The “Gege of the Kansatake, Katutes’s Western Puses

In her latest book, activist, activist, artist and documentary maker Mohwak Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel returns, in the form of correspondence, to what she always called “the siege of Kanesatake”, in the summer of 1990, but she also invited to reflect on anti -colonialism and respect for the environment.

When the pine thorns fall first published in English. Therefore, A year later, the French -speaking public now has access to it. Meanwhile, For what? Consequently. Similarly, The question surprises Katsi’tsakwas (the traditional name of Ellen Gabriel), because the answer seems obvious: To have a wider audience. Nevertheless, But it was not the one who asked for it. For example, It is rather the publishing house, stir-house. In addition, “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses new

The translation of this book is also a way to explain what happened in the summer of. In addition, “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses 90 andeducate French -speaking Quebecers. However. Furthermore, She is not the first to raise him: Quebecers suffer from a form of dissonance cognitive With regard to the First Nations. In addition, she said. Nevertheless,

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More clearly. Additionally, Nevertheless. However, according to many natives, Quebecers have always seen “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses English speakers as the only ones to have been violent towards the Aboriginal people. However, French and French-French settlers, they simply traded with the natives.

[Les Québécois] Do not want to face the crimes they have committed against our people. Therefore, Quebecers are colonizers. Consequently, Quebecers make us swallow their language. However, There is evidence of the existence of boarding schools for French -speaking Aboriginal people. In addition, And the theft of our land continuesshe said in an interview with indigenous spaces.

Some. Furthermore, not all, have this arrogance with regard to our rights on our land. Nevertheless, As long as they will not recognize the truth. Furthermore, there will “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses new be frictions that will continue to generate injustice and we will continue to resist.

And to better understand the siege of Kanesatake. Nevertheless, Katsi’tsakwas has decided to make his story more personal, So that people can identify. However, Most writers do that. Nevertheless, What I tell in the book is the most I could reveal.

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Because Katsi’tsakwas wants to stay secret. She doesn’t like to talk about her personal life. What she wants to talk about is colonialism that continues. injustice and incessant combat of Aboriginal people for their land and their languages.

This trial of more than 300 pages is written in the form of a conversation with Sean CarletonProfessor of Aboriginal history. studies at the University of Manitoba, who presents himself as a colonist.

Through a very personal exchange. Katsi’tsakwas allows the reader to change his way of understanding Kanesatake’s seat And to see him through the eyes of a young woman who. all her life, fought to protect the territory. She tells her story there and that of her people, stuck in a territorial “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses new battle for almost 300 years.

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Because she is Trilingual – the Kanienʼkéha. the English and the French -, Katsi’tsakwas found herself at the heart of the events of the summer of 1990. She explains in her book that this allowed her to speak with government representatives.

But. above all. she tells how, at the time, the role “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses new “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses of women in the community was not mentioned at all by the media.

However. in matriarchal society that is that of the Haudenosaunee. the Confederation of which the Kanien’Kehá is a part: Ka (Mohawks), women are responsible for protecting the land and they make decisions that men must then apply.

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According to the “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses new author. Western media journalists are not doing their research And so ignore the traditional mode of operation of Mohawks. She also believes that international journalists who came to cover in the summer of 1990 were much more informed. about the indigenous issues of the time than local journalists.

We are practically neighbors of the people of Montreal.. they know nothing about us.

She also tells the trauma of these long days. fueled by the violence of the event, but also by the image of the Mohawks conveyed by the media. That of the violent Indian [sic] which brandishes the flag of warriors.

If there is a symbol that has gone around the world, it is this “gege kansatake, katutes’s “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses new western puses one. This face printed on a red flag, surrounded by a sun shape. A symbol that many brandish during demonstrations, whether indigenous or that they are not, moreover.

It’s just a flag. The media said that this flag was associated with violence. So when people see that, they are afraid. But all over the world, with the exception of Canada, this flag is known as a solidarity flag.

Today, Kanesatake suffers. Far from the bucolic images of the pine forest. it is a whole fringe of the population who lives in a community where the great chief has been removed from his functions by the advisers. where it is difficult to reign the law in the face of groups mainly from outside.

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Moreover. Katsi’tsakwas has never recognized the legitimacy of band councils, these political institutions implemented by the Canadian government.

When a colonizer imposes a form of governance, as it calls it, it is simply a question of providing services. There is no governance because there is no “gege kansatake. katutes’s western puses authority without “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses new the Ministry of Indian Affairs [sic] does not approve. everything that a band council doesshe says.

She even talks about Revampe colonialism in his book. detailing that this often goes through the strategy old as the world, that of divide to better reign.

[Les colonisateurs] Use religion to divide and conquer, they use education, they continue to use money. It is a coercion strategy they use to differentiate the “good Indians” from those who resist. want to protect the earth. They are unwanted, troublemakersshe explains.

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Katsi’tsakwas is also known for its positions in favor of environmental protection. His attachment to the earth, which goes much further than the Kanesatake pine forest, is very present in his work. She talks about it projects that respect the natives.

Sustainable development projectswhich slow down climate change, which honor the earth and what it has to offer. These are the projects which, according to her, agree with the principles she defends.

And the balance between economic development anchored in capitalism and respect for Mother Earth is impossible, she said.

You will have to eventually choose.

[L’une des “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses solutions] Try to preserve the “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses new land for future generations. the other is to deprive future generations of the right to enjoy the earthshe said.

But for the moment. she believes that many communities have a revolver on the temple. that it is difficult for them to say no.

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Jobs [que les entreprises promettent] are not durable. those who are well “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses new remunerated are reserved for the expertise of whites. They tend us a shovel, ask us to hold a signal sign … These jobs mean nothing for us, because when they disappear, the communities are found with a contaminated environmentshe says.

There is no possible balance. This is the excuse that band tips use to accept exploration projects.

Even if she says she is full of hope. notably thanks to the strength of current youth. Katsi’tsakwas says he is sad that people betray their lessons received by their elders.

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But the author believes that this is explained by colonization. Ils [les colonisateurs, NDLR] have terrorized peoples [autochtones] By making them believe that the whites were those who knew better. There is “gege kansatake. katutes’s western puses a group of people who have not accepted it, and others who accept it without doing anything. Some people, because of fear and their multigenerational trauma, have agreed to be indoctrinated and assimilated. So you have people who turn their backs on their language. their culture, the values of our people, to the “gege kansatake, katutes’s western puses new earth, which they see only as a commodityshe explains.

According to her, it is about the continuation of this colonial project which started centuries ago. And she continues to denounce him.