Mohawks file lawsuit: MNN Newsflash

HAUDENOSAUNEE GRANDMOTHERS FILE “DO IT YOURSELF” LAW SUIT – WATCH OUT CANADA , THE FEDERAL COURT IS BEING PUT TO THE TEST

MNN. Aug. 30, 2008. Canada keeps trying to pretend it’s “open season” on the Kanionkehaka/Mohawk. It’s even okay to assault our elders and grandmothers. No steps have been taken to charge the Canada Border Services Agents CBSA who assaulted Katenies and Kahentinetha on June 14th 2008. Kahentinetha suffered a trauma induced heart attack. They tried to beat Katenies to a pulp. They act like this is “business as usual”. The prosecutors have not done their duty. Because of this there has been no public investigation and the crime has been swept under the carpet.

The two women have no money, but they have found a way that might make rogue crown agents accountable. They have filed an action in Canada ’s Federal Court.

This does not mean they are accepting Canadian jurisdiction over themselves or the Haudenosaunee. Canadian agents have no right to abuse human rights or commit crimes against anyone, including those foreign to Canada . Canada has signed many agreements promising to uphold international human right standards. You don’t have to be a Canadian citizen to sue Canada . Canada ’s courts have an obligation to uphold the law.

The following “Statement of Claim” shows that we can defend ourselves. They two grandmothers filed their complaint in the Federal Court of Canada, under Section 48 of Canada ’s Federal Court Act. [You can find the instructions for filing on the Federal Court website]. To get things going, you pay the filing fee and hand in 5 copies of your “Statement of Claim”. The court clerk puts on a gold stamped seal and signs it to prove it has been filed. They serve it on the government the next day, and the crown has 30 days to answer.

When you draft your claim, just put the facts down. Make sure you don’t include any allegations that you can’t prove. For example, you need a direct witness, documentary evidence or video tapes from CBSA cameras. If you miss a deadline, your case will be finished. The crown has to follow the law too, but it might try to ignore you. Don’t forget to include a demand that federal officials follow the court’s timelines.

September 19, 2008, is the crown’s deadline for answering the two grandmothers. If the crown doesn’t answer, Canada will lose by default. The court should then order Canada to meet the grandmothers’ demands.

MNN Staff

A Sacred Story

Re: A very GOOD story,shared by Tiger Lillie

thank you for passing this on to us granny.

-------Original Message----- --


A very GOOD story,shared by Tiger
Lillie

This was shared by Tiger Lillie in a poetry group. There is great honor and
truth in this story no matter what Nation is your own. Until we again walk
the path of our grandparents, we will not understand how important is the
teaching in our hearts and lives!
blessings granny

Chief Saug Anishnabe

A SACRED STORY

An Anishnabe Legend

It was spring when the young Anishnibe Warrior came to Community. There was
something different about him that many did not understand. With his well
spoken ways and the confidence in which he held was something foreign to
these people that were of the "Traditional Circle". After several months of
being in the community many were afraid to speak with him or considered
there to be something wrong with him yet no one could find fault with the
way he did things not even the work that he did. This Young man knew very
little of the ways of the Circle and so he thought that he would go and
learn there ways. Much talk and teachings came from this and he learned very
well what was expected of him as a Warrior in the Traditional circle.

After many months of teachings he came back to the Elders to question them
concerning the state of community and why it was that so many things were
denied the others in the circle. He saw old people, disabled people, mothers
that were relying on the Gov. to care for there families as there men were
sleeping in someone else's bed, and many more things that bothered him. He
was told that he was meddling in the affairs of the community and that this
was not an acceptable to the community. It did not seem right to him that
only the people that could pick the sacred medicines were allowed to have
them and it did not seem right to him that the Elders did not have Eagle
Feathers for being elders, yet those that could dance and were young and
strong did. He again was told that it was how it had become to be in this
community and unless he could think of a better way then that was the way of
things.

This Young Warrior did not like it at all and became very irritable over
this as it seemed that the ways of the dominant culture were creeping in and
that no one understood that the teachings of community are for all and not
just the few who can fend for themselves. So he went to his place to ask the
Grandmothers and the grandfathers for help in this m atter. He knew this was
a life or death situation for the community so he placed his gifts down
first and then entered lodge, this was a fasting lodge a lodge of need, not
like the teaching lodge or the prayer lodge, but one of a different type
constructed differently than the others. So he prayed and fasted for many
days and so it was that the Grandmother from the Northeast came to him and
spoke not a word to him but drew a circle in the center of the lodge and put
4 points on it and told him to go and travel the four directions and you
will have your answer that you seek.

The young warrior thanked her for the sacred teaching and left the lodge and
offered many more gifts to the Grandmothers and Grandfathers. He left the
lodge and traveled east first. In the East along a small brook in a clearing
sat the Crane and he watched the Crane for a time. When the Crane left he
offered again his gifts to the Grandmothers and Grandfathers. When he
approached the spot where the Crane was he could smell a very familiar
pungent aroma and found that there was a 10 acre field of sweetgrass there
nested in the heart of his trap line. He began to pick and harvest the
sweetgrass and harvested with care not to pull the roots but to allow it to
regrow again next year. He filled up his sled 4 foot high with sweetgrass
braids.

He returned back to the people that he saw were in need and passed out all
of the sweetgrass to the community. He held nothing back not one blade but
gave it all away. He then went to the South and found wild tobacco growing
and did the same with the tobacco ties giving it all away saving not one
piece for himself to keep He then went to the West and found Sage and did
the same and passed it all out to the community saving not one piece for
himself. Then he went North and came upon the great Cedar Grandfather and
did the same and passed them out once again to community for those that were
in need and saved not one piece for himself.

When the Elders questioned why he had done it he said "because everyone is
equal and everyone deserves to have what everyone else has. I have nothing
but know where to get it because I walked the path of the Grandmothers and
Grandfathers and you may believe that if there is need again in this
community that I will come again and do the same, you that make yourself
great at the woes of others are not great and your Sacred Lodge is an
abomination to the Grandmothers and Grandfathers, put your own house in
order and then help others to do the same when all houses in community are
in order then there will be peace in the lodge and many good prayers will be
sent out. I will give one more gift to show this as it was told of me to
give". So he again left and went many days to the west to seek the great
gifts of the Grandmothers and the Grandfathers. He found a valley with Eagle
Feathers in it and again he offered his gifts to the Grandfathers and
Grandmothers and came to community and gave the Golden Eagle Feather to
community for healing. He gave all of them away saving not one for himself,
he gave one to every person the was in need and could not get them for
themselves. This last act of defiance against the Elders outraged them to
the point of openly speaking out against his gifts.

Then the community powwow came and by chance a young dancer the son of an
Elder lost his Eagle Feather in the Circle of dancers, and the cry went out
for Veterans to come to return the Spirit of the Eagle to the People with
honor. In full Regalia as he was told to wear he stepped forword and took
his place in the East with the other Vets. When it came time to be
questioned as to who would pick up the feather and give it away again it was
found that he was the only Veteran that was also wounded in battle so the
honor was his and his alone. When he did pick up the feather, he asked a
question of the Elders who was it that he was required to give the Eagle
feather to ?

He went to a young girl that was in a wheelchair and gave her the Eagle
Feather to keep. I came for community, the one that dances has many she had
none, care for what you have or the Grandfathers and Grandmothers will
lessen your burden.

This is a true story of the people.

From : Shift Twain
To : Bleep_Vancouver@ yahoogroups. com

re: clarifications asked ...

we, our feelings, the personality of these times, are

indeed reflected in these words below -- and many

reflections of reflections, the rainbow of our complete

heartmindedness.

for though certainly in times of great change and upheaval,

of danger to the Earth, to family and community, and all

our relations as now -- we DO usually wish to find the

strength and clarity and resilience and perspective to

facilitate peace and universal respect, understanding

amongst all involved.

yet too, we have MANY personalities, seven billion of us

here, and all will approach that epiphany from their

differing natures. and this blossoming episong is NOT a

danger to all peoples, or a challenge -- and is to some a

chance to release and be carried to the center of the RIVER

of their and our wondrous change.

many of us will be carried forward simply by our ACTIONS of

love and connecting, 'perspective' present or not.

so these ~WONDERFUL~ words of loving responsibility below,

gift of perspective and calming, are but a great light

revealing of our personalities and these times -- that we

may discover the MANY facets of our refining beings --

and move forward into this great unknown of our new

beginnings ...

in the embrace of ALL our ancestors,

the comforting company of ALL our relations,

Millennium Twain

--- In Sunflowerz, "Millennium Twain" wrote:

Shondra ~ Rose of Light~ posted:

Greetings,

With all the frightening upheaval taking

place in our world right now, I journeyed

to the Grandmothers to ask what those of

us who wish to serve at this time can do.

Judith.

"Speak out," they replied, "but speak from

a position of power. Never speak in anger,"

they said, "but hold a sacred space, stand

proudly in it and speak. If you cannot maintain

equilibrium and hold a sacred space, do not

speak," they said. "Do not contribute to the

present agitation in the world. Speak in wisdom,

speak of peace and most important, be peaceful.

But until you are peaceful, hold, live, and

breathe a sacred space and do not speak,

they said.

"Whenever you catch yourself going into anger

or fear, stop what you are doing, retreat inside

yourself and call on us. These times you are

living in are a great test for you," the Grand-

mothers said, nodding seriously. "Everywhere

you look now you see the excessive energy of

the masculine ways running amok. It pulls and

grabs at whatever stands in its path, and it

is greedy, always greedy for more. It would

like to attach itself to you too," they said.

"It would like to whip you into a frenzy too

but being whipped into a frenzy will simply

feed the run away energy of masculine ways

that are out of control, " they said.

"As the energy of masculine ways gets more

out of control it becomes seductive and smart.

But," they each said, holding up one finger,

"whenever you find yourself losing your peace,

losing your sense of rooted-ness, and your

stance of power, retreat!" they said, holding

up their hands. "Think of your original

decision to claim a sacred space and hold,

hold, hold it," they said.

"Call on us," they said. "We will fill and

anchor you until you become a colossus, a

beacon of light that radiates sacred space.

Ommm," the Grandmothers chanted together.

"Your commitment to hold a sacred space is

like the om. The stance you take will resound

deep high, far wide; it will reverberate

within and without. It will anchor the Web of

Life in colors of Light that strengthens the

elements of Being within the planet.

"What is happening in your world now will

test you. All you have previously been taught

and have experienced, " they sighed, "has come

from a out of balance masculine perspective.

Because of this, at a time like this you wish

to do something good. We tell you, 'Be good.

Be good.' Be yourself and live rooted in the

Divine. Be this," they smiled and covered me

with their shawls. "The winds of change will

try to pull you left and right, knock you

this way and that. This masculine energy is

running crazed at this moment and inciting

all to riot.

"Do not blow with the winds," they said,

"but hold, hold a sacred space. When you

feel yourself steady, and then speak. Speak

what comes to you at such times and give

voice to the words that arise. What you say

then will be right. You needn't calculate

or plan it before hand.

"At all times call on the Divine and pray

for all beings. 'Let everyone in all the

words be happy," they said. "Pray this over

and over again or say other prayers that you

love; recite the lines that bring you comfort.

Such prayers hold power and do enormous good.

Hold a sacred space and call on us. We have

told you before and we remind you now that

often what seems to be wrong in your world

bears within itself the seeds of right. Things

are not as they seem," the Grandmothers said.

"An enormous shift is taking place now-the

shifting of feminine and masculine. You are

called to a great work, to help anchor the

message we have brought. As you do this, you

will infuse your planet with the steadying

energy of gentle feminine energy. This will

happen whenever you open to the feminine side

and hold a sacred space. This war is not as

important as the work you have been given,"

they said and I stared. "There have been

thousands upon thousands of wars in the past,"

they said, "and now war has come again. "We

will not abandon you," they said, "but

"hold, hold, hold, and they intoned.

Hold a sacred space.

Do not forget the commitment of your heart,

your commitment to be at one with the Divine,

to live in communion with the Divine. Hold

steady," they said, "and then if you feel

drawn to action, go-as long as you can hold

a sacred space. When you are at a gathering,

pray. The good that goes out from prayers

like this, sent in the midst of a crowd is

immeasurable. But if at any time you find your

self becoming angry and losing your center,

withdraw until once again you hold that

timeless sacred space.

"Each time you choose to hold this space your

stance will get stronger. You'll get stronger,"

the Grandmothers laughed. "At first you will

catch yourself slipping in and out of holding

sacred space especially Slipping out," they

laughed again. "When that happens," they said,

"return to your commitment to be at one with

the Divine, no matter what. This is the Desire

of your heart. This is why you took the vow

to hold the sacred space.

"We will help you develop radar and alert you

when you're getting caught in the coils of

masculine energy. When you become aware of this,

call on us and we will bring you home to sacred

space. This is your home," they said, nodding

and smiling.

"Holding this space feeds life," they said;

"and this is your work." They dusted their palms

as if to say, 'that's all there is to it.'

"Becoming a home place others can resonate to,"

they said, " will help them. When you stand in

sacred space, you create a center of calm. Seeing

your example, others can more easily calm, center,

and come home themselves. But without your work,

without something steady to relate to, they will

be unable to remember who they are."

"Enter into any activity that calls you," they said.

"It is your heart calling you, after all. This work

is our mission, and you have enlisted in our mission.

We love you deeply and we will support you." "We

will always help you." I saw the depth of love in

their eyes and choked up. I was not accustomed to

anyone looking at me like that.

"Be aware that the pressure and pull of excessive

out of control masculine way is great now," they

said. "For a long time earth has known nothing

but this pulling. All your conditioning has taught

you to live in a masculine out of balanced world.

"Recently, however, you have come to know the

steadying power of feminine and now it is time

for you to live more in this place of gentleness

At all times you can rely upon us," the Grandmothers

said; "and upon the deep wellspring of the feminine

within yourself. We bless you. We bless you,

We Bless You."