Women representatives of Six Nations Territory Canada give Nottingham Sumac Talk

Women representatives from the Six Nations on the Grand River community in Ontario, Canada gave a talk at the Sumac Centre, Forest Fields, Nottingham on Wednesday the 27th of June at 7.30 pm.

They spoke about the experience of reclaiming and defending a piece of land from development. Their action has been incredibly successful, having prevented the development and protected the land from an armed police incursion.

They have been touring England, Ireland and Scotland, to give talks about taking back a piece of stolen Indigenous land from development and struggling for Indigenous Sovereignty.

Six Nations of the Grand River is the name applied to two contiguous Indian reserves southeast of Brantford, Ontario, Canada – Six Nations reserve no. 40 and Glebe Farm reserve no. 40B. The original reserve was granted by Frederick Haldimand under the Haldimand Proclamation of October 1784 to Joseph Brant and his Iroquois followers in appreciation of their support for the Crown during the American Revolution. These lands were given in perpetuity as the words of the original proclamation state:

"I have at the earnest desire of many of these His Majesty's faithful allies purchased a tract of land from the Indians situated between the Lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron, and I do hereby in His Majesty's name authorize and permit the said Mohawk Nation and such others of the Six Nation Indians as wish to settle in that quarter to take possession of and settle upon the Banks of the River commonly called Ouse or Grand River, running into Lake Erie, allotting to them for that purpose six miles deep from each side of the river beginning at Lake Erie and extending in that proportion to the head of the said river which them and their posterity are to enjoy for ever." Much of the land was lost during the 19th century to squatters and by theft and deceit supported by the crown and its agents.

The original tract of land stretched from the mouth of the Grand River on the shores of Lake Erie to the river's head, and for 10 km (6 mi) from either bank, encompasing some 3,800 km² (950,000 acres).

They later welcomed a group of Delawares to the reserve. The current reserves encompass 184.7 km² (71 mi²), all but 0.4 km² in Six Nations reserve no. 40.

Six Nations of the Grand River is the most populous reserve in Canada, with a population in 2001 of 21,474. The reserve is home to members of the following nations:

Tuscarora
Seneca
Cayuga
Onondaga
Mohawk
Oneida

The current Caledonia land dispute came to the attention of the general public on February 28, 2006. On that date, protesters from the Six Nations of the Grand River began a demonstration to raise awareness about First Nation land claims in Ontario, Canada, and particularly about their claim to a parcel of land in Caledonia, Ontario, a community within the single-tier municipality of Haldimand County, roughly 20 kilometres southwest of Hamilton. Soon after this demonstration, the demonstrators occupied the disputed land.

The land at the centre of the dispute covers 40 hectares which was to be developed by Henco Industries Ltd. into a residential subdivision known as the Douglas Creek Estates. It is part of a 385,000-hectare plot of land known as the "Haldimand Tract",[1] which was granted, in 1784, by the Crown to the Six Nations of the Grand River, for their use in settlement. Henco argues that the Six Nations surrendered their rights to the land in 1841, and Henco later purchased it from the Crown. The Six Nations, however, maintain that their title to the land was never relinquished.

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Indigenous Woman from Ontario, Canada visit Nottingham to voice their struggle in defend of land
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/06/373435.html

Native American Journalists Association
 http://www.naja.com

Six Nations of the Grand River Wikipedia
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Nations_of_the_Grand_River

Six Nations Of The Grand River Territory
 http://www.sixnations.ca

Turtle Island News
 http://www.theturtleislandnews.com
Canada’s only national native weekly newspaper, published every week at the Grand River Territory of the Six Nations in southern Ontario. It is a politically independent newspaper that is wholly owned and operated by Aboriginal People.

Six Nations at the Cross Roads: The Day The Trust Died
April 20, 2006 OPP Raid Kanonhstaton
 http://www.theturtleislandnews.com/Reclamation-Book-Order-Form.pdf

Six Nations Solidarity
 http://sisis.nativeweb.org/actionalert

Six Nations Solidarity Links
 http://sisis.nativeweb.org/actionalert/links.html

Ontario Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
 http://www.aboriginalaffairs.osaa.gov.on.ca/english/caledonia

Six Nations (Caledonia) Negotiations Costs to Date
 http://www.aboriginalaffairs.osaa.gov.on.ca/english/news/news_061102.html

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
 http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/index-eng.asp

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ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email:  tash@gn.apc.org
Web:  http://tash.gn.apc.org
Member of the National Union of Journalists [No: 014345]
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"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
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