on earth; the Black, Red, Yellow, & White races. All one species, but four distinct races. And the Red race, he put here in the Western Hemisphere (the "Americas"). We know our history, why don't the non-Indian scientists and scholars listen to us? There will be no peace here until the non-Indians in the Americas learn to accept and respect the Indian people.

Originally the Lakota people lived underground, beneath the surface of the earth. We went through four major evolutionary changes. First we were creatures for which there is no english name, then we became dinosaurs, next bison (buffalo), and finally, two-legged people. Eventually, the bison discovered a cave opening that led out from the subsurface onto the surface of the land. They would move back and forth, from the subsurface to the surface of the earth. One day, someone stumbled onto the bison's secret; some stories say it was the Wolf, some say it was the Trickster (Iktomi). That one told the two-legged people about the surface world; some people were excited to discover it, some were reluctant. The messenger led the people to the bison, then they all followed the bison onto the surface of the land. The leader of the two-leggeds who travelled out behind the bison came to be known as The First One. The people were initially blinded when they came out onto the land because their eyes had never been exposed to light before. After their eyes grew accustomed to the light, they became amazed by all the things (trees, grass, etc.) growing up here. They had never seen anything like that before. The bison were moving, so the people continued to follow them, exploring excitedly as they went. The bison had led them out of a cave in He Sapa (the Black Hills), through a series of ravines and canyons, and through a gap in a mountain wall, onto the prairie. By the time the people realized how far they'd come, they were totally lost. They wanted to return to their home, and to those they'd left behind, but everything was so new to them that they had no idea which way to go. They had no choice but to catch up to the bison and stay close to the only familiar beings they knew. The cave opening which the bison and the Indian people came out, onto the surface through has been closed for thousands and thousands of years. This is due to the natural shifting of the earth. There are cave openings there now, but none of them large enough for such a migration. That cave is known as Wasun Niya to the Lakota people, and as Wind Cave to non-Lakota speakers. The corridor which the bison led us through is called Wind Cave Canyon today. The gap, or passage-way out of the Black Hills is known as Buffalo Gap. We followed the bison for countless generations and centuries. And we learned that the bison were likewise following the stars. Every year, early in the spring, the bison's annual migratory route took them back into the Black Hills through Buffalo Gap (Pte Ta Tiyopa). We noticed that, as evident in the constellations, the Creator also lit His Great Sacred Pipe in the sky at that same exact time. Through this, we knew that we were living in harmony. The physical connection between the people who remained below the surface and those of us above ground has been lost. They continue to peek above ground to check on us through a certain medicinal plant though, and we used to go into certain caves in the Black Hills to communicate with our relatives in prayer. Americans, such as the National Park Service and miners, desecrate our Holy Land continually. The Black Hills are sacred to the Lakota people not only because of it being our place of origin, but also due to the four sacred sites where we are supposed to perform our 4 annual ceremonies. There are actually countless sacred sites in the Black Hills, some the Americans know about, some they do not. The Lakota still rightfully own the Black Hills according to our custom laws, and even legally according to the law of the United States. All non-Indians in the Black Hills are illegal trespassers. We never sold or gave away the Black Hills, and we never will. The Black Hills are not for sale!

This story is over a thousand years old; my dad told me, and his grandfather told him. I hope that Indian people reading it will realize our true relationship with one another. I further hope that people will also understand the danger of bickering and disunity. This ancient story predicts reunification of all the Indian people, each and everyone of us must do our part to bring this about today. Originally all Red people were one nation, and we all spoke one common language. Some issue arose that caused extreme dissention within our people though. The problem got worse and worse. It overwhelmed the people to the point that no one could think of anything else. Everyone had an opinion, but none of them cared to listen to the others. Finally, a wise man called a council and suggested that everyone temporarily break-up into seperate groups. All who feel one way go off together. This divided the people up into many different groups. The wise man suggested that the various groups stay apart for four years and calmly discuss the issue amongst themselves. After four years, everyone was to come back together at the same place and try to work things out peacefully. Everyone agreed; however, after four years, when the people all came back together, a terrible thing happened. Immediately someone stood up and started yelling, then another, and another. Soon, several people were yelling at one another, no one listening to anyone else but themself. Some time went by before people began to slowly realize that they could not understand one another. The people who were of like-mind still understood each other, but somehow everyone else seemed to be speaking different languages. The people were dumbfounded. No one knew what to do now. Eventually everyone walked away with their own people. The wise people said that some day far into the future, our people would forget about the dispute. Then, they said, our people would also learn a common language and come back together in unity once again. This old story shows what can happen when people disregard others and think only of themselves. The same situation occurs everyday between different nations and races. The same thing happens daily even within people's own homes.

A very abbreviated overview of Kanienkehaka (Mohawk) history, as best I recollect, follows. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>+<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The Great Creator placed four distinct races of humans here on earth, on the back of the Great Turtle. He put something unique, something special, in each of the 4 groups; making us somewhat different from one another. He placed the four races in a big clearing in the heart of the earth (today, what is left of that area is known as Mexico).

Immediately, the White and Black people started fighting, and soon, the Yellow people joined in as well. However, the Red people remained calm, quietly sitting at the edge of this clearing. Then the Great Creator intervened. He seperated the four races, then opened the land between them, putting salt water as a barrier between them. Now the four races had four distinct continents upon which to live. The Red people remained where we all began, while the other races had to be relocated elsewhere.

The Great Creator then gave each of the four peoples their Original Instructions (the Way the Creator prescribed for us to live). Then, He informed us, the Red people, that because we had the original land, that eventually the other races would return to our home. Therefore, we have allways known that the exiled foreigners would come. By coming here though, the other races have violated our Creator's instructions, and are thus, "cursed".

Over time, each of the four races grew into many distinct nations within the original four groups. In the Red race, the group which became known as the Haudenosaunee (Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy) moved north, out of Central America, thousands of years ago. The "Six Nations" are the Mohawk, Onieda, Tuscarora, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca.

Other eastern woodland Indigenous nations recall the migration of the Haudenosaunee into the eastern woodland area as "The Coming of the People With Long Faces", due to the different facial features of the Haudenosaunee people. (Of course, at that time, the Haudenosaunee weren't known as "Haudenosaunee" either.) Some Haudenosaunee ancestors broke-off from the main group and formed their own independant nations. Some of them still exist, such as the Huron or Wyandot. Some are extinct, such as the Tobacco Nation. The Tuscarora broke-away long ago, then rejoined almost 300 years ago.

After finally settling in the Longhouse territory; mainly centered in the area currently known as Ontario, Quebec, and New York state, and surrounding regions; the people split-up into various feuding nations. After much time of warring, a Peacemaker came amongst the people.

The Peacemaker, with the assistance of Ayonwatha (Hiawatha), brought peace and brotherhood back to the people. The Peacemaker's divine Message was based on a foundation of true Peace, Righteousness, and Reason. I say "true Peace" because I need to differentiate between true peace, and the modern concept of peace as nothing more than an interval between wars. The Peacemaker's Message is refered to as the Great Law of Peace, or the Iroquois Constitution.

The Peacemaker buried strife between the people. He then planted a Great Tree of Peace over those wounds. The Tree of Peace sprouted four Great White Roots of Peace which were to encircle the earth. On top of the Tree of Peace, the Peacemaker placed a Great Eagle to keep watch over us, and warn us of any approaching dangers.

Then, the Peacemaker built a House for Pure People, the "Longhouse". The floor of the Longhouse is the earth. The walls are the trees and mountains around us. The roof is the sky. Therefore, wherever the People of the Longhouse are, they are inside of the Longhouse, and should act accordingly.

The Great Law, or Great Peace, is the parent of both Democracy and Communism. The Great Law can likewise be considered the grandparent of Socialism. It is further the inspiration of the League of Nations, or United Nations. The Great Law of Peace is the most influential government in world history. It's true lessons are yet to be discovered by the world though.

The 3 upright feathers on a Mohawk headdress symbolize the tenets which the Great Peace was based on. The 2 upright feathers on Onondaga headdresses symbolize the law and the authority to protect it. The single upright feather on the headdresses of the other Haudenosaunee nations symbolize the concept of "One Mind".

Kanienkehaga is the proper name for the Mohawk people. Mohawk and Iroquois are names given to the people by enemies. Those names became established in HIS-story (European history) because the enemies of the Longhouse were the friends of the colony.

Kanienkeh means the Land of the Flint. Kanienkehaga means the People of the Land of the Flint. The Kanienkehaga have been very political people since first contact with the white people. However, His-story perpetuates the enemies' distorted view of the Longhouse people. The Kanienkehaga were a very powerful people both spiritually and militarily, that is why the Kanienkehaga still exist in spite of the attempts of so many European nations at annihalation.

The worst thing to happen to the Longhouse was in involvement in whiteman's wars. The Longhouse split into three sides when Europeans fought one another on Turtle Island. One side remained neutral (as all should have done), but other groups went to the aid of both warring white parties. Therefore, Longhouse people were killing each other over an alien arguement. That division practically destroyed the Longhouse. The bulk of the fighting in the whiteman's wars were actually fought by Longhouse people. Longhouse people fighting Longhouse people; which left the Europeans free to attack neutral Longhouse communities, and the wives and children of Longhouse people who were busy fighting the whiteman's war.

Once the European got his foot into the door of the Longhouse, he never withdrew it. He continues to cause division and strife within the Longhouse. Even today he pits Mohawk against Mohawk, Indian against Indian, and watches contently while we continue to destroy ourselves. In my opinion, by allowing him, our true enemy, to have such a powerful influence within the Longhouse territory, the Longhouse people are in violation of the Ayonwatha Belt and Kuswentha, the Two-Row Wampum. (Not to mention common sense and self-preservation.)

The Ayonwatha Belt supposedly provides unity within the Nations and territories of the Longhouse. It supposedly envelopes our nations with true peace. Kuswentha states that the Red and White people shall remain seperate, independant. That we will respect one another, and never interfer with the other. Also, we are not to allow the other to interfer with us.

On a more personal note...

Eventhough I was born on Mohawk land (Akwesasne) and am a member of a Mohawk clan (Wolf), I consider myself to be Lakota. (My name, "Wolf", has nothing to do with my being Wolf Clan, by the way.) My ancestry is Mohawk, Cayuga, Seneca, and Lakota. My home is in Lakota makoce, Oglala oyunke, the Black Hills/Badlands region. Yet, if it were not for the influence of the Great Law, my politics would not even exist as it does. If it were not for Kariwiio (the Code of Handsome Lake), I might not even be alive today. So, eventhough I am Lakota, I am indebted to and very proud of my Haudenosaunee heritage.

You can take the Wolf out of the Longhouse, but you cannot take the Longhouse out of the Wolf!

Newsletter Issue # 1

Statement For The Racially-Motivated Media