Ganiekeh and Iroquois Confederacy
Six Nations and the Ganiekeh Indian Project
Sometimes a family can subvert aboriginal law for their own ends within the economy of the dominant culture. Kahentinetha Bear writes about the situation in Ganiekeh.
According to the “Ganiekeh Manifesto”, this territory was reclaimed by Indigenous people across Turtle Island as well our brothers and sisters from other parts of the world. Ganiekeh is located in Northern New York State, in what is known as Clinton County, near the town of Altona. It is ten minutes from the “imaginary line” commonly called the Canada-U.S. border and twenty minutes northwest of Plattsburgh NY.
In 1974 Mohawk people from the five Kanionkehaka communities came together and repossessed a portion of the 9 million acres of land that had been swindled by the United States 200 years ago under what was known as the “Mohawk Treaty of 1797”, was well as the “Seven Nations of Canada Treaty” of 1796. Both are illegal. It was the first time in modern history that the indigenous people of Turtle Island had taken back our land and kept it.
The “Ganienkeh Indian Project” was sanctioned by the Grand Council of the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy. It was to be a template for all future land restorations not only by the Confederacy, but by all Indigenous people throughout Turtle Island.
The “Ganienkeh Manifesto” which was enacted in 1974 stipulates that Ganiekeh shall be the home of the traditional “Red Man” (Indigenous People of Turtle Island) and accorded human and natural rights, “They shall exercise their proven government and society according to their culture, customs and traditions”. As well, “a cooperative economic system shall prevail”.
Here, “They shall learn the superior morality of the ancient ones”. This refers to the principles of respect and dignity which is demanded between humans and creation.
It is estimated that in the past 33 years of its existence, 8,000 to 10,000 people have either lived, worked or shown their support for Ganienkeh. Despite this stated basis for its existence, today only 25 people currently reside in the community, most of whom are the immediate family of Thomas Delaronde, who has personally taken over Ganienkeh. No less than 500 families should now be residing in this community. What happened?
If you ask any native person who has either worked or resided in the community, they will tell you that their reason for leaving was due to the mistreatment and at times physical attacks on them or their families by Thomas Delaronde, Laureen Delaronde, both formerly of Kahnawake, and recent newcomer, Mary Swamp , formerly of Akwesasne.
There were businesses developed on the territory which have been hijacked by Thomas Delaronde, Laureen Delaronde and Mary Swamp. Basically nation businesses have become their own private projects. It was stipulated in the “Manifesto” that no private enterprises would operate in the territory. All projects would be cooperatively owned by the Mohawk Nation. By usurping control of the businesses, Thomas Delaronde, his wife Loreen and Mary Swamp have used these finances to control the residents and employees, both native and non-native.
This has become an estate-like community with a cult mentality on the backs of our sovereignty and at the expense of native families and our children. Even some of Thomas Delaronde’s own children and grandchildren have either been driven out or neglected. Some others of his close family members have been financially and mentally coerced to carry out the atrocities against his own people, chasing them out of the community by force. In some cases, he provided arms to chase away or threatened to kill his detractors on sight. This, of course, violates the Great Law, international law and disrespects the Iroquois Confederacy to its utmost extent.
