11-The Neglected Nation

The People of Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance, The Invisible Nation, and The People of the Kattawapiskak River

By Leigh, Justin and Christopher

Marking Their Territory

        Imagine a life in which your rights, property, and freedoms are interminably taken from you.  For the Mohawk community, this life is a reality. Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance, a Canadian documentary film made by Alanis Obomsawin in 1993, illuminates the land issues that this community has long struggled with. Ms. Obomsawin, a notorious documentary filmmaker at the National Film Board for over four decades, uses her status to inform people on the history and discrimination of Native tribes. The 120 minute film focuses on the seventy eight day Oka crisis that began on July 11, 1990 and lasted until September 26, 1990.  Obomsawin introduces the film with a brief history about the people of Kanehsatake, a Mohawk settlement on the shore of the Lake of Two Mountains at the Ottawa River. In 1990, the town of Oka, next to Kanehsatake, had planned to develop an extra nine hole expansion to their private golf course, along with new luxury housing. Their intentions were to build the expansion on the “Pine”, a Mohawk burial ground in a white pine tree forest bordering the town. A few years before these events occurred, the Mohawks had lost a federal lawsuit claim for the land. With the knowledge that these people were illiterate and unable to properly defend themselves, the court rejected the argument that the Mohawks had been deceived by the Sulpician order. In technicality, building upon the land was not illegal; however, from an ethical standpoint, it was certainly wrong. 

  The “Pine” had long been used by the Mohawks; their ancestors' tombstones still stand in the cemetery. Evidently, this is why they chose not to tolerate the expansion, and thus barricaded the dirt road leading to it. For them, this value of this ground extends far beyond what profit could bring. It is considered place of spiritual strength and communal identity where they practice the Mohawk traditions. By example, the importance of these traditions is displayed when Loran Thomsan, a Mohawk native, is teaching her children the Iroquois language upon this sacred ground. It suggests that who they are depends on who they have been for centuries.

      Further, the town of Oka requested support from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) and asked for the removal of the barricade. Despite this request, the relationship between the SQ and the Aboriginals was not strong, and a fight was anticipated. On July 11th, 1990, the SQ attacked with tear gas and flash grenades. Gunfire from the Mohawks broke out and SQ Corporal Marcel Lemay was killed from a bullet wound. Moreover, the Mohawks of Kahnawake joined forces and blocked the Mercier Bridge, in order to impede entry into their territory. The blockade caused significant traffic, consequentially angering drivers from other communities. The federal government then took action, sending in military troops to control the situation. Arriving by helicopters, they attempted to negotiate for the re-opening of the Mercier bridge. However, this particularity was ironic, because the helicopters landed right behind the Sulpician church: the place at which these land issues began 270 years prior. 

      While all media sources are restricted from entering the scene, Ms. Obomsawin gives an insider look at the violence that ensues during this crisis. The Mohawk people, knowing and trusting her, open up with honest emotions as she interviews warriors and other Natives about their experiences on the reserve. Amongst these interviewees, Ellen Gabriel passionately represents the struggles of her people. She explains that the role of the women in the Mohawk community is to protect nature, and the men, in turn, have a covenant to protect the people. Nature is at the centre of their way of life, and they believe it is essential for the continuity of the First Nations people. Ultimately, the film concludes with the Mayor of Oka retracting his golf course expansion plans, and the burial ground, along with nature, are left to stand. The determination of the Mohawks to fight for their rights was successful, and today, the triumph of such oppression remains a testament in our history.

Click here to view an interview with Chicky, a native of the Mohawk community.

Isolating the Invisible

      Recognition, for the Natives, has always been a central concern. The documentary film Le peuple invisible, a 93 minute film directed by Richard Desjardins and Robert Monderie in 2007, highlights the history in which these people have long been disregarded. The Algonquin nation of 9,000 is now divided in Quebec into 10 communities, and yet, to the whites, they remain invisible and prejudiced. Located north of Montreal and Ottawa, their land lies along both sides of the Ottawa river. Their history, dating back to the century long war between the English and French for control of the fur trade, has continuously presented difficulties. In 1763, with the English King’s establishment of the Royal Proclamation, the Algonquins were hopeful, as it represented a symbol of newfound political autonomy. However, this proclamation was not truly intended to protect the people; rather, it was intended to protect the beavers for the fur trade. Their land was quickly populated by Europeans, thereby pushing the Natives deeper into the territory. In 1850, authorities removed the Indians from the woods and placed them in refugee camps situated in the Maniwaki and Tamiskamingue areas. Moreover, missionaries were sent to soften the Indians. As the film states, these people probably did not know that their territory now belonged to the province of Quebec, or that they, themselves, belonged to the federal government. In essence, while they were dubbed an inferior people to the white, it became clear that the only thing needed of them was their territory. 

      The government believed that within a decade, the Algonquin people could be assimilated. They stripped them of their language, identity, and names, making them each a mere number in a registry. Today, a similar situation still holds true. Algonquin children, aged seven and up, were forced to attend religious schools and conform to the French ways of life. From learning the language quickly to understanding new rules, the government made every effort to integrate them into life by their standards. When they failed to comply with this, the children were punished, whipped and humiliated. Beyond this, for hundreds of years, the Algonquins have been gradually losing their land. To many, they were viewed as a nuisance; in particular, Father Moreau, whose parish in Nedelec was in proximity to where the Indians resided, attempted to have them moved out. When the Canadians began to conquer the West after confederation, and the railway system was implemented, Indians were forced to give over their territory. A dozen treaties were signed from the Ottawa River to the foot of the Rockies, yet in Quebec, none were signed. Despite this, these treaties were not respected, and the government reclaimed everything they had promised to compensate them with. The Algonquin people have infinitely been told that they have no rights over their land, and have even been denied ownership of a power plant in Long Point that could stimulate an economy for them. 

      Furthermore, there has rarely been a genuine effort to help these people on the government’s part. “We’re prisoners in our own community,” states a native male in an interview. “We live in a dump called a reserve.” For example, in Winneway, some Algonquins did not have proper access to water or electricity, and were forced to make due with a generator. On weekends, their children were sent to foster care in Val-d’Or. Those living near Parc de la Verendrye, as well, faced many difficulties when logging companies began exploiting their forest. In consequence, these people, a hunting society, lost an essential source of food, as fauna and flora could no longer survive in the area. What’s more, they have no legal recourse because any lawyer who tried to represent them would be fined $200. Le peuple invisible shows that they are truly powerless, voiceless, and helpless, and by the end, it very clearly suggested that the Algonquins have always the victims of isolation. 

Click here to view an interview with filmmaker Richard Desjardins.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

        For people living in the western world, it is difficult to imagine a life in which the basic necessities of life are not easily obtained. We have long been provided with the resources required for our survival, and with such, have the fortune of living comfortably. In her documentary The People of the Kattawapiskak River, Alanis Obomsawin, through multiple interviews, exhibits the struggles of people who, in contrast, have a substantially more difficult way of life. Throughout the 50 minutes, the Canadian film, released in 2012, sheds light on the housing issues that the people of Kattawapiskak endure. Kattawapiskak, directly translated to “the space between two rocks”, is home to the Cree nation in the James Bay region. With over 17,000 people living on the reserve, 1,000 of them lack homes, and are forced to live in tents, sheds or overcrowded environments. Having endlessly been disregarded by the government, the Natives struggle to provide for their families in subarctic conditions, and often turn to hunting as a source of food. Further, the impoverished community must cope with life at 50 degrees below zero, as they do not have access to a lumber store or electricity. Despite all these challenges, these First Nations people uphold a strong sense of pride for their community, and ultimately, they  choose to stay in Kattawapiskak because of the importance attached to their people’s history on the territory. 

      With a democratic government, people have the right to voice their opinions freely. However, Ms. Obomsawin’s documentary makes one matter unquestionably clear: the government and the Natives have conflicting opinions about freedom. Those in power choose to disregard the demands of the First Nations people, as they believe them to be incapable of handling the housing and budget issues themselves. Comparatively, they treat them like children with no entitlement. They venture to control much of the reserve, and while these people remain out of sight, they also remain out of mind. The Natives, taking a peaceful approach, attempt to negotiate for change. More specifically, their demands encompass the access to essential resources, and in particular, the obtainment of improved housing conditions. To their misfortune, the mobiles in which many of them are living have little water, no heating, and communal bathrooms. In addition to this housing crisis, the Cree community experiences numerous suicides, chiefly within the younger generation. For those affected by this tragedy, a healing center is established with the goal of aiding them in handling their own emotional state. Furthermore, to alleviate the stress caused by a life of hardship and to allow young people to develop a sense of belonging, a hockey arena is built and a Zamboni is purchased. While many conservative whites criticize the community for acquiring a nonessential $75,000 machine during a period of poverty, the people of Kattawapiskak recognize the indirect impact it will have on the lives of the future generation. In their view, the arena represents the light at the end of a very dark tunnel, and in the long run, it will likely save the lives of those they hold close to their hearts. 

Click here to view an interview with filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin.

A Quest for Control

      In a world consumed by the pursuit of power, there is no question that once it is achieved, it is often abused. With this in mind, the government’s attempt at control over the lives and territories of First Nations people has left them frustrated, overlooked, and most certainly, abused. The documentaries presented above are very closely connected to three fundamental concepts: a differentiation in ideologies, ethnocentrism, and hegemony. An ideology can be define as “a set of beliefs, values, habits and ways of seeing that shape our understanding of the world.” Moreover, it is an essential tool for the interpretation of institutions and practices. For the government, the perception that the Natives are uncivilized is the truth they hold as an ideology. They see them as undomesticated and believe them to be incapable of resolving their own affairs. For the Natives, the truth they understand of themselves varies considerably. They view their people as cultured and appreciative of an important history. Upheld traditions shape who they are, and in practice, distinguish them as a nation. Nevertheless, the whites recognize this nation as one that is inferior, and thus, ethnocentrism and hegemony play a role. 

      Throughout all three films, the government is projected as the dominant, ruling group. Their power enables them to manage the lives of others according to their viewpoints, thereby establishing the norms for all. Ethnocentrism, the evaluation of other people’s cultures according to one’s own standard, permits the government to judge the Natives as savages. With this judgement, they condescend and patronize them. Not only do they hold them as a secondary people, but they also attempt to change them and their customs. For example, they endlessly strip away their land, and endeavor to assimilate the children into conforming to modern white culture. In essence, for members of the government, their ways are the only ways, and while the Natives remain different, they also remain lesser. Despite this, the First Nations people are proud of their ways of life, and although they have faced abundant discrimination, those in power have still been unsuccessful in molding them into their ideals. 

      As Ms. Obomsawin and Mr. Desjardins use the medium of filmmaking to shed light on the issues of First Nations peoples, they also teach a universal message: people must be accepted as people. Differences give people individuality, and as individuals, respect is vital. These people have endured much suffering throughout their history, and if there is one thing to be learned, it is that the fight for their rights keeps them strong. For us, sitting by a computer in the comfort of our homes, it is difficult to completely relate to these sentiments; however, compassion allows us to empathize with others, and after examining the hardships of three different tribes, it is a sentiment that distinctively resonates. Some might respond to the film in a similar matter, yet others might believe that the First Nations people are consumed by their traditions and are opposed to progression with the rest of society. With either response to the film, it is clear that our vision of the world is not always black and white. The films challenge this vision, as we see that often, the government does not expose the full truth of a situation. With this, we must learn to think critically before we accept answers, and vary our sources of information, including through documentary films. Similarly to the the First Nations people, we must know to fight for our rights before accepting the answers of those in power because otherwise, we will succumb to control. As Ms. Obomsawin stated, “The government makes you feel like it is a privilege if you have your rights.” Nevertheless, she is faithful that the First Nations people are headed in a positive direction, and at the end of the day, without many demands met, they still have one of the most fundamental necessities to life: family.