Mohawk is one Native American Tribe. It is a part of The Iroquois league. The name Mohawk comes from the Algonquin, which means the man-eaters, but Mohawkians in their language refer to themselves as Kanien’kehake which means-‘people of the flint’. Sometimes they are even called as Haudenosaunee because of their houses and it means “people of the longhouse”.
[1]Traditionally the Mohawk tribe belongs to, South New York, around present day Albany, New York. Mohawks are said to guard, the Iroquois Confederation from the Eastern side.
Historical background:
Along with the Dutch at Fort Orange: New Netherlands, the Mohawks allied with the French fought against the English. But eventually, New Netherlands fell before the English. The Mohawks were always at war against the Anglo-Americans who were infiltrating into the Mohawk valley. Finally on November 11, 1794, the Mohawks signed the Treaty of Canandaigua with the United States. They received land to live on, by the British Governor Craig and were forced to stay with the French speaking Quebecois.
Land rights and reservations:
According to Tribal Reservation of lands, the Mohawks have the rights to live in The State of New York and Canada.14,000acres in Franklin and St Lawrence counties, just East of Massena, New York, all of which are tribally owned.
Leadership and social hierarchies:
The Mohawk tribes have two sets of Chief. One is the traditional hereditary Chief. One is the traditional hereditary Chief who gets nominated by clan matriarchs and the other is the elected Chief who conforms to the Democratic values, with whom the Canadian and the US governments deal. There are two factions of the religion: – one supported the Longhouse Tradition, the other (i.e. the elected Chief and the controversial Warrior’s society) was in favor of Pre-Longhouse Old Tradition. Traditionally elected Chief opposed gambling in fear of crime and corruption. While the elected Chiefs and the Warrior society encouraged gambling as a means of ensuring tribal self-sufficiency on various reservations. According to traditional account-the Mohawk Leader ‘Hiawatha’ was the first one to accept the principles of peace that was preached by the Peacemakers- the founder of Iroquois League. Mohawk had nine representatives, three from each of their clan – Turtle, Wolf and Bear.
The major Issue that concerns the Mohawk Tribe is –The New York Native American Gaming Law which gives the authority to expand Native American Casino gaming in the state[2] . The court had decided to support as affirmed by legislation-the construction of six Indian –owned casinos across New York, besides the St Regis Mohawk Tribe’s casino project which was planned to be built at Monticello raceway in the Catskill region.
The issue of the tribe wanting to put up their proposed Casinos in the Catskill region, the application had been applied much earlier but an answer was withheld for about nine months. So St Regis Mohawk Tribes had filed a federal law suit for Casinos Decision. Kempthrone, the US secretary was against the building of any casinos off the Indian reservations[3].
The St Regis Mohawk Tribe plans of Casinos in the Catskill are going dead as their partner-Empire resorts walk away off to be partners with Louis Cappelli a major Empire Shareholder and Concord owner.
Although the Mohawks were next in line for a casino but a ‘no’ from interior secretary- Dirk Kemthorne had brought a setback. The Mohawks had all the major approvals, but Empire Resorts thought it too risky to go for an Indian Casino.
[4] Later the Mohawk Tribe thought to sue the Empire Resort but Empire Resort said that it still wants to be partners with St Regis Mohawk Tribe. They have sued the Interior Secretary to reverse his Decision. For fulfilling the needs of the tribe- St Regis Mohawk Tribe was established. It aimed to achieve self-sufficiency and to serve the needs of Akwesasne Community members. They provide essential-Economic development strategies and other services to tribal members.
We learn that the Casino plans would have benefited in the Economic Development of the tribes. The Unemployed tribes would have found employment in these Casinos. It was found by the “Finding of Fact” issued by the Department of the Interior in April 2000 that “it was in the best interest of the tribe” itself. Soon there would be a hearing for the Department of the Interior’s complete lack of consultation with the Indian Tribes on new Federal Regulations and on unfair notices. Then maybe with the reversals of the answers of the Interior’s the Casino plans might go on. It would only help the Tribal community of Mohawk to prosper. Besides this, there must be no more walk offs either by the partners or by the individual community members. The proposal which seems to have gone dead should soon revive.
References:
About the Mohawk Tribe :
-The Mohawk Tribe, 2003, linked to ref-1, available at
http://www.mohawktribe.com
-The Saint Regis, available at
http://srmt-nsn.gov/his.htm
On the Origin of the Mohawks :
-Mohawk Nation, under the subheading Political, available at – http://www.crystalinks.com/mohawk2.html
The Issue:
-Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and Caesars Issue Statement on N.Y. High Court Ruling Upholding…Publication: Business wire, date: Tuesday, May 3 2005, linked to ref- 2.Available at –
http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices-regional/5116255-1.html
-The Top Online Casino Gambling News Reporting Organization! By Terry Goodwin, posted on November 1, 2007, linked to ref- 3.Available at -http://www.casinogamblingweb.com/gambling-news/gambling-law/st_regis_mohawk_tribe_files_federal_lawsuit_for_casino_decision_47737.html
Empire resorts partner, St Regis Mohawk Tribe, sues Interior Secretary for abuse of office, January 11, 2008, ref- 4 is linked to-
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.aspx?Feed=BW&Date=20080111&ID=8026415&Symbol=NYNY
Books used:
-Tribes of Native America-Mohawk, by Marla Felkins Ryan (editor), Linda Schmittroth (editor)
-Tyendinaga tales, by Rona Rustige.
[1] See in “Where do the Mohawk come from?” in ‘Mohawk Nation’.
[2] See in St Regis Mohawk tribe responds to Supreme Court refusal to hear case challenging Indian casinos in New York and The St Regis Mohawk Tribe and Caesars Issue Statement on New York High Court Ruling Uphold-published in Business Wire. Date: Tuesday, May 3, 2005.
[3] See in St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Files Federal Lawsuit for Casino Decision. Date- Nov 1, 2007.
[4] See in Business wire-Jan 11, 2008 Empire Resort’s partner, St Regis Mohawk Tribe Sue Interior Secretary for Abuse of office.
