BY: DOUG GEORGE-KANENTIIO

INDIAN TIME - Vol. 23 #34 - Seskeha / August 25, 2005 Edition - Page 4

At the recently concluded history session those in attendance learned that, far from a benign subject restricted to dusty classroom texts, the retelling of who we were has everything to do with what we have done.

There is no element of our current lives which is unaffected by the experiences of our ancestors, whether as individuals, families or as a community.

History is much more than the recitation of dates, personalities and events; it is best understood when we examine motives, values, circumstances and consequences.

For instance, what compelled our ancestors to persist in their retention of a distinct Mohawk identity when the powerful forces of integration and assimilation were brought to bear upon them by the State, federal government, Provinces and Christian religions?

Why hold on to a small plot of land, speak an Aboriginal language or sustain a Native culture when the schools, churches and external service agencies hammer the singular theme that all of what is Mohawk is bad?

If we are to believe the external forces, those who came before us were simplistic, sensual, savage and sadistic. We contributed nothing to the world at large but a sharp and scary image; our footprints in the course of human events were casual and of no real consequence.

Yet there were those few who thought otherwise. They instinctually knew that if we were to be saved from the trash bin of history, if we were to be more than a footnote, we had to reinterpret how that history was taught and to make it the dynamic center of a new identity, one based on pride, dignity and a touch of arrogance.

This called for a revolution in learning and like all radical changes had to begin with the conviction of a single human being.

For the Mohawks it was Ray Fadden. He elected not to assume political power but to alter the hearts and minds of his students. He knew that once they came to realize the truth as to who they were their previous assumptions of inferiority would be cast aside and that every aspect of the dominant society would be questioned and challenged.

Fadden's teaching methods had a profound effect on every aspect of Mohawk life and thereby changed the course of Aboriginal history.

Can anyone seriously doubt that the rise of the Native rights movement could have taken place without Fadden's students leading the way through such vehicles as the White Roots of Peace or Akwesasne Notes? Both of these were sponsored by the far seers of the Mohawk Nation Council during the 1960s. They changed forever American scholarship. Books such as "Indian Givers", "Forgotten Founders", "The Conquest of Paradise" and so many others came directly from Fadden even if the authors do not realize it. There is a direct connection with Fadden's "Contributions" charts and the remarkable summations of the how Indians have changed the world with the Mohawks playing a key role in the human drama.

This is what the conference attendees needed to hear at St. Lawrence University. They should have had a special session on the teaching methods of Ray Fadden, not just dates and events. They should have been instructed as to how to make history relevant and how to get the younger people involved in marking their own lives while preserving the life stories of their respective families.

History is integral to our survival. We take great care in adhering to the ancient rituals which define our spiritual beliefs, whether in the church or the Longhouse. In those instances we find comfort and meaning because we are taking part in events, which give us meaning while securing our place within the great cycle of time.

History can be like that; exciting, enlightening, dynamic and intriguing.

And what should be done is to preserve the methodologies of Mr. Fadden by having all of our teachers in every one of our schools take a special class on Mohawk history from the perspective of the man who taught it best.

But is there any school, which even has a special Mohawk history class?