Kahnawake

Kahnawake is a reserve known as mohawk (Amerindian) with the Quebec (Canada), located in the administrative area of the Montérégie. Its population is of approximately: 8000 individuals, of which: 6500 which lives on the reserve.

Origin

Establishes in 1667, it first mission iroquoise in News-France was named Kentaké. This one was moved in 1676 and was renamed Kahnawake or " with the rapides". In 1680, the village was still moved and famous Kahnawakon, or " in the rapides". In 1696, the mission returned " with the rapides" (at a different place), an establishment named Kanatakwente later on, or " the village such as laissé". The village of Kahnawake reaches its current place in 1716. The " term; Caughnawaga" , resulting from an old English and Dutch translation, was employed to indicate the village until in the years 1970, whereas the Arts center Kanien' kehaka Raotitiokwa started to persuade people to return to the ancestral epellation of the name. In 1981, the Arts center made a request near the government of Quebec so that the original name is again used. In 1985, the charts and control panels were modified.

In the years 1830, Kahnawake is the largest indigenous village of Low-Canada, populated of almost 1000 farmers, farmers, hunters, warriors and craftsmen. Almost all the families have a horse, pigs and bovines. The majority cultivate corn and potatos and others cultivate also barley, peas and broad beans. The cultivated corn is rare; in fact the majority of the families live corn, of hunting and craft industry (Census of 1831).

Whereas the authorities call the residents of this village " Native american off Caughnawaga" or " Iroquois tribe off Caughnawaga" , and that their neighbors of Châteauguay call them " Amerindians of Sault" , " People of Sault" or " Savages of Sault" , the inhabitants of Kahnawake prefer to be called " Iroquois of Sault-Saint-Louis". This name returns to a collective identity which is expressed on at least four levels, and which does not cease evolving/moving during the decades.

At the 19th century, certain inhabitants of Kahnawake are unilingual iroquois whereas the majority speak also French and bear arranged names iroquois to French family names such as Lorimier, Giasson, Beauvais, Monique and Delisle. In opposition to today, the English language is not familiar for them.

By using term IROQUOIS, people of Kahnawake of the 19th century are identified with the confederation iroquoise, whose villages are still in the state of New York and who is made of 6 distinct nations: Mohawk, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Seneca and Tuscarora. Today, this feeling of identity is more precise since people of Kahnawake are identified as a " Mohawks" , one of the 6 nations iroquoises.

The Sault-Saint-Louis term distinguishes Kahnawake from the other Amerindian villages of Low-Canada, of which St-Governed (Akwesasne), Two-Mountains (Kanesatake-Oka), the Abenaki village of St-François, and the Wendate-Huron village of Lorette. At the time, the 7 principal Amerindian villages of Low-Canada are gathered in what they call the Federation of Seven-Fires or the Seven Nations. Kahnawake is the " chief-lieu" of this federative pact and is useful as central political organization while respecting autonomy of the allied communities. The council of Kahnawake is composed besides of 7 elected chiefs with life by their respective clans. the Sault-Saint-Louis term is not really used today, except in the context of territorial claims.

Lastly, the Sault-Saint-Louis term returns in the name of the seigniory in which the village of Kahnawake is since its origins. In 1680, a ground of 40.000 acres was granted the Jesuits in order to make there live of Iroquois converted. It was agreed that the Jesuits were not the lords of Sault and were not to concede grounds with white. However, under the illicit influence of the priests, the southern limits (seigniory of the Room) and is (seigniory of the Meadow) of the Sault-Saint-Louis quickly became exceeded by white farmers. Today, only 11.000 bitter of the 40.000 bitter originals remains in the hands of Mohawks. The current territorial claims touch the municipalities of St-Constant, Co.-Catherine, St-Mathieu, Delson, Candiac and St-Philippe, all being gradually established on the seigniory of the Sault-Saint-Louis.

Territorial claims

Since 1760, Iroquois de Kahnawake claim a portion of their territory, the seigniory of Sault St Louis, which was cunningly annexed to the seigniory close of the Meadow of Magdeleine. During the nineteenth century, the limit badly definite between Sault St Louis and the Meadow became the object of many requests, petitions and delegations on behalf of the chiefs of Kahnawake.

In 1829, the secular priest of Kahnawake, Joseph Marcoux, wrote a “summary” of 15 “evidence in favor of the Savages of Sault St Louis” in the hope that the claimed ground portion their is given. However, just like the other requests, this text fell on ears from deaf persons.

1°. One can give for first proof the constant complaints that the Savages made of this piece of ground, like belonging to their Seigniory, near almost all the Governors of the Province since and even before the Conquest; what they would not have done, so of wire father and succession of Chiefs, they had not been convinced that it belongs to them of right.

2°. In the titles of the concession of Sault, data with Fontainebleau, by Louis XIV in 1680, it is known as: “While going up along the Lake on similar depth, with two isles, islests and batures which are ahead.” However these isles, islets and batures, with the portion of the Continent opposite they are, are not between the hands of the Savages, as they would owe the being according to their titles, since they belong to the piece claims.

3°. It is known as in the same titles: “Uniting with the grounds of the Meadow of Magdeleine.” This is not to say that the line between the Meadow and Sault must be joint. However however, it is between these two lines a space of about thirty arpens which are mentioned on the titles of the Meadow nor on no other titles that on those of the Savages.

4°. The constant tradition of all the Savages and Habitans of the Meadow is that, when Iroquois left the Meadow of Magdeleine to come to be established on the new Concession called of Sault, they planted their village on bank Is river of the Bearing, and there that they remained at least about fifteen years, after having built a church out of wooden there. There remains still an old cross planted on the ground of the old village and some ground debris.

5°. The second station of the village, according to the same tradition was some arpens higher in a place than one calls now at Catho, still on the piece claims. They were there only six to seven years.

6°. The third station, according to the same tradition was on the river Susanne, one half-league with the top of the rapid. They are remained about fifteen years there, after which they came to be fixed here for always.

7°. The name Caughnawaga, as a Kahna8ake savage, who wants to say to Sault, the Rapid, indicates that the village was formerly with respect to a sault or of a rapid. It would not have been thus named if it had been built as of the principle with a half mile with the top of Sault (3rd station) or with more than one mile of icelui, where he is now. The Savages in the various stations of their village, preserved the primitive name of it.

8°. The Charlevoix Father in his historical newspaper which belongs to the History of Canada, known as in a letter dated from Sault St Louis even, in 1721: “This village was initially placed at the Meadow of Magdeleine approximately a mile lower than the sault (or it fast) St Louis, side of the South. The grounds there not being found clean with the culture of Corn, one even transported it opposite Sault, from where it took its name, that it still carries, though it was transferred few years ago, another mile higher.” Therefore, according to Charlevoix, the ground which is opposite the rapid, and where the first village was built, must belong to the Concession of Sault, which must be very whole to the Savages.

9°. On the basis of 1680, time when the Savages left the Meadow to come to the Rapid, where is now the Cross, and adding the years with the various stations of the village, knowledge: 15 years with the Rapid, 7 years at Catho, and 15 years on Bank-Susanne, there are 37 years old; which added to 1680, make 1717. However the Charlevoix Father written in 1721, qu ' there is had few years that the village had been transferred where it is now; what agrees perfectly with the wild traditions.

10°. The answer of the Intendant to the Savages of Sault St Louis, before the Conquest (original part, between the hands of the Savages) one must notice the words there: “So that you enjoy together the advantages which THIS GROUND must produce, &c. and these others: “Vouz must all enjoy this ground, &c., and these others: “The Fathers Jesuits predecessors of those conceded some grounds of this Seigniory, &c., and low: “The Reverends Pères nor you cannot sell any portion of this ground, &c.” The Savages then claimed what they claim today: the Intendant does not say to them that the asserted piece does not belong to them; he does not separate it from the remainder of the Concession; this ground, this seigniory, &c., it thus grants the right: but it obliges the Savages to leave it between the hands of the Jesuits, like their agens, because, he says, in his short speech: “They (Jesuits) must have the direction of the Seigniory which you are not able to control.” Thus it is by error that one confused this piece of ground with the properties of the Jesuits.

11°. The Statement of Jean Peladeau, Land-surveyor, (another part authenticates between the hands of the Savages). It is known as there in the first part “to plant the terminals there to separate the aforementioned Seigniory from the Meadow of Magdeleine, of the Seigniory of Sault St Louis… in the presence of my known as Sieur Claus and of the Savages, &c.,” but these terminals were planted close to the river of the Tortoise, like says it the same Statement, présiséement where the Seigniory of the Meadow finishes. Thus there must begin the Seigniory of Sault. The Savages do not want to admit the second part of this Statement where one sees that the same Jean Peladeau came in the autumn very the years (1762) with from Militiens and entirely to the inscu from the Savages, taking again the terminals which it had planted with the Tortoise and to defer them thirty and some arpens higher, Mill of Sault has above, because he says, being interested more in this business, we would have to be called first there. They thus look at as no one what was made without them.

12°. The promise of the Carleton General to the Savages, gathered in Montreal, in the House of the Government, to return to them this piece of ground to died of the last Jesuit. This promise admittedly was only verbal, the Savages not knowing then the consequence of a writing; but it still remains in the Village an old man Iroquois octogenarian who was present then; all the others died.

13°. Triple promise of Sir George Prévost to the same Savages: 1°. in Montreal; 2°. in Chateaugay with the Forks; 3°. in Kingston, to return to them at the end of the war the 1812 piece of ground that they claimed, when they would have defended it with the remainder of the country against the enemy. (The earwitnesses gave certificates of these various promises, signed their hands.)

14°. By their Titles of Concession of 1680, the Savages must have three miles and half face, on two of depth; however by the fact, they do not have three miles. Thus they were frustrated of more than one half mile.

15°. When the Jesuits had the pleasure of the Mill of Sault, and that they perceived the Revenues of the Concessions which they had made on the piece of ground claims, the Savages were not in charge of any royalty towards them nor towards the Church. They lived of this incomes, and exclusively carried the maintenance costs and of repairs necessary for the Church and Presbitère, as about the Sirs of St Sulpice to the Lake of the Two Mountains do it. When the Government seized this bottom, like fesant left the goods of the Jesuits, it was not necessary any less than the Savages trouvâssent in the remainder of their Seigniory what to provide for all this expenditure, without what they would not have had any more of Missionary. Also it does not remain to them a sum of money with the rendering of their annual accounts, the three miles which they have between the hands, being much less lucrative than the half-league asserted by them, considering which are not nor cannot be conceded, being almost all in Culture and Meadows and Sugar refineries, separated between each family, for her own subsistence. - SAULT ST LOUIS, 1829 (" Analyzes of a report new or Summarized Evidence in favor of the Savages of Sault St Louis, claiming the Mill of Sault, and the thirty, Small holding and some arpens of face on two miles of depth, on which it is construit." Joseph Marcoux, 1829 - Files of Diocese-of-St-Jean-of-Quebec with Longueuil, file 3A: Saint-François-Xavier de Caughnawaga, document No 127).

Municipalities bordering

References

Repertory of the municipalities of Quebec
Commission of toponymy of Quebec
municipal Businesses and areas - regional charts
Alfred, Gerald R., 1995a: Heeding the Voices off our Ancestors: Kahnawake Mohawk Politics and the Small channel off Native Nationalism. Toronto: Oxford University Near.

Alfred, Gerald R., 1995b: To Right Certain Wrongs: With Carryforward one Research into Lands Known ace the Seigniory off Sault St Louis. Kahnawake: Kahnawake Seigneury Office.

Guesses, Edward James, 1922: Historic Caughnawaga. Montreal: Messenger Close

Kanien' kehaka Farming Raotitiokwa Center, 1979: Tewaterihwarenia' tha: the Newspaper off Kanien' kehaka Farming Raotitiokwa Center 2 (1).

Kanien' kehaka Farming Raotitiokwa Center, 1980: Tewaterihwarenia' tha: the Newspaper off Kanien' kehaka Raotitiokwa, Farming Center 3 (5).

Kanien' kehaka Farming Raotitiokwa Center, 1991: Old Kahnawake; oral year History off Kahnawake. Kahnawake: Kanien' kehaka Farming Raotitiokwa Center

Sossoyan, Matthieu, 1999: The Kahnawake Iroquois and the Lower-Canadian Rebelled, 1837-1838. McGill university, Department of Anthropology, Master's paper.

External bond

Official site Kahnawake

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