Mohawk Mothers talk about 'rematriation' of the land at Concordia University's 4th space

In a panel discussion, women of the Mohawk Nation talk about 'rematriation' at Concordia’s 4th Space; that is the role of women as life-givers and caretakers of the Earth.  Many Indigenous people consider the Earth to be their mother.

For decades, the Canadian government has been involved in the process of removing Indigenous people from their land and removing children from their families - separating them from their culture and their language. Though some progress has been made in acknowledging that, many, if not all Canadian institutions reside on unceded territory. Mohawk Mothers believe there is still more work to be done when it comes to the act of truth-telling - raising awareness of the damage that has been done to Indigenous communities though colonial policies and practices, and of land that has been and continues to be dispossessed. In the Mohawk language, Canada means “squatter.”

At the end of the talk, audience members were invited to share thoughts and ask questions. Two people in the audience wanted to know what they could do as descendants of settlers, as Quebecois people, to help with restoring the natural world. Kahentinetha of Mohawk Mothers responded, “Live according to our ways.” She explained that means being able to feel your relationship to the Earth and its relationship to you. It also means living in harmony with the Earth and its inhabitants, in a way that doesn't interfere in the natural order of things (i.e. less concrete, more listening).     

This program was covered by CUTV.