Blog Archives
Tensions rise as Mohawk activists square off with Oka mayor over development
CTV Montreal, July 12, 2017
A real estate development in Oka is raising tensions in the Mohawk community of Kanehsatà:ke.
On Wednesday morning, a group of protesters led by Mohawk rights activist Ellen Gabriel squared off with Oka Mayor Pascal Quévillon.
Four hundred homes are planned for a plot of land adjacent to The Pines – the land at the heart of the 1990 Oka Crisis. Read the rest of this entry
The Oka Crisis was supposed to be a wake-up call. Little has changed in 27 years
A picture taken during the Oka Crisis on July 11, 1990. (Tom Hanson/The Canadian Press)
By Steve Bonspiel, for CBC News, July 11, 2017
“Just go in there and exterminate them like the rats they are.”
“What are we waiting for? Let’s get rid of them.”
“Put them all in the Big O and blow it up.”
I heard these words from random non-Natives as a 14-year-old boy, 27 years ago to the day. I feel a mixture of pride, anger, sadness and resolve when I think of that fateful summer, and what went on for those 78 days in Kanesatake: the Oka Crisis. Read the rest of this entry
Echoes of Oka: Trudeau minister says military involvement possible against oil pipeline resistance
Canadian soldier and warrior face off during 1990 Oka Crisis.
by Jorge Barrera, APTN National News, December 2, 2016
Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr suggested Thursday Canada is prepared to deploy the military against anti-pipeline actions deemed “not to be peaceful,” raising the possibility the country could face a scenario last seen during the Oka Crisis in 1990. Read the rest of this entry
Mohawk police station, site of 2004 standoff, burns down
Fire fighters battle flames engulfing police station in Kanesatake, October 12, 2015.
CTV News, October 12, 2015
A former police station in Quebec where dozens of Aboriginal officers were held hostage more than a decade ago has burned to the ground.
The blaze in the Mohawk settlement of Kanesatake injured no one, but brought up bad memories and raised questions about youth joblessness.
It was the building where Grand Chief James Gabriel’s Aboriginal police force — brought in to fight growing organized crime — was held hostage in 2004. The chief’s family home was famously torched by vandals during that standoff, which ended with the provincial force taking over policing. Read the rest of this entry
Two New Warrior Publications T-Shirts; Black T-Shirts in Stock
One of two new designs, this one features the iconic image from the 1990 Oka Crisis depicting a masked and armed warrior confronting a Canadian soldier.
by Warrior Publications, Oct 2, 2015
There are two new t-shirt designs that can be ordered from Warrior Publications. One is a design to mark the 25 year anniversary of the “Oka Crisis”, the other a west coast version of the Warrior flag, both by Kwakwaka’wakw artist Gord Hill. In addition, we also have black t-shirts in stock for all 5 T-Shirt designs.
Click below the fold to see the other design as well as the black versions of previous ones. We’ll also be adding black hoodie sweatshirts shortly. To view and order t-shirts click here, or go the top menu bar and click T-Shirts. Read the rest of this entry
Behind the lines: Invisible scars left by Oka Crisis 25 years later
Mohawks from Kanesatake, Que., march to mark the 25th anniversary of the Oka Crisis, in Oka, Que., on Saturday, July 11, 2015. The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz
Mohawk journalist Dan David reflects on his time during Oka Summer
By Dan David, CBC News, July 11, 2015
At 5 a.m. on the morning of July 11, I’ll be with traditional people and a few guests in The Pines on Kanehsatà:ke Mohawk Territory. There won’t be any government people, politicians, or members of the band council.
No long speeches, preening egos, or empty promises allowed. Just a few people who wish to reflect on the meanings of events that began on a day exactly 25 years before. Read the rest of this entry
Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance
On a July 11, 1990, a confrontation propelled Native issues in Kanehsatake and the village of Oka, Quebec, into the international spotlight. Director Alanis Obomsawin spent 78 nerve-wracking days and nights filming the armed stand-off between the Mohawks, the Quebec police and the Canadian army. This powerful documentary takes you right into the action of an age-old Aboriginal struggle. The result is a portrait of the people behind the barricades.
The Oka Crisis in five minutes
by Submedia TV
The so called “Oka Crisis” is one of the most legendary battles between indigenous land defenders and settles in the last century. This uprising against colonization set the tone for native resistance in Turtle Island to this day. We as subMedia.tv like to big up the Mohawks of Kanehsatà:ke whenever possible, and in honor of the 25th anniversary of this rupture, we bring you two videos from our vault. Read the rest of this entry
Revisiting the Pines: Oka’s legacy
Warriors at Oka, 1990; the 78-day armed standoff at Kanesatake, Mohawk territory, continues to haunt government and corporations in their dealings with Indigenous peoples.
by Marian Scott, Montreal Gazette, July 10, 2015
KANESATAKE — Behind the barricade at the entrance to the Pines, Denise David tossed and turned, dreaming of a deadly melée between unknown foes.
Her nightmare was about to come true.
It was the morning of July 11, 1990, a day that would rudely awaken Canadians to the anger simmering in First Nations communities. Read the rest of this entry
