Iroquois on Fire: A Voice from the Mohawk Nation

(Hardback)

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In their homelands in what is now New York state, Iroquois and their issues have come to dominate public debate as the residents of the region seek ways to resolve the multibillion dollar land claims against the state. This initial dispute over territorial title has grown to encompass gambling, treaties, taxation, and what it means to claim Native sovereignty in a world experiencing fantastic technological change. New York's influence is such that the experiences of Iroquois interaction with the state will surely affect how Natives and other states deal with similar issues. This is an essential volume for those wishing to better understand these issues, written from an Iroquois perspective by someone who has taken an active role in tribal affairs and who is dedicated to preserving the philosophies of his people. Douglas George-Kanentiio, a member of the Mohawk Nation and an activist for Native American claims, details the history of his Nation from initial contact with the Europeans through to the casino crises. As a key figure in events of the last two decades, George-Kanentiio uses aspects of his personal story to highlight issues of public interest: the land, family and community, geography, federal interference in tribal affairs, religion, political activism, land use/claims, and connections to organized crime.

Reviews

George-Kanentiio, a Mohawk journalist, tells from firsthand experience what forces have conspired to pull the Iroquois apart as a culture, a confederacy, and within each component nation. Christianity and the hegemonic policies of the US and Canada are to blame, but also the greed of Iroquois individuals. Rather than heeding the Code of Handsome Lake, developed in the 1800s, or the modern wisdom of Ray Fadden, some Iroquois in the 1980s sought personal wealth and local autonomy through gambling operations.In 1990, when Mohawks, including the author and his relatives at Akwesasne, tried to stop casinos in their territory, self-proclaimed warriors met them with violence, to which they responded in kind. Two men died. The author was accused and acquitted in one count of second-degree murder. The book's warning is heartfelt and compelling. Highly recommended. General and undergraduate collections. * Choice *
In well-crafted chapters George-Kanentiio traces the history of Akwesasne from when the Mohawks were independent, free-spirited peoples to the present community torn apart by internecine conflict and seriously affected by environmental degradation. He is especially effective in explaining how the Mohawks were dispossessed after the American Revolution. * American Indian Quarterly *
[W]ill learn about Native Americans and their issues and gain new perspectives on the history of the Americas' first human inhabitants. Iroquois on Fire: A Voice from the Mohawk Nation explores details of the Iroquois multibillion-dollar land claims against the state of New York. The story is written from an Iroquois perspective by a man who is a member of the Mohawk Nation. George-Kanentho is actively involved in tribal affairs and dedicated to preserving the traditions of his people. He uses aspects of his personal story to highlight issues of public interest, such as the land, family and community, geography, federal interference in tribal affairs, religion, political activism, land use/claims and connections to organized crime. * Multicultural Review *
[A] disturbing book that will cause a stir.Former Cherokee Nation Chief Wilma Mankiller calls Iroquois on Fire an extraordinary description of the struggles, conflict and determination of traditional people.If you are interested in contemporary issues among Native Americans, this book gives them to you, intimately and with passion. * Connecticut Post Online *

Author Bio

Douglas M. George-Kanentiio was born and raised on the shores of the Kaniatarowanenneh (St. Lawrence) River on the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory. An award-winning writer and journalist, he has served the Mohawk Nation in numerous capacities, including as a land claims negotiator, a co-founder of Radio CKON, and the editor of the news journal Akwesasne Notes. He is the author of the books Iroquois Culture and Commentary and Skywoman: Tales of the Iroquois. From 1996 to 2002, he was a member of the Board of Trustees for the National Museum of the American Indian. He once had the honor of bearing the Olympic torch. He resides on Oneida Territory with his wife, the singer Joanne Shenandoah.