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to PNL Page Diane Shenandoah
In May of 1993 the Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee after long and careful
deliberation determined that it would no longer recognize Ray Halbritter as
the “representative” of the Oneidas residing in central New York.
Halbritter was selected to be a message carrier or “eyes and ears”
from the Oneidas to the Grand Council along with Lyman Johns and Richard Chrisjohn,
a position which did not carry any legislative or administrative authority but
secured a presence for the Oneidas at the Grand Council.
In 1986 the US government acknowledged the right of the Grand Council to seat
those three individuals. Upon the deaths of Chrisjohn and Johns, and before
the Oneidas could assemble and appoint their successors, Halbritter created
an entity called the “Men’s Council,” whose members served at
his pleasure, and incorporated the Oneida Indian Nation of NY. Disturbed by
Halbritter’s blatant disregard for traditional leadership processes, and
concerned about his entering into a secret gambling compact with former New
York Governor Mario Cuomo, the Grand Council held a special session to review
the Oneida situation during which the members of the “Men’s Council”
were given an opportunity to explain Halbritter’s actions.
When asked why Halbritter refused to go to Onondaga (where the Grand Council
meets), the assembly was told he was in fear of his personal safety. In response
to a specific question as to how the “Men’s Council” came to
be, Keller George, one of its members, said the council was created by Halbritter
who personally appointed the councilmen. Later, Halbritter would also select
a number of elderly women to act as “clanmothers” to buttress his
claim to head a traditional Haudenosaunee government. Not one of these “Men’s
Council” members or bogus “clanmothers” meet the minimal standards
for consideration as a traditional leader.
After giving due consideration to the “Men’s Council” appointees,
the Grand Council rescinded its support for Halbritter and formally requested
that the US government withdraw its recognition of the person who by then was
referring to himself as the singular “representative” of all the “New
York” Oneidas, to which he would later add the title of “Chief Executive
Officer,” with almost complete control over every aspect of Oneida life.
The Grand Council decision was affirmed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in August,
1993, only to be reversed 24 hours later when Congressman Sherwood Boehlert
persuaded the White House to reinstate Halbritter. (Boehlert is an advocate
for commercial gambling). He may well have feared the removal of Halbritter
would have negative consequences for the Turning Stone Casino which had opened
only a few weeks before.
No formal action by the Grand Council is taken lightly and all traditional Iroquois
must consider themselves bound by such decisions. Certainly, those who continued
to support the Halbritter regime did so in defiance of the Grand Council, an
act many Oneidas were not willing to take part in. A fair number of the Oneidas
residing on or near our ancestral homelands believe ourselves to be not only
citizens of our own Nation but members of the Confederacy and as such were placed
in a difficult position by the Grand Council’s determination.
If we were to honor our obligations as Onyota’a:ka (Oneida), and as Haudenosaunee,
we had to seek a replacement for Halbritter while fulfilling a long-standing
Confederate request to appoint rotiiane (chiefs) and clanmothers in accordance
with the Great Law.
But by doing so we would risk our standing as Oneidas, lose all benefits and
place our very homes and livelihoods in serious jeopardy. Repeated appeals by
the traditional Oneidas for the support of the Confederacy in resolving this
dilemma have not resulted in any decisive action, yet our fears as to the consequences
of our pro-Haudenosaunee actions have come to pass.
A severe critic of the Grand Council, Halbritter has labeled traditional Oneidas
as “dissidents” who have “lost our voice.” Without a trial
or hearing we have been found to be guilty by the “Men’s Council”
of conspiring with the Confederacy, meeting with Wisconsin-based Oneidas and
being in the company of unnamed, but apparently dangerous, “Canadians.”
Halbritter and his council (along with his highly-paid public relations apologists
at the Indian Country Today newspaper) foolishly, and illogically, accuse the
Onyota’a:ka as founding, or being part, of a “Native racist hate group”
called the UCE (Upstate Citizens for Equality). This is completely untrue and
diverts attention from the real issues.
Halbritter has taken away our benefits while denying us, at risk of arrest,
access to our Oneida facilities including the longhouse. He has punished Oneidas
for speaking to the press, enacted ordinances which are unknown to residents
and passed laws which he can change on a whim.
Recently, the “Men’s Council” stepped up the pressure on Oneidas
by creating an Oneida Nation Court over which Halbritter has veto powers. Halbritter
and the “Men’s Council” are expressly exempt from any of the
court’s decisions. To back up this court, Halbritter created one of the
largest “Indian” police agencies in the US, now estimated to consist
of over 50 officers, not one of whom is Native or has any training in Iroquois
laws or customs.
Sometime in the year 2000 the “Men’s Council” enacted a housing
code which they maintain was designed to improve the living conditions of our
people. Yet we, the traditional Oneidas, did not qualify for the proposed homes
since our membership was suspended. We suspect the housing plans are a way to
remove us from our homes on the only undisputed land retained by the Oneidas:
the 32 acres south of the city of Oneida.
On November 16, 2001, the situation came to a head when my sister Danielle Shenandoah-Patterson,
a single mother of three children, was assaulted by the “Oneida Nation
Police” at the entrance to her residence because she refused them entry
to conduct an “inspection” she felt was but a thin excuse to bulldoze
her home. Of the 22 families who were living on the 32-acre territory in the
spring of 2000, most had agreed to inspections and every home entered by the
ONP was condemned and subsequently destroyed.
By the fall of 2001 only seven families remained. When we tried using our own
resources to improve our homes we were threatened with arrest by the Oneida
Nation Police for violation of ordinances unknown to us. And when Ms. Patterson
secured outside help for a new furnace, access to the Territory by the heating
installers and Madison County social services was denied by Art Pierce, Commissioner
of Public Safety, personally answerable to Halbritter.
Ms. Patterson suffered serious bruises and emotional trauma as the result of
the ONP actions which took place a couple of hours after she had left a session
of the Confederacy at Onondaga during which she had once again pleaded for help
on behalf of the Oneidas.
Ms. Patterson’s home has since been condemned by the Oneida Nation Police,
as we anticipated, despite the structure having met regional housing codes.
As of January, 2002 the Onyota’a:ka have organized a series of social events
to raise awareness and support . We know our struggle is far more than a simple
family dispute but involves every right and freedom held sacred to all Haudenosaunee.
We are opposed to trading our ancestral lands for casino compacts, we want traditional
leadership, and seek a return to our ancestral democratic heritage.
That is what the Onyota’a:ka are holding on for. Anyone who dismisses the
situation as a “family” matter not only belittles the suffering of
the Oneidas but demonstrates contempt for the decisions of the Grand Council
itself.
What the Onyota’a:ka are to all Haudenosaunee is a conscience, an opportunity
to do what is good and right. For those who cannot rouse themselves to action
when the issues are so crystal clear, this is the time to step aside and let
the courageous ones restore freedom to the People of the Standing Stone.
Diane Shenandoah, Faithkeeper Wolfclan, Oneida Nation, is the daughter of
Maisie Shenandoah, Oneida Wolf clanmother. Her address is: Box 450, Oneida Indian
Territory, Oneida, NY 13421 or call 315-363-6248. For more information, see
the website: www.oneidasfordemocracy.com.