All language subtitles for Rocks.At.Whiskey.Trench.2000.1080p.BluRay.x264.AAC-[YTS.MX].eng

af Afrikaans
ak Akan
sq Albanian
am Amharic
ar Arabic
hy Armenian
az Azerbaijani
eu Basque
be Belarusian
bem Bemba
bn Bengali
bh Bihari
bs Bosnian
br Breton
bg Bulgarian
km Cambodian
ca Catalan
chr Cherokee
ny Chichewa
zh-CN Chinese (Simplified)
zh-TW Chinese (Traditional)
co Corsican
hr Croatian
cs Czech
da Danish
nl Dutch
en English
eo Esperanto
et Estonian
ee Ewe
fo Faroese
tl Filipino
fi Finnish
fr French
fy Frisian
gaa Ga
gl Galician
ka Georgian
de German
el Greek
gn Guarani
gu Gujarati
ht Haitian Creole
ha Hausa
haw Hawaiian
iw Hebrew
hi Hindi
hu Hungarian
is Icelandic
ig Igbo
id Indonesian
ia Interlingua
ga Irish
it Italian
ja Japanese
jw Javanese
kn Kannada
kk Kazakh
rw Kinyarwanda
rn Kirundi
kg Kongo
ko Korean
kri Krio (Sierra Leone)
ku Kurdish
ckb Kurdish (Soranî)
ky Kyrgyz
lo Laothian
la Latin
lv Latvian
ln Lingala
lt Lithuanian
loz Lozi
lg Luganda
ach Luo
mk Macedonian
mg Malagasy
ms Malay
ml Malayalam
mt Maltese
mi Maori
mr Marathi
mfe Mauritian Creole
mo Moldavian
mn Mongolian
sr-ME Montenegrin
ne Nepali
pcm Nigerian Pidgin
nso Northern Sotho
no Norwegian
nn Norwegian (Nynorsk)
oc Occitan
or Oriya
om Oromo
ps Pashto
fa Persian
pl Polish
pt-BR Portuguese (Brazil)
pt-PT Portuguese (Portugal)
pa Punjabi
qu Quechua
ro Romanian
rm Romansh
nyn Runyakitara
ru Russian
gd Scots Gaelic
sr Serbian
sh Serbo-Croatian
st Sesotho
tn Setswana
crs Seychellois Creole
sn Shona
sd Sindhi
si Sinhalese
sk Slovak
sl Slovenian
so Somali
es Spanish
es-419 Spanish (Latin American)
su Sundanese
sw Swahili
sv Swedish
tg Tajik
ta Tamil
tt Tatar
te Telugu
th Thai
ti Tigrinya
to Tonga
lua Tshiluba
tum Tumbuka
tr Turkish
tk Turkmen
tw Twi
ug Uighur
uk Ukrainian
ur Urdu
uz Uzbek
vi Vietnamese
cy Welsh
wo Wolof
xh Xhosa
yi Yiddish
yo Yoruba
zu Zulu
Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 3 00:00:09,051 --> 00:00:10,636 - This is the true side 4 00:00:10,636 --> 00:00:14,015 of what's happened to this community, and... 5 00:00:15,558 --> 00:00:17,476 we're all a living testament. 6 00:00:17,476 --> 00:00:20,604 We are here, and we are going to tell the story 7 00:00:20,604 --> 00:00:22,023 for everyone to hear. 8 00:00:24,150 --> 00:00:28,029 - To me, it's one of the darkest days for myself... 9 00:00:28,029 --> 00:00:30,281 to the whole crisis of 1990. 10 00:00:30,281 --> 00:00:31,407 It was a terrible day. 11 00:00:34,452 --> 00:00:36,412 - Nobody ever expected that to happen. 12 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:39,582 - Here we are, cars all busted. 13 00:00:40,541 --> 00:00:42,084 I'm full of blood, 14 00:00:42,084 --> 00:00:46,422 my daughter's full of blood, and I'm carrying my daughter. 15 00:00:48,299 --> 00:00:51,343 (blues guitar) 16 00:00:54,847 --> 00:00:57,349 - I don't know what I would do if it happens again 17 00:00:59,101 --> 00:01:00,603 to one of my family. 18 00:01:03,731 --> 00:01:05,941 But I'm scared that I think it's going 19 00:01:05,941 --> 00:01:07,777 to happen again to me. 20 00:01:09,653 --> 00:01:12,698 (blues guitar) 21 00:01:15,326 --> 00:01:19,205 - The Canadian Government, they have troops... 22 00:01:19,205 --> 00:01:22,041 the strength comes from our spirituality. 23 00:01:23,292 --> 00:01:24,460 As Onkwehonwe people, 24 00:01:24,460 --> 00:01:27,296 we only have each other to help each other. 25 00:01:27,296 --> 00:01:28,839 That's what gives us the power. 26 00:01:31,592 --> 00:01:34,804 - This is CKRK 103.7 FM in Kahnawake. 27 00:01:37,932 --> 00:01:42,937 (gentle music) (singing in Mohawk) 28 00:02:14,176 --> 00:02:17,263 (blues guitar) 29 00:02:23,310 --> 00:02:25,813 - When a person asks me where I'm from, I'll say Kahnawake, 30 00:02:25,813 --> 00:02:27,690 and they'll be like, "Where's that?" 31 00:02:28,566 --> 00:02:31,944 It's like they don't know where we are. 32 00:02:31,944 --> 00:02:33,571 We're not recognized. 33 00:02:34,446 --> 00:02:37,449 (blues guitar) 34 00:02:38,951 --> 00:02:42,037 If you say, "Oh well, it's just outside of Montreal," 35 00:02:42,037 --> 00:02:44,331 they'll go, "Oh, oh, okay." Yeah. 36 00:02:46,834 --> 00:02:49,211 - (filmmaker) Do you think it's a beautiful place here? 37 00:02:49,211 --> 00:02:53,340 - Yeah. I do find it a very beautiful place in Kahnawake. 38 00:02:53,340 --> 00:02:56,427 (blues guitar) 39 00:03:03,475 --> 00:03:06,812 - I sincerely love this community. I love the people in it. 40 00:03:06,812 --> 00:03:08,355 I have a son who's growing up here, 41 00:03:08,355 --> 00:03:11,984 so my interests are for the next generations, 42 00:03:11,984 --> 00:03:14,737 and that's who I feel is being targeted 43 00:03:14,737 --> 00:03:16,447 for full assimilation, 44 00:03:16,447 --> 00:03:18,866 and I will try my hardest to prevent that 45 00:03:18,866 --> 00:03:22,369 and to remain and keep our identity as a distinct people. 46 00:03:24,246 --> 00:03:26,874 (gentle music) 47 00:03:37,259 --> 00:03:39,011 - [filmmaker] In 1716, 48 00:03:39,011 --> 00:03:42,223 groups of Iroquois moved to the Seigneury 49 00:03:42,223 --> 00:03:43,599 of Sault St-Louis 50 00:03:43,599 --> 00:03:46,769 located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River 51 00:03:47,770 --> 00:03:49,605 facing the Lachine Rapids. 52 00:03:51,398 --> 00:03:53,525 They named it Kahnawake. 53 00:03:55,152 --> 00:03:57,905 This Seigneury was granted to the Jesuits 54 00:03:57,905 --> 00:04:00,658 specifically for the settlement of the Iroquois. 55 00:04:04,411 --> 00:04:08,874 The French court believed the Jesuits would gain the loyalty 56 00:04:08,874 --> 00:04:11,752 of the Iroquois once they were converted. 57 00:04:14,755 --> 00:04:18,467 The Seigneury is approximately 65 square miles 58 00:04:18,467 --> 00:04:19,969 from Laprairie to Chateauguay. 59 00:04:21,011 --> 00:04:25,391 The Jesuits assumed the group of Mohawks who settled there 60 00:04:25,391 --> 00:04:28,894 had been totally converted to the Catholic religion, 61 00:04:28,894 --> 00:04:33,023 but the people had not given up their Longhouse traditions. 62 00:04:33,023 --> 00:04:36,110 They continued to be part of a clan system 63 00:04:36,110 --> 00:04:38,779 consisting of three clans: 64 00:04:38,779 --> 00:04:41,740 Wolf / pathfinders, 65 00:04:41,740 --> 00:04:45,536 Bear / keepers of medicine, 66 00:04:46,745 --> 00:04:48,914 Turtle / wisdom. 67 00:04:51,875 --> 00:04:53,043 Over the years, 68 00:04:53,043 --> 00:04:56,380 many concessions of Sault St-Louis Seigneury lands 69 00:04:56,380 --> 00:04:58,048 were made by the Jesuits 70 00:04:58,048 --> 00:05:00,759 for the benefit of French Canadian settlers. 71 00:05:02,303 --> 00:05:06,181 Approximately 45 square miles of land were taken. 72 00:05:07,641 --> 00:05:10,394 The remainder of the land of the Seigneury 73 00:05:10,394 --> 00:05:13,022 is 19 and a half square miles. 74 00:05:15,441 --> 00:05:18,068 - The lands we're claiming... we're not going to turn around 75 00:05:18,068 --> 00:05:20,195 and move anybody. 76 00:05:20,195 --> 00:05:25,200 Our reserves consist of 12,532 acres. 77 00:05:25,367 --> 00:05:28,329 We're going to argue with the Provincial Government 78 00:05:28,329 --> 00:05:30,706 and the Federal Government 79 00:05:30,706 --> 00:05:34,668 to pay some kind of compensation for the loss of the lands, 80 00:05:34,668 --> 00:05:37,963 so that's 45 and a half square miles 81 00:05:37,963 --> 00:05:39,423 that we got to go dig up 82 00:05:39,423 --> 00:05:41,342 and say, "Hey, this belongs to us." 83 00:05:42,301 --> 00:05:44,678 - From the air, you can see the results 84 00:05:44,678 --> 00:05:48,474 of further erosion of the Mohawk territory. 85 00:05:48,474 --> 00:05:51,310 Every day, about 65,000 cars 86 00:05:51,310 --> 00:05:52,936 cross over their reserve. 87 00:05:54,229 --> 00:05:57,232 Trains pass through and the seaway traffic 88 00:05:57,232 --> 00:05:59,318 is on and off all day long. 89 00:06:01,862 --> 00:06:05,616 In 1990, the Mohawks of Kanehsatake, 90 00:06:05,616 --> 00:06:10,245 70 kilometers west of Montreal by Lake of Two Mountains, 91 00:06:10,245 --> 00:06:14,249 made a stand to stop the destruction of a sacred area 92 00:06:14,249 --> 00:06:16,377 known as The Pines. 93 00:06:16,377 --> 00:06:20,089 Developers wanted to bulldoze it so that they could build 94 00:06:20,089 --> 00:06:23,133 condominiums and enlarge a golf course. 95 00:06:24,343 --> 00:06:27,012 (ominous music) 96 00:06:30,265 --> 00:06:31,850 - We're tired of getting pushed around. 97 00:06:31,850 --> 00:06:34,520 What's all out there belongs to us to begin with. 98 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:36,980 What gives them the right to say that's theirs? 99 00:06:36,980 --> 00:06:39,858 Plus, it all started over a nine-hole golf course. 100 00:06:40,859 --> 00:06:42,236 Our people are buried there. 101 00:06:45,364 --> 00:06:48,409 - This was a turning point for the Mohawk people. 102 00:06:48,409 --> 00:06:50,244 No more land taking. 103 00:06:51,995 --> 00:06:55,791 1,000 police officers were sent to Kanehsatake. 104 00:06:55,791 --> 00:06:58,168 This was done instead of politicians 105 00:06:58,168 --> 00:07:01,296 taking responsibility for land issues. 106 00:07:02,423 --> 00:07:06,176 In support of their brothers and sisters in Kanehsatake, 107 00:07:06,176 --> 00:07:09,263 the Mohawks of Kahnawake blocked the Mercier Bridge 108 00:07:09,263 --> 00:07:11,306 and all entrances to their reserve. 109 00:07:14,309 --> 00:07:16,770 The commuters who normally use the bridge 110 00:07:16,770 --> 00:07:19,314 would have to take long detours. 111 00:07:24,153 --> 00:07:28,532 Trenches, barricades, and many other obstacles were created 112 00:07:28,532 --> 00:07:30,909 to block access to the community. 113 00:07:32,161 --> 00:07:36,039 Warriors from several nations had come to give their support 114 00:07:36,039 --> 00:07:38,167 and their lives, if necessary. 115 00:07:39,835 --> 00:07:43,046 - My role was... cooking 116 00:07:44,173 --> 00:07:48,719 and feeding the men that were at the blockade. 117 00:07:48,719 --> 00:07:53,432 I think we cooked for 100, 125 men per day, 118 00:07:53,432 --> 00:07:55,225 three meals a day, 119 00:07:55,225 --> 00:07:59,480 and we were getting our food from Chateauguay. 120 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:03,817 Just one night, I think we made 35 pots of coffee. 121 00:08:03,817 --> 00:08:07,237 Oh, we had different shifts we were on. 122 00:08:07,237 --> 00:08:11,992 I was there all the time, and I used to sleep on the floor. 123 00:08:11,992 --> 00:08:14,495 - There was a lot of young people here, 124 00:08:14,495 --> 00:08:16,330 where they needed milk and stuff like that, 125 00:08:16,330 --> 00:08:19,750 and yet these people on the other side said, "No." 126 00:08:19,750 --> 00:08:22,252 I mean, there's a lot of secret ways people came in 127 00:08:22,252 --> 00:08:25,881 to deliver other things that we needed. 128 00:08:25,881 --> 00:08:30,594 - They were bringing it through the woods, at night, hiding. 129 00:08:30,594 --> 00:08:33,305 - There was a safe house where some of our people could go 130 00:08:33,305 --> 00:08:37,059 to be taken care of if they got caught on the outside, 131 00:08:37,059 --> 00:08:39,186 you know, trying to get out and get food. 132 00:08:39,186 --> 00:08:42,564 They were keeping an eye out for patrol. 133 00:08:42,564 --> 00:08:46,068 They were letting our people know when it was safe to come. 134 00:08:46,068 --> 00:08:49,196 I know even some people who were running through the bushes 135 00:08:49,196 --> 00:08:51,198 to bring medical supplies and food, 136 00:08:51,198 --> 00:08:55,077 who were beaten, attacked, harassed. 137 00:08:55,077 --> 00:08:58,413 They had phone calls. They were calling them "Indian Lovers." 138 00:09:00,582 --> 00:09:03,210 - Towards the end, there was trucks that came in. 139 00:09:03,210 --> 00:09:05,087 Everybody got together 140 00:09:05,087 --> 00:09:08,173 to help feed one another. 141 00:09:13,095 --> 00:09:14,972 We all had to go and, you know, 142 00:09:14,972 --> 00:09:16,848 every morning at the Kateri Hall, 143 00:09:16,848 --> 00:09:19,851 and you were only allowed maybe half a loaf of bread 144 00:09:19,851 --> 00:09:21,562 and maybe six eggs. 145 00:09:23,105 --> 00:09:24,189 It was difficult. 146 00:09:25,107 --> 00:09:26,483 Everybody was kind of close 147 00:09:26,483 --> 00:09:29,194 and pitching in and doing their share. 148 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:31,738 - They wanted to starve the Indians out, 149 00:09:31,738 --> 00:09:32,990 but they couldn't do it. 150 00:09:33,865 --> 00:09:36,326 We survived and we survived this one, too. 151 00:09:42,624 --> 00:09:44,501 - We tried to convince the Government 152 00:09:44,501 --> 00:09:47,462 that these people had to be fed, one way or the other. 153 00:09:47,462 --> 00:09:49,840 How? It was up to them to decide. 154 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:53,468 Was it through special trucks being controlled 155 00:09:53,468 --> 00:09:56,013 to avoid any kind of arms 156 00:09:56,013 --> 00:09:58,890 or all kinds of things being smuggled around 157 00:09:58,890 --> 00:10:00,475 to support the families over there. 158 00:10:00,475 --> 00:10:02,769 I mean, we were not in war. 159 00:10:04,479 --> 00:10:08,025 (blues guitar) 160 00:10:08,025 --> 00:10:10,902 I think the population felt bad about them. 161 00:10:10,902 --> 00:10:12,404 They were not pleased 162 00:10:12,404 --> 00:10:15,532 with these people behind the barricades. 163 00:10:15,532 --> 00:10:18,285 It created a larger effect 164 00:10:18,285 --> 00:10:22,039 when the population was behind this whole issue 165 00:10:22,039 --> 00:10:23,874 because of the land claims, 166 00:10:23,874 --> 00:10:26,501 but I don't know if the whites understood that. 167 00:10:29,504 --> 00:10:33,508 - We point out that there are three preconditions 168 00:10:33,508 --> 00:10:36,678 that the Government of Canada, Quebec 169 00:10:36,678 --> 00:10:38,889 have acknowledged and signed. 170 00:10:38,889 --> 00:10:39,931 People will be allowed to come and go 171 00:10:39,931 --> 00:10:42,684 and that food and medical supplies be allowed to come 172 00:10:42,684 --> 00:10:45,562 into our community. Those things have not been met. 173 00:10:45,562 --> 00:10:48,065 We feel that the Quebec Government... 174 00:10:48,065 --> 00:10:51,318 the Federal Government has not respected that agreement. 175 00:10:51,318 --> 00:10:53,945 They have not done anything to ensure 176 00:10:54,905 --> 00:10:58,075 that the supplies enter our communities, 177 00:10:58,075 --> 00:10:59,951 both here and in Kanehsatake. 178 00:11:19,971 --> 00:11:23,600 - (filmmaker) Another precondition was not respected. 179 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:27,938 By August 27th, the premier of the province of Quebec, 180 00:11:27,938 --> 00:11:31,858 Robert Bourassa, asked the international observers to leave. 181 00:11:33,485 --> 00:11:36,738 The representative of the United Church of Canada 182 00:11:36,738 --> 00:11:38,865 and Quebec Human Rights Commission 183 00:11:38,865 --> 00:11:40,992 took the initiative to replace them. 184 00:11:41,993 --> 00:11:43,870 - The police allowed the mob to prevent me 185 00:11:43,870 --> 00:11:46,081 from bringing that food in. 186 00:12:04,891 --> 00:12:06,643 - We were not pleased politically. 187 00:12:06,810 --> 00:12:08,603 We were not pleased as far as the citizens 188 00:12:08,603 --> 00:12:10,397 of Chateauguay were concerned. 189 00:12:10,397 --> 00:12:13,024 Here in Chateauguay, we were the ones 190 00:12:13,024 --> 00:12:16,027 that were kind of hostages of the situation. 191 00:12:16,027 --> 00:12:18,405 - It wasn't like the average person 192 00:12:18,405 --> 00:12:22,659 who would be at the barricades nightly, 193 00:12:22,659 --> 00:12:24,536 burning the effigies and... 194 00:12:24,536 --> 00:12:26,747 you know, calling for... 195 00:12:27,664 --> 00:12:28,999 for the army to come in. 196 00:12:28,999 --> 00:12:31,251 Instead of taking a more calm approach and saying, 197 00:12:31,251 --> 00:12:33,128 "Look, we'll sit down and we'll try 198 00:12:33,128 --> 00:12:35,046 to work this situation out," 199 00:12:35,046 --> 00:12:40,552 the mayor very quickly reacted to take a radical position. 200 00:12:41,428 --> 00:12:45,807 Some of the merchants called for, you know, 201 00:12:45,807 --> 00:12:50,562 severe action to be taken, without thinking of how, 202 00:12:50,562 --> 00:12:53,273 in some instances, Kahnawake had supported them to become 203 00:12:53,273 --> 00:12:54,816 what they were, 204 00:12:54,816 --> 00:12:56,443 and that was a betrayal. 205 00:12:58,445 --> 00:13:00,572 - (filmmaker) The Chateauguay commuters were enraged 206 00:13:00,572 --> 00:13:02,574 because the Mercier Bridge was blocked. 207 00:13:04,075 --> 00:13:06,453 They gathered at the police barricades 208 00:13:06,453 --> 00:13:09,790 in the thousands and rioted for hours, 209 00:13:09,790 --> 00:13:10,832 day and night. 210 00:13:12,459 --> 00:13:15,587 (blues guitar) 211 00:13:17,672 --> 00:13:20,050 The local businesses were losing customers 212 00:13:20,050 --> 00:13:21,593 and millions of dollars. 213 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:28,225 The population in Kahnawake is over 7,500 people, 214 00:13:28,225 --> 00:13:31,853 and most of them did all their business in Chateauguay. 215 00:13:37,442 --> 00:13:38,985 - All these incidents with our people, 216 00:13:38,985 --> 00:13:40,445 with all the riots that have gone on... 217 00:13:40,445 --> 00:13:42,239 the yelling and the screaming has all been incited 218 00:13:42,239 --> 00:13:44,741 by the bad press, by the Federal 219 00:13:44,741 --> 00:13:46,493 and Provincial Government and the terrible things 220 00:13:46,493 --> 00:13:48,703 they've said about the people of Kahnawake 221 00:13:48,703 --> 00:13:50,831 and Kanehsatake and Mohawks people in general, 222 00:13:50,831 --> 00:13:51,873 terrorism and everything else. 223 00:13:52,249 --> 00:13:54,251 - What the people in Chateauguay should realize 224 00:13:54,251 --> 00:13:59,256 is that Mohawks and Indians of Canada, United States, 225 00:14:00,215 --> 00:14:03,343 have been inconvenienced for hundreds of years. 226 00:14:04,344 --> 00:14:06,388 We are not trying to take their armored personnel carriers. 227 00:14:06,388 --> 00:14:07,764 We're not trying to take their country. 228 00:14:07,764 --> 00:14:09,349 They're trying to take our country. 229 00:14:09,349 --> 00:14:11,393 They've already taken all of our country. 230 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:15,397 We are here. We're going to stay here. 231 00:14:17,023 --> 00:14:20,527 - And if you see those armored personnel carriers 232 00:14:20,527 --> 00:14:23,530 rolling in your direction, what are you gonna do? 233 00:14:25,532 --> 00:14:27,033 - I'll try not to get run over. 234 00:14:29,911 --> 00:14:31,663 - Lots of rumors were flying around 235 00:14:31,663 --> 00:14:35,041 that the possibility of the army coming into Kahnawake 236 00:14:35,041 --> 00:14:37,252 and people are getting very frightened. 237 00:14:37,252 --> 00:14:39,546 Politically, there wasn't very much that we could do 238 00:14:39,546 --> 00:14:42,674 because of the fact that our leaders were trying 239 00:14:42,674 --> 00:14:45,510 to negotiate a settlement with the Quebec Government, 240 00:14:45,510 --> 00:14:47,429 and at the time, the army was already here, 241 00:14:47,429 --> 00:14:49,806 but they were on the outskirts of the community. 242 00:14:53,310 --> 00:14:56,062 - Any place they put a man, you face him with a man. 243 00:14:56,062 --> 00:14:56,897 - Right. 244 00:14:56,897 --> 00:14:57,689 - Right? - Ten four. 245 00:14:57,689 --> 00:15:00,400 - No big deal. You don't have to sit up and stand up 246 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:01,902 and be at attention and all this shit. 247 00:15:02,068 --> 00:15:03,695 You relax. Let them stand. 248 00:15:04,571 --> 00:15:07,699 (subdued music) 249 00:15:09,659 --> 00:15:11,703 - (filmmaker) Barely 20 years after 250 00:15:11,703 --> 00:15:13,079 the foundation of Montreal, 251 00:15:14,581 --> 00:15:19,586 on March 26, 1665, in reference to the Iroquois, 252 00:15:20,420 --> 00:15:23,048 King Louis the XIV wrote a message 253 00:15:23,048 --> 00:15:26,843 to his intendant Jean Talon stating... 254 00:15:26,843 --> 00:15:30,347 - "To wage war, to pursue them into their homes 255 00:15:30,347 --> 00:15:34,100 if necessary, in order to exterminate them completely." 256 00:15:35,852 --> 00:15:39,606 - The following year, Remy de Courcelles and 1,500 men 257 00:15:39,606 --> 00:15:44,110 invaded four of the Iroquois villages, burning everything, 258 00:15:44,110 --> 00:15:47,489 destroying the food, and confiscating the land 259 00:15:47,489 --> 00:15:49,199 in the name of the French king. 260 00:15:51,326 --> 00:15:54,120 The Iroquois were dispossessed of their territory 261 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,582 in Montreal and the St. Lawrence River area, 262 00:15:57,582 --> 00:16:00,126 but their fighting spirit never died. 263 00:16:02,003 --> 00:16:04,714 - Many of our forefathers and our ancestors 264 00:16:04,714 --> 00:16:08,510 have died for the same thing, for the same cause. 265 00:16:08,510 --> 00:16:10,887 We're here in protection of our people 266 00:16:10,887 --> 00:16:11,888 and our land. 267 00:16:13,098 --> 00:16:13,974 Look at us. 268 00:16:14,891 --> 00:16:18,478 Should we die because of a nine-hole golf course? 269 00:16:19,604 --> 00:16:22,357 (urgent music) 270 00:16:29,906 --> 00:16:32,659 - [filmmaker] The army was preparing to enter Kahnawake 271 00:16:32,659 --> 00:16:34,619 and advance on Kanehsatake. 272 00:16:38,039 --> 00:16:40,166 The leaders made plans to evacuate 273 00:16:40,166 --> 00:16:41,918 the children and the elderly. 274 00:16:45,171 --> 00:16:47,757 They feared a shoot-out between the army 275 00:16:47,757 --> 00:16:50,552 and the people resisting a search of their homes. 276 00:16:51,553 --> 00:16:54,681 - My sister works at the hospital, and she called. 277 00:16:54,681 --> 00:16:57,017 She asked me if I was going to go, and I said, "No." 278 00:16:57,017 --> 00:16:58,768 She said the hospital was getting ready, 279 00:16:58,768 --> 00:17:00,061 and they were making sections. 280 00:17:00,061 --> 00:17:02,313 If there was fighting, those that would be hurt 281 00:17:02,313 --> 00:17:03,815 and those that would be dead. 282 00:17:03,815 --> 00:17:05,150 And she said, "Do you really want 283 00:17:05,150 --> 00:17:06,609 your children to see that, Yvonne?" 284 00:17:06,609 --> 00:17:11,406 She said, "If you can leave and not let them see it and..." 285 00:17:11,406 --> 00:17:13,408 she more or less talked me into it. 286 00:17:13,408 --> 00:17:17,495 - I was in contact with our council members, 287 00:17:17,495 --> 00:17:20,915 and I cautioned them about declaring an emergency situation 288 00:17:20,915 --> 00:17:22,625 in the community 289 00:17:22,625 --> 00:17:25,003 because the civil authorities lose complete control, 290 00:17:25,003 --> 00:17:27,297 and that leaves the door open to the province 291 00:17:27,297 --> 00:17:28,256 and the Federal Government, 292 00:17:28,256 --> 00:17:31,051 the army and the police forces to come in. 293 00:17:33,261 --> 00:17:35,638 - It was decided that the Mercier Bridge 294 00:17:35,638 --> 00:17:36,556 would be the best place 295 00:17:36,556 --> 00:17:39,184 because there were little or no people there. 296 00:17:39,184 --> 00:17:42,062 One of the key parts was that our Peacekeepers would lead 297 00:17:42,062 --> 00:17:44,939 the entourage across the bridge. 298 00:17:44,939 --> 00:17:48,151 They would be helped through to get off the Mercier Bridge 299 00:17:48,151 --> 00:17:49,194 through the Whiskey Trench 300 00:17:49,194 --> 00:17:52,155 and on to wherever they needed to go. 301 00:17:53,823 --> 00:17:56,951 - The older people were really worried about the... 302 00:17:56,951 --> 00:17:59,537 ...everybody else that would be left here 303 00:17:59,537 --> 00:18:00,789 within the community. 304 00:18:03,416 --> 00:18:05,710 They were really concerned that the army 305 00:18:05,710 --> 00:18:06,544 was gonna come in. 306 00:18:06,544 --> 00:18:08,838 There was going to be shots fired. There was... 307 00:18:09,964 --> 00:18:12,050 they came back. There would probably be... 308 00:18:13,301 --> 00:18:16,846 hardly anything left within the community itself 309 00:18:16,846 --> 00:18:18,598 if there was a fight. 310 00:18:41,746 --> 00:18:43,998 (group cheers) 311 00:18:44,582 --> 00:18:47,377 - My husband was traveling back and forth to work. 312 00:18:47,377 --> 00:18:48,711 We had a boat at the time, 313 00:18:48,711 --> 00:18:52,006 and he'd bring back bread and milk and eggs 314 00:18:52,006 --> 00:18:54,092 and whatever anybody needed. 315 00:18:54,092 --> 00:18:56,094 And he'd shop for everybody and then at night, 316 00:18:56,094 --> 00:18:58,638 we would distribute it, you know, to our neighbors 317 00:18:58,638 --> 00:19:01,099 or our family or whoever needed anything. 318 00:19:01,099 --> 00:19:02,892 One morning, he went to work 319 00:19:02,892 --> 00:19:05,520 and he went to dock his boat. 320 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:06,855 There was a crowd there, and they start 321 00:19:06,855 --> 00:19:09,023 throwing stones at him. 322 00:19:10,150 --> 00:19:12,527 - (filmmaker) When the Mohawks would leave the reserve, 323 00:19:12,527 --> 00:19:15,155 they would be humiliated 324 00:19:15,155 --> 00:19:19,033 and every attempt was made to rob them of their dignity. 325 00:19:51,441 --> 00:19:54,194 (dramatic music) 326 00:20:04,954 --> 00:20:07,332 - [filmmaker] Anyone having a medical emergency 327 00:20:07,332 --> 00:20:09,709 was in for a lot of trouble, 328 00:20:09,709 --> 00:20:12,712 whenever an ambulance had to cross the Mercier Bridge. 329 00:20:16,090 --> 00:20:17,467 - I don't deal in Chateauguay 330 00:20:18,343 --> 00:20:20,845 because of the way they treated my son. 331 00:20:20,845 --> 00:20:22,722 There was a little boy about 12 years old 332 00:20:22,722 --> 00:20:24,182 that broke his leg, 333 00:20:24,182 --> 00:20:26,851 and the paramedics went to the hospital 334 00:20:26,851 --> 00:20:28,561 in Chateauguay and when they... 335 00:20:28,561 --> 00:20:33,066 they had to go through a police barrier in Chateauguay. 336 00:20:33,066 --> 00:20:35,109 Here comes about 15 men. 337 00:20:35,109 --> 00:20:38,321 They're trying to tip over the ambulance. 338 00:20:38,321 --> 00:20:39,113 Now why? 339 00:20:40,865 --> 00:20:42,992 And my son was in the ambulance. 340 00:20:44,244 --> 00:20:46,371 - Some hoodlums here, they was yelling, 341 00:20:46,371 --> 00:20:48,206 "Let them die! Let them die!" 342 00:20:48,206 --> 00:20:50,875 Is this human being? 343 00:20:50,875 --> 00:20:52,627 I was in the war six years. 344 00:20:52,627 --> 00:20:56,589 We respected the Red Cross all over the world. 345 00:20:56,589 --> 00:21:00,385 But people, they sent ambulances, not the Red Cross. 346 00:21:00,385 --> 00:21:01,594 What is ambulance then? 347 00:21:01,594 --> 00:21:05,348 - Some police were just like this. They didn't do nothing. 348 00:21:05,348 --> 00:21:07,267 But some turn around, and they're thinking of 349 00:21:07,267 --> 00:21:09,143 what is right and what is wrong, 350 00:21:09,143 --> 00:21:11,896 and they say, "Hey, it's an ambulance. Let them go." 351 00:21:11,896 --> 00:21:14,649 (sirens) 352 00:21:15,858 --> 00:21:18,403 - I started my contractions about three... 353 00:21:18,403 --> 00:21:19,737 three in the morning, 354 00:21:20,905 --> 00:21:23,408 and when she came out, I felt a rip. 355 00:21:23,408 --> 00:21:26,995 At the same time, she tried to pull on the placenta 356 00:21:26,995 --> 00:21:29,872 for it to come out, and it wouldn't come out, 357 00:21:29,872 --> 00:21:31,165 so they called the ambulance. 358 00:21:31,165 --> 00:21:35,128 The ambulance had gotten there at about maybe six o'clock. 359 00:21:35,128 --> 00:21:38,548 We got over the bridge to the other side and... 360 00:21:39,507 --> 00:21:42,552 once we got there, the other ambulance was... 361 00:21:42,552 --> 00:21:44,178 like a few ways down the road. 362 00:21:45,805 --> 00:21:48,057 So they got their stretcher out and they came up 363 00:21:48,057 --> 00:21:49,892 and they met us and they put me on it 364 00:21:49,892 --> 00:21:53,062 and they said that my husband wasn't allowed to come. 365 00:21:53,062 --> 00:21:56,441 They asked if one of the paramedics from our ambulance 366 00:21:56,441 --> 00:21:57,942 go over with me and they said, 367 00:21:57,942 --> 00:21:59,527 "No, she can't go with you." 368 00:22:00,403 --> 00:22:02,655 We went maybe not even like a foot... 369 00:22:04,449 --> 00:22:06,200 and they had pulled us over. 370 00:22:07,952 --> 00:22:10,288 All I know was the ambulance driver 371 00:22:10,288 --> 00:22:13,207 had gotten out of the car, out of the ambulance. 372 00:22:13,207 --> 00:22:14,167 He opened the door, 373 00:22:14,167 --> 00:22:16,461 and there was these two men standing there. 374 00:22:16,461 --> 00:22:19,797 They just looked at me and they said, "Okay," 375 00:22:19,797 --> 00:22:21,215 then they closed the door. 376 00:22:22,467 --> 00:22:25,928 And then they... we started to go again 377 00:22:25,928 --> 00:22:28,598 and then two minutes after, it was like... 378 00:22:28,765 --> 00:22:31,726 we got out of the car again. We opened the thing. 379 00:22:31,726 --> 00:22:34,312 Now this man has to see. 380 00:22:34,312 --> 00:22:35,980 So that was three men now that have to see. 381 00:22:36,147 --> 00:22:39,108 We closed the door. We got ready to pull out again. 382 00:22:39,108 --> 00:22:40,985 It didn't happen. We got back out. 383 00:22:41,819 --> 00:22:43,363 He had to open the doors back. 384 00:22:43,363 --> 00:22:44,947 Once he had to open the door back, 385 00:22:44,947 --> 00:22:46,115 there was four standing there. 386 00:22:46,115 --> 00:22:48,993 There was three men and one woman. 387 00:22:48,993 --> 00:22:52,080 They just want to see because they think that maybe 388 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:54,957 I have a firearm or something. 389 00:22:55,833 --> 00:22:57,877 At nine o'clock, we got to the hospital. 390 00:22:57,877 --> 00:22:59,629 I think they were saying that it was one third 391 00:22:59,629 --> 00:23:01,255 of my blood that I had lost. 392 00:23:04,342 --> 00:23:06,636 - [filmmaker] The army received orders to move in 393 00:23:06,636 --> 00:23:08,763 on Kanehsatake and Kahnawake. 394 00:23:10,139 --> 00:23:12,350 Because of the army's advance, 395 00:23:12,350 --> 00:23:15,895 Kahnawake decided to apply their evacuation plan. 396 00:23:16,771 --> 00:23:17,647 - I don't know. They were supposed 397 00:23:17,647 --> 00:23:20,149 to raid Kahnawake or something. 398 00:23:20,149 --> 00:23:22,777 That's when they took us, uh. 399 00:23:22,777 --> 00:23:26,030 Then because I was old, I had to go. 400 00:23:26,030 --> 00:23:28,408 I didn't want to go, but I had to go. 401 00:23:28,408 --> 00:23:30,743 - We took my mother-in-law, who was 86 402 00:23:30,743 --> 00:23:35,748 and my uncle, which lived across the street from me, was 74, 403 00:23:36,791 --> 00:23:39,127 and my son, which was 10 years old. 404 00:23:39,919 --> 00:23:41,170 I had asked them 405 00:23:41,170 --> 00:23:43,798 if they would go because I was scared for them 406 00:23:43,798 --> 00:23:48,636 because we had heard that the army was coming in. 407 00:23:48,636 --> 00:23:51,055 - It was my grandson's birthday. 408 00:23:51,055 --> 00:23:53,266 He was going to be one years old, 409 00:23:53,266 --> 00:23:58,146 and we got a call that they were going to have 410 00:23:58,146 --> 00:24:01,566 a caravan to leave town. 411 00:24:01,566 --> 00:24:05,194 My mother was 77 and my father was 81, 412 00:24:05,194 --> 00:24:06,696 but my daughter changed her mind. 413 00:24:06,696 --> 00:24:10,658 She says, "Ma, I can't go." So she put her baby in my car. 414 00:24:11,451 --> 00:24:14,912 - There was between 50 and 75 vehicles that were... 415 00:24:17,707 --> 00:24:19,208 gathered to go across. 416 00:24:20,460 --> 00:24:22,295 They were stopped by the SQ. 417 00:24:23,337 --> 00:24:26,215 At that point, they were told by the officer in charge... 418 00:24:27,425 --> 00:24:31,429 that particular checkpoint that everyone... 419 00:24:31,429 --> 00:24:34,348 every man, woman, and child would have to be checked. 420 00:24:34,348 --> 00:24:36,350 The vehicles would have to be checked 421 00:24:36,350 --> 00:24:38,352 before they were allowed to go through. 422 00:24:39,228 --> 00:24:40,730 - So I asked again, "What's going on?" 423 00:24:40,730 --> 00:24:41,564 Well, they says, 424 00:24:41,564 --> 00:24:44,567 "We have to provide you with better security, 425 00:24:44,567 --> 00:24:46,319 in order to go through." 426 00:24:46,319 --> 00:24:48,112 - When we left, 427 00:24:48,112 --> 00:24:52,325 he watched from the roof of the house with binoculars, 428 00:24:52,325 --> 00:24:54,243 and he knew that something was going on 429 00:24:54,243 --> 00:24:56,454 because the cars were stopped. 430 00:24:56,454 --> 00:24:58,122 - They came to every vehicle. 431 00:24:58,122 --> 00:25:00,750 They searched the trunk, the underneath the seat. 432 00:25:00,750 --> 00:25:03,002 I mean, at on point, they tried to get my father out. 433 00:25:03,002 --> 00:25:07,006 My father at the time was 78 and my mother was 69. 434 00:25:07,006 --> 00:25:10,009 I mean, he was about 90 pounds. He was sick. 435 00:25:10,009 --> 00:25:12,512 You know, he was so weak, he could barely move his legs, 436 00:25:12,512 --> 00:25:16,265 and the SQ officer was, you know, pushing him in the seat, 437 00:25:16,265 --> 00:25:18,601 and I kept saying, "We have nothing. 438 00:25:18,601 --> 00:25:20,144 What are you looking for?" You know? 439 00:25:20,144 --> 00:25:22,522 I guess they thought we had weapons or something. 440 00:25:22,522 --> 00:25:23,356 I really don't know. 441 00:25:23,356 --> 00:25:24,482 - And they looked in the trunk. 442 00:25:24,482 --> 00:25:25,733 I asked them, "What are you looking for?" 443 00:25:25,733 --> 00:25:28,236 And they said, "We just want to make sure, you know, 444 00:25:28,236 --> 00:25:30,363 that you're not taking anybody out 445 00:25:30,363 --> 00:25:33,407 or something out or weapons out." 446 00:25:33,407 --> 00:25:35,660 I said, "I don't even own a weapon. 447 00:25:35,660 --> 00:25:38,037 Why would I be taking anything out?" 448 00:25:38,037 --> 00:25:41,499 - I felt very bad for the elders that were among us 449 00:25:41,499 --> 00:25:45,169 on the bridge because some were getting sick. 450 00:25:45,169 --> 00:25:46,295 But what can you find 451 00:25:46,295 --> 00:25:49,674 when you have children and elders in a car? 452 00:25:49,674 --> 00:25:51,425 - I was six years old. 453 00:25:52,301 --> 00:25:54,804 There was me, my little sister, 454 00:25:55,930 --> 00:25:58,516 my older sister, my mother, 455 00:25:58,516 --> 00:26:01,269 my grandmother, my great-grandmother. 456 00:26:01,269 --> 00:26:02,770 They stopped us on the bridge 457 00:26:02,770 --> 00:26:05,815 to start searching all our stuff, 458 00:26:05,815 --> 00:26:09,694 and I was there for three hours. 459 00:26:10,903 --> 00:26:13,322 I didn't know what was going on. 460 00:26:13,322 --> 00:26:15,950 They just told me that we were going away 461 00:26:15,950 --> 00:26:17,702 for a little while. 462 00:26:17,702 --> 00:26:19,453 - They weren't carrying firearms. 463 00:26:19,453 --> 00:26:21,205 They weren't carrying any of the stuff and they... 464 00:26:21,205 --> 00:26:24,333 that on-the-spot check was done by our people. 465 00:26:25,209 --> 00:26:27,795 But unfortunately, that wasn't good enough. 466 00:26:28,588 --> 00:26:30,548 - So I let the kids out, and they would come, 467 00:26:30,548 --> 00:26:32,550 and they'd yell at you, "Get them in the car! 468 00:26:32,550 --> 00:26:34,093 Put them back in. You're not allowed. 469 00:26:34,093 --> 00:26:35,595 Don't get out of your car." 470 00:26:35,595 --> 00:26:37,096 Then we started to argue. 471 00:26:37,096 --> 00:26:40,224 We said, "These kids have to get out. These people..." 472 00:26:40,224 --> 00:26:43,853 It was just too hot in the cars. 473 00:26:43,853 --> 00:26:48,858 I had my mother with me. My mother was maybe 70. 474 00:26:48,858 --> 00:26:50,860 It was a beautiful summer that summer. 475 00:26:52,612 --> 00:26:56,699 - I was really upset and heartbroken for having to leave. 476 00:26:56,699 --> 00:27:00,745 My husband gave me a paper telling me not to read this paper 477 00:27:00,745 --> 00:27:04,206 until I was off and out of the reserve, 478 00:27:04,206 --> 00:27:06,000 and it was his will, 479 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:07,001 and I was crying. 480 00:27:07,877 --> 00:27:10,129 One SQ was very nice about it. 481 00:27:10,129 --> 00:27:12,715 He came and he said, "Look, ma'am." He said "I'm sorry. 482 00:27:12,715 --> 00:27:15,343 I really don't want to be here, but this is my job," 483 00:27:15,343 --> 00:27:16,761 and he held me and he comforted me. 484 00:27:16,761 --> 00:27:18,137 He asked me if I was okay. 485 00:27:19,138 --> 00:27:23,267 Just to be strong, keep my head up, and take care of my son. 486 00:27:25,394 --> 00:27:27,521 - When they first arrived at that point, 487 00:27:27,521 --> 00:27:31,275 there wasn't anybody on the other side of the bridge, 488 00:27:31,275 --> 00:27:32,485 meaning the north side. 489 00:27:35,655 --> 00:27:38,616 That one particular area was under construction. 490 00:27:38,616 --> 00:27:40,159 It was all dug up. 491 00:27:40,159 --> 00:27:44,121 The officer in charge of us spoke with the officer in charge 492 00:27:44,121 --> 00:27:46,999 of the SQ because he was concerned for the safety 493 00:27:46,999 --> 00:27:49,293 of the people, of the people out there, 494 00:27:49,293 --> 00:27:51,671 and he said there wouldn't be any problem. 495 00:27:51,671 --> 00:27:55,049 They had two bus loads. 496 00:27:55,049 --> 00:28:00,054 They were all full of RCMP standing by, riot equipped. 497 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:24,578 - (filmmaker) The police had orders not to arrest anyone. 498 00:28:26,831 --> 00:28:29,291 Their concerns were to prevent the crowd 499 00:28:29,458 --> 00:28:30,584 from reaching the cars 500 00:28:30,584 --> 00:28:33,087 and blocking their passage over the bridge. 501 00:28:33,087 --> 00:28:35,589 - We're sitting in the car waiting, waiting. 502 00:28:35,589 --> 00:28:38,592 My great-grandmother was about 92, 503 00:28:38,592 --> 00:28:43,472 and my grandmother... I'm not sure of her age at the time, 504 00:28:43,472 --> 00:28:46,183 and I was 18. 505 00:28:47,810 --> 00:28:50,354 There was hundreds of people on the other side now, 506 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:53,858 calling us down, 507 00:28:53,858 --> 00:28:56,485 yelling at us, calling us savages, and... 508 00:28:57,820 --> 00:28:59,822 saying stuff in English and French. 509 00:29:00,740 --> 00:29:02,450 It wasn't nice. 510 00:29:02,450 --> 00:29:04,326 - At the time, there was myself, 511 00:29:04,326 --> 00:29:07,204 my daughter Sarah, she was 18 months, 512 00:29:07,204 --> 00:29:09,623 her father, and our babysitter, 513 00:29:10,624 --> 00:29:13,377 and we saw all the people on the other side waiting, 514 00:29:13,377 --> 00:29:16,505 and we also heard rumors of conversation on the French 515 00:29:16,505 --> 00:29:19,008 radio station to entice people to come over 516 00:29:19,008 --> 00:29:23,220 and to harass us in many different ways. 517 00:29:23,220 --> 00:29:24,388 - I got out of my car, 518 00:29:24,388 --> 00:29:26,390 and I went and talked to a Peacekeeper. 519 00:29:26,390 --> 00:29:27,641 I said, "I can't go." 520 00:29:27,641 --> 00:29:30,394 I was like drained, drained. It was hot, 521 00:29:30,394 --> 00:29:32,646 and I had no more energy. 522 00:29:34,899 --> 00:29:36,901 Then he said, "Get in your car, they're going." 523 00:29:38,027 --> 00:29:40,404 - Finally, after the crowd really built up 524 00:29:40,404 --> 00:29:43,365 to, say, two or three thousand people out there, 525 00:29:43,365 --> 00:29:45,743 all of a sudden, the SQ says, "It's okay to go. 526 00:29:46,744 --> 00:29:47,787 You's can leave." 527 00:29:48,913 --> 00:29:50,122 - Then I started to get nervous, 528 00:29:50,122 --> 00:29:52,416 but there was no way to turn back at this point. 529 00:29:52,416 --> 00:29:53,667 The delay was incredible. 530 00:29:53,667 --> 00:29:56,170 We were on top of the bridge at quite a height. 531 00:29:56,170 --> 00:29:57,171 90 degree weather. 532 00:29:57,171 --> 00:30:00,174 They assured us, after two checks of every car, 533 00:30:00,174 --> 00:30:01,550 that everything was okay. 534 00:30:01,550 --> 00:30:02,885 "Keep your windows up 535 00:30:02,885 --> 00:30:05,638 and just keep going and don't stop for anything." 536 00:30:05,638 --> 00:30:06,806 - "Don't stop for anything." 537 00:30:06,806 --> 00:30:09,433 And I said to him, "My God, there's people, you know." 538 00:30:09,433 --> 00:30:11,685 You could see them on the banks. 539 00:30:11,685 --> 00:30:12,812 I said, "What if somebody fell and... 540 00:30:12,812 --> 00:30:14,438 run them over and just keep on going. 541 00:30:14,438 --> 00:30:15,648 Don't stop for nothing." 542 00:30:18,067 --> 00:30:19,652 - It was all lined with police, 543 00:30:19,652 --> 00:30:22,279 all the way up and they were, like, screaming at you, 544 00:30:22,279 --> 00:30:23,781 "Go faster! Go faster!" 545 00:30:23,781 --> 00:30:26,200 They kept waving you through and just waving. 546 00:30:28,828 --> 00:30:31,580 I saw a policeman standing in front of... 547 00:30:31,580 --> 00:30:35,209 of somebody with a pile of rocks and just step aside 548 00:30:36,585 --> 00:30:40,047 when I went through and just let them throw them. 549 00:30:41,215 --> 00:30:44,552 - Everybody started following and stones, 550 00:30:44,552 --> 00:30:49,223 sticks, bricks, boulders, throwing from all angles. 551 00:30:50,975 --> 00:30:52,601 Your right, your left. 552 00:30:52,601 --> 00:30:54,603 From the walkway on top. 553 00:30:54,603 --> 00:30:56,480 Just throwing and throwing. 554 00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:57,815 A couple of rocks hit the car. 555 00:31:00,442 --> 00:31:03,863 I started getting nervous. 556 00:31:03,863 --> 00:31:06,574 My grandmother was really nervous, and she was driving. 557 00:31:08,367 --> 00:31:09,243 It was bad. 558 00:31:10,953 --> 00:31:15,124 - You could see the people, waiting with piles of rocks. 559 00:31:15,124 --> 00:31:17,376 They had all their ammunition ready, 560 00:31:17,376 --> 00:31:18,502 and oh, there was so many people. 561 00:31:18,502 --> 00:31:21,881 There was hundreds of people. 562 00:31:21,881 --> 00:31:23,007 Just a big crowd. 563 00:31:34,643 --> 00:31:37,146 - These people started to pick up rocks, 564 00:31:37,146 --> 00:31:39,148 and they started throwing them, 565 00:31:39,148 --> 00:31:44,153 and one of the policemen was trying to stop them. 566 00:31:44,778 --> 00:31:46,864 He was like one and all the rest of the police 567 00:31:46,864 --> 00:31:51,368 were way up on the bridge part, on the abutment part. 568 00:31:51,368 --> 00:31:52,745 So as we went through, 569 00:31:52,745 --> 00:31:56,165 one big rock hit my son's car on the back 570 00:31:56,165 --> 00:31:59,793 and a couple of smaller ones and broke like the back window 571 00:31:59,793 --> 00:32:01,670 and it left a big dent in there. 572 00:32:01,670 --> 00:32:02,922 If you looked in the rearview mirror, 573 00:32:02,922 --> 00:32:05,799 all I could see is the dust as we were going through. 574 00:32:05,799 --> 00:32:08,302 - The SQ, they were just standing there. They were watching. 575 00:32:08,302 --> 00:32:10,137 They had their backs to the people 576 00:32:10,137 --> 00:32:12,640 and just watching windshields being smashed, 577 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:14,308 you name it. 578 00:32:15,809 --> 00:32:17,561 - There was a phone call that came in to 579 00:32:17,561 --> 00:32:19,313 the council office 580 00:32:19,313 --> 00:32:21,315 and said there were problems on the bridge. 581 00:32:21,315 --> 00:32:24,401 We didn't know the extent of those problems, 582 00:32:24,401 --> 00:32:26,278 so we rushed and turned the TV on. 583 00:32:27,780 --> 00:32:30,074 (somber music) (people chatter) 584 00:32:34,036 --> 00:32:36,205 - It was just awful because we were so powerless. 585 00:32:36,205 --> 00:32:37,706 There was nothing you could do. 586 00:32:39,083 --> 00:32:43,337 - I felt sick. I felt... I said, "No. My God, why? 587 00:32:43,337 --> 00:32:45,339 Why should this happen?" 588 00:32:45,339 --> 00:32:46,715 Some people couldn't take it. 589 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:49,218 For all kinds of reasons. 590 00:32:49,218 --> 00:32:50,552 Not being able to go to work. 591 00:32:50,552 --> 00:32:52,471 Not being able to earn a living. 592 00:32:52,471 --> 00:32:56,100 Having to travel all around the place to go to work. 593 00:32:56,100 --> 00:32:57,601 - I was really scared. 594 00:32:57,601 --> 00:33:00,562 Scared for my grandchildren and scared for myself, 595 00:33:00,562 --> 00:33:02,356 and thank God Mona is a good driver 596 00:33:02,982 --> 00:33:05,109 'cause when they were throwing stones, 597 00:33:05,109 --> 00:33:07,444 it was just bouncing off our car. 598 00:33:07,444 --> 00:33:09,822 And then, it hit the guy behind us. 599 00:33:10,739 --> 00:33:12,866 So I was praying out loud, 600 00:33:13,075 --> 00:33:15,369 telling my grandchildren... we covered the kids, 601 00:33:15,369 --> 00:33:17,496 and then... my granddaughter is pregnant... 602 00:33:17,496 --> 00:33:21,250 and then she could go into labor. We were afraid. 603 00:33:21,250 --> 00:33:24,211 - I sat there during that time and thought about 604 00:33:24,211 --> 00:33:27,381 if I was going to tie my son in the seat next to me, 605 00:33:27,381 --> 00:33:29,758 in a seatbelt or hold him. 606 00:33:29,758 --> 00:33:32,886 And for some reason, I said, "No, I'm going to hold him." 607 00:33:32,886 --> 00:33:36,098 I felt more comfortable putting him on my lap 608 00:33:36,098 --> 00:33:39,018 and holding on to him than strapping him in, 609 00:33:39,018 --> 00:33:42,396 which I normally would have done, but this time I didn't. 610 00:33:42,396 --> 00:33:45,649 All you could see was like an avalanche of rocks, 611 00:33:45,649 --> 00:33:49,862 and it wasn't small rocks. It was large rocks. 612 00:33:49,862 --> 00:33:50,863 Rocks like this. 613 00:33:50,863 --> 00:33:54,158 And you could see what was happening 614 00:33:54,158 --> 00:33:55,659 to the cars in front of you, 615 00:33:55,659 --> 00:33:57,286 so we were terrified, 616 00:33:57,286 --> 00:34:02,291 and my sister-in-law was crying and shaking, 617 00:34:04,418 --> 00:34:08,672 and a rock hit the back of my sister-in-law's window, 618 00:34:08,672 --> 00:34:10,674 and the window shattered. 619 00:34:10,674 --> 00:34:12,176 We were covered in glass. 620 00:34:14,803 --> 00:34:16,180 It's something that... 621 00:34:17,056 --> 00:34:18,849 I've suppressed, I think, until now. 622 00:34:19,725 --> 00:34:20,976 - What if that baby would have got hit 623 00:34:20,976 --> 00:34:22,478 with the stone that they threw? 624 00:34:24,229 --> 00:34:26,356 - I just kept praying and asking the creator, 625 00:34:26,356 --> 00:34:28,942 "Please, guide me" as I drove, 626 00:34:28,942 --> 00:34:31,070 and as the stones were flying, 627 00:34:31,070 --> 00:34:35,699 I told my mother, the children, to bend down in the car 628 00:34:35,699 --> 00:34:37,493 and put blankets and pillows on them. 629 00:34:43,457 --> 00:34:45,959 - I just drove and watched the car in the front of me, 630 00:34:47,336 --> 00:34:48,629 so that I don't hit him. 631 00:34:49,505 --> 00:34:51,715 - And every time I tried to get my... 632 00:34:51,715 --> 00:34:54,093 tried to put my head up to see what was going on, 633 00:34:54,093 --> 00:34:56,845 they just kept pushing me down. I didn't know why. 634 00:34:56,845 --> 00:34:58,514 And just heard a bunch of yelling 635 00:34:58,514 --> 00:35:01,391 and a bunch of things hitting the car. 636 00:35:03,102 --> 00:35:07,898 Then we just went really fast and stayed down. 637 00:35:07,898 --> 00:35:11,151 My grandmother... we're all scared and everything. 638 00:35:12,402 --> 00:35:16,907 - They were throwing stones and chairs and... 639 00:35:16,907 --> 00:35:19,409 so my daughter... I didn't think she was coming. 640 00:35:19,409 --> 00:35:23,539 I looked in my mirror and she was there, pale and white. 641 00:35:23,539 --> 00:35:25,124 Her window was all busted. 642 00:35:25,124 --> 00:35:27,042 Her front window, her back window. 643 00:35:27,042 --> 00:35:29,920 - So it was all dusty. 644 00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:31,797 The farthest you could see was a little 645 00:35:31,797 --> 00:35:33,924 past the windshield of your car, 646 00:35:33,924 --> 00:35:35,384 and all I kept praying was 647 00:35:35,384 --> 00:35:37,928 the person in front of me wouldn't stop to put on her brakes 648 00:35:37,928 --> 00:35:39,388 because I was going to hit her, 649 00:35:39,388 --> 00:35:40,889 and all I could hear was "bang, bang, bang," 650 00:35:40,889 --> 00:35:42,266 the noise of these rocks, 651 00:35:42,266 --> 00:35:46,436 and my son crying to get the blanket off of him and... 652 00:35:47,437 --> 00:35:49,565 between that and my tears coming down my face, 653 00:35:49,565 --> 00:35:50,566 you couldn't see anything. 654 00:35:50,566 --> 00:35:52,317 - I was just staring out the window. 655 00:35:53,443 --> 00:35:56,697 and really, I could have been hit in the face. 656 00:35:56,697 --> 00:35:58,949 I was there with my brother in the back seat with me, 657 00:35:58,949 --> 00:36:01,702 and I just decided that whoever was there, 658 00:36:01,702 --> 00:36:04,580 they weren't gonna see me hiding. 659 00:36:04,580 --> 00:36:07,791 They were gonna see my face staring out at them. 660 00:36:07,791 --> 00:36:10,210 You know, a strong face, and... 661 00:36:11,170 --> 00:36:13,422 and they weren't going to see me back down. 662 00:36:13,422 --> 00:36:17,843 15 is... it's quite an age to be going through that. 663 00:36:17,843 --> 00:36:20,470 That was one of the things that I knew I had to do. 664 00:36:20,470 --> 00:36:24,474 I felt like... almost like I was taking care 665 00:36:24,474 --> 00:36:26,560 of the family in my father's place 666 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:30,230 because I knew my mother was very nervous. 667 00:36:30,230 --> 00:36:33,984 (blues guitar) 668 00:36:33,984 --> 00:36:36,111 - I was six and a half years old. 669 00:36:37,487 --> 00:36:39,198 I was holding my brother with me. 670 00:36:39,198 --> 00:36:41,867 He was sitting on my lap, and my baby cousin 671 00:36:41,867 --> 00:36:44,494 was sitting right next to us in her car seat. 672 00:36:44,494 --> 00:36:47,873 All these people just started throwing rocks at us. 673 00:36:47,873 --> 00:36:51,001 I was screaming for my mom, but obviously she couldn't help 674 00:36:51,001 --> 00:36:54,713 because she was trying to drive us to where it was safe. 675 00:36:56,465 --> 00:36:58,759 - My father in the back, moaning. 676 00:36:58,759 --> 00:37:01,887 He had such a whisper because he was so sick, you know, 677 00:37:01,887 --> 00:37:03,972 and he just kept saying, "Why are they doing this? 678 00:37:03,972 --> 00:37:05,849 Why are they doing this?" 679 00:37:05,849 --> 00:37:09,269 And my mother had her head down 680 00:37:09,269 --> 00:37:10,145 and she was praying in Mohawk, you know, 681 00:37:10,145 --> 00:37:12,147 "Sewenniio, Sewenniio, help us, help us," 682 00:37:12,147 --> 00:37:14,149 which means, "my God, my God, help us." 683 00:37:16,652 --> 00:37:19,029 - I couldn't believe how many people were gathered there, 684 00:37:19,029 --> 00:37:24,493 how many people hated us so much that they weren't there 685 00:37:24,493 --> 00:37:26,620 just to throw rocks to scare us, 686 00:37:26,620 --> 00:37:28,038 these were rocks to kill us. 687 00:37:32,668 --> 00:37:35,003 - When I saw the rocks coming, I said, "Put your head down. 688 00:37:35,003 --> 00:37:36,630 Put your head down," 689 00:37:36,630 --> 00:37:39,549 and my mother went down, my boys went down, 690 00:37:39,549 --> 00:37:42,010 and my older one just kept yelling, "We're okay, ma. 691 00:37:42,010 --> 00:37:43,553 Everybody is okay. Don't worry," he said. 692 00:37:43,553 --> 00:37:45,305 "I've got them covered." 693 00:37:45,305 --> 00:37:48,642 One was 12, 10, and 6, 694 00:37:49,810 --> 00:37:53,021 and I remember from the top, a lawn chair coming down, 695 00:37:53,021 --> 00:37:55,816 and I said, "I'm going to lose control." 696 00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:03,532 My car just swerved all over the place, but... 697 00:38:04,449 --> 00:38:06,285 somebody must have been watching over us 698 00:38:06,285 --> 00:38:08,078 because I didn't get in an accident. 699 00:38:08,078 --> 00:38:09,955 I got through it, 700 00:38:09,955 --> 00:38:12,332 and when we got into Ville LaSalle, 701 00:38:12,332 --> 00:38:14,960 that's when my son told me that he had gotten hit, 702 00:38:14,960 --> 00:38:15,836 that the rock... 703 00:38:15,836 --> 00:38:17,838 the windows were all busted in my car. 704 00:38:17,838 --> 00:38:19,339 He got hit on the shoulder. 705 00:38:19,339 --> 00:38:21,591 They had like glass all over them. 706 00:38:21,591 --> 00:38:22,551 Little, little cuts. 707 00:38:22,551 --> 00:38:24,720 He had a lot on his legs too, little cuts. 708 00:38:24,720 --> 00:38:28,724 But the main part was his neck and shoulder that he got hit. 709 00:38:29,725 --> 00:38:33,603 He knew that I had to drive, and he didn't want me to panic. 710 00:38:34,688 --> 00:38:36,732 - As we got through what they call the Whiskey Trench, 711 00:38:36,732 --> 00:38:40,569 the crowd, the mob had gathered on top of the span. 712 00:38:40,569 --> 00:38:42,446 The trench, which is impassable... 713 00:38:42,446 --> 00:38:44,865 you can't yield, you can't turn. 714 00:38:44,865 --> 00:38:46,867 It's referred to as the Whiskey Trench 715 00:38:46,867 --> 00:38:48,702 because of the Seagram's distillers 716 00:38:48,702 --> 00:38:50,245 on either side of the highway. 717 00:38:50,245 --> 00:38:53,498 It was just before I went under the tunnel that... 718 00:38:53,498 --> 00:38:54,624 I heard the rock go through the window, 719 00:38:54,624 --> 00:38:56,626 and I heard my father moan and he fell. 720 00:38:56,626 --> 00:38:59,463 I didn't know where it hit him, and I had to keep driving, 721 00:38:59,463 --> 00:39:00,881 and my mother was screaming, 722 00:39:00,881 --> 00:39:01,882 and she was trying to reach over 723 00:39:01,882 --> 00:39:03,008 to my dad in the back seat, 724 00:39:03,008 --> 00:39:05,969 and I was trying to reach over and trying to hold the wheel. 725 00:39:05,969 --> 00:39:08,388 So what I did... I knew we were hit, 726 00:39:08,388 --> 00:39:10,098 I just didn't know how badly he was hit. 727 00:39:10,098 --> 00:39:12,267 Was he hit in the head? Was he hit... where? 728 00:39:12,267 --> 00:39:13,477 I couldn't tell. 729 00:39:13,477 --> 00:39:15,520 I was looking in the rearview mirror, but I couldn't see. 730 00:39:18,648 --> 00:39:20,359 And I went right to the Lachine General. 731 00:39:20,525 --> 00:39:22,527 I pulled into the emergency exit. 732 00:39:22,527 --> 00:39:24,363 He had been hit in the chest, 733 00:39:24,363 --> 00:39:25,906 right smack in the middle of the chest. 734 00:39:25,906 --> 00:39:27,991 This is what they threw at my father. 735 00:39:30,035 --> 00:39:31,912 This is what hit him in the chest. 736 00:39:34,289 --> 00:39:35,248 I'm gonna keep this, 737 00:39:36,375 --> 00:39:38,126 and I'm gonna remember those faces. 738 00:39:39,419 --> 00:39:42,547 (shouting) 739 00:39:42,547 --> 00:39:44,549 I can't believe racism is this bad 740 00:39:44,549 --> 00:39:46,051 in this country, in this time. 741 00:39:47,052 --> 00:39:48,553 I don't know what else to say. 742 00:39:51,515 --> 00:39:54,643 There was a large laceration. The skin had been broken. 743 00:39:54,643 --> 00:39:57,396 There was glass everywhere in his shirt, 744 00:39:57,396 --> 00:40:00,148 in his underwear, in his pants, socks. 745 00:40:00,148 --> 00:40:03,318 They were taking glass out for days after. 746 00:40:03,318 --> 00:40:04,945 They admitted him immediately, 747 00:40:04,945 --> 00:40:06,530 and they started to clean him up. 748 00:40:06,530 --> 00:40:09,449 They cleaned up the wound, they bandaged it. 749 00:40:09,449 --> 00:40:12,327 He was already sick to begin with. He was already weak. 750 00:40:12,327 --> 00:40:14,079 He was already depressed. 751 00:40:14,079 --> 00:40:17,207 - I couldn't believe people could be so cruel. 752 00:40:17,207 --> 00:40:20,669 I couldn't understand how men and women 753 00:40:20,669 --> 00:40:22,212 could stand there and throw rocks 754 00:40:22,212 --> 00:40:25,465 at other women, children, and elderly people. 755 00:40:25,465 --> 00:40:28,969 - It's hard to... to... 756 00:40:31,221 --> 00:40:35,350 think how people could do that to you, you know... 757 00:40:35,350 --> 00:40:36,601 to anybody, you know. 758 00:40:37,477 --> 00:40:39,438 I would never think of trying 759 00:40:39,438 --> 00:40:41,982 to hurt anybody like that, you know. 760 00:40:41,982 --> 00:40:45,610 I saw a few faces, and I guess I'll never forget them. 761 00:40:45,610 --> 00:40:49,114 You try to forget them. You have to live. 762 00:40:49,114 --> 00:40:50,699 You have to put it in the past, 763 00:40:52,701 --> 00:40:54,870 and I always remember a little girl 764 00:40:54,870 --> 00:40:58,206 and her mother standing at the corner, 765 00:40:58,206 --> 00:41:00,625 and they were throwing us kisses, 766 00:41:02,377 --> 00:41:03,336 and I remember saying, 767 00:41:03,336 --> 00:41:07,215 "My God, not everybody is against us." 768 00:41:09,885 --> 00:41:14,389 - Over the bridge, through the clearing of the dust 769 00:41:14,389 --> 00:41:18,477 and everything, I see an elderly man with his two children, 770 00:41:18,477 --> 00:41:20,770 standing there crying and waving at us 771 00:41:20,770 --> 00:41:23,023 and giving us thumbs up like, "You did it!" 772 00:41:23,023 --> 00:41:25,775 - And I remember going by the lake shore and saying, 773 00:41:25,775 --> 00:41:30,614 "My God, there's people rollerblading and bicycling and..." 774 00:41:32,032 --> 00:41:34,493 the life on the other side was so normal, 775 00:41:34,493 --> 00:41:37,913 and I kept on saying to myself, "Do they know 776 00:41:37,913 --> 00:41:39,664 what we're going through across?" You know? 777 00:41:39,664 --> 00:41:42,042 It's like two different worlds. 778 00:41:42,042 --> 00:41:45,295 It was just so normal out there and peaceful, 779 00:41:45,295 --> 00:41:49,174 and here we were going through all these things 780 00:41:49,174 --> 00:41:51,009 where planes were flying over us 781 00:41:51,009 --> 00:41:53,303 and helicopters and, you know, 782 00:41:53,303 --> 00:41:54,804 every day you hear somebody, you know, 783 00:41:54,804 --> 00:41:55,931 "They're gonna come in tonight. 784 00:41:55,931 --> 00:41:57,516 They're gonna come in tonight." 785 00:41:59,184 --> 00:42:00,685 - The police let them throw rocks 786 00:42:00,685 --> 00:42:02,437 and bust their windows and everything. 787 00:42:02,437 --> 00:42:04,147 - Anybody hurt? Do you know? 788 00:42:04,147 --> 00:42:05,941 - As far as I know... I don't know yet. 789 00:42:05,941 --> 00:42:08,818 - The Indians all around, they're not gonna stand 790 00:42:08,818 --> 00:42:11,071 for another Wounded Knee, 791 00:42:11,071 --> 00:42:14,324 and we're going to die for our rights. 792 00:42:14,324 --> 00:42:15,450 - All right. Thank you. 793 00:42:22,082 --> 00:42:25,835 - I remember we were headed towards the Whiskey Trench, 794 00:42:25,835 --> 00:42:30,465 and seeing things being tossed, and I wasn't sure 795 00:42:30,465 --> 00:42:33,426 what it was until our car was actually hit. 796 00:42:34,844 --> 00:42:36,846 I could remember grabbing a pillow 797 00:42:36,846 --> 00:42:38,348 that was on the side of Sarah 798 00:42:38,348 --> 00:42:40,600 and putting it over her, and I thought that she was safe. 799 00:42:41,851 --> 00:42:43,103 My daughter was hit, 800 00:42:44,437 --> 00:42:45,313 I was hit, 801 00:42:46,815 --> 00:42:47,607 and... 802 00:42:48,483 --> 00:42:50,235 the windows were broken on the car, 803 00:42:50,235 --> 00:42:53,196 and we ventured through the tunnel. 804 00:42:53,196 --> 00:42:55,865 That was the only time I felt we were safe, 805 00:42:55,865 --> 00:42:59,452 and I pulled the pillow from on top of her. 806 00:43:00,495 --> 00:43:03,373 I looked down at her, and I saw blood, 807 00:43:05,333 --> 00:43:07,210 and I could feel myself that I had pain, 808 00:43:07,210 --> 00:43:10,714 but I couldn't exactly pinpoint where it was. 809 00:43:10,714 --> 00:43:11,881 I looked at my babysitter. 810 00:43:11,881 --> 00:43:13,883 She was screaming, you know, 811 00:43:13,883 --> 00:43:16,386 and I didn't know exactly what to do. 812 00:43:16,386 --> 00:43:18,597 I just said, "Let's bring her to the hospital." 813 00:43:18,597 --> 00:43:20,140 You know, the LaSalle General. 814 00:43:21,141 --> 00:43:25,604 We went running in there, and they took her into emergency. 815 00:43:26,646 --> 00:43:27,856 They also brought me in. 816 00:43:27,856 --> 00:43:32,777 I had bruises. I was hit on my breast, my arm, my face. 817 00:43:33,612 --> 00:43:35,155 When they brought her in, 818 00:43:35,155 --> 00:43:38,783 it took an hour and a half, two hours for them 819 00:43:38,783 --> 00:43:40,243 to remove all the glass from her. 820 00:43:40,243 --> 00:43:43,246 It was stuck in her diapers, stuck in her shirt, everywhere. 821 00:43:44,497 --> 00:43:46,374 And to try to control... 822 00:43:51,921 --> 00:43:54,382 a child, you can't. 823 00:43:56,301 --> 00:43:58,928 I was made to feel that I... 824 00:44:00,680 --> 00:44:02,682 I took the decision to leave. 825 00:44:02,682 --> 00:44:04,809 I put us in jeopardy. 826 00:44:09,272 --> 00:44:10,565 For me as a parent, 827 00:44:12,567 --> 00:44:15,403 I didn't feel I was able to do the job anymore. 828 00:44:16,821 --> 00:44:19,574 - I hope whoever shot stuff at us is very sorry, 829 00:44:21,326 --> 00:44:25,538 and I'm glad that I still have my mom and dad today 830 00:44:28,917 --> 00:44:31,461 'cause without my mom, I don't know what I'd do, 831 00:44:39,969 --> 00:44:42,472 and I'm glad I have my family. 832 00:44:51,856 --> 00:44:53,316 - We were speaking with the RCMP... 833 00:44:53,316 --> 00:44:55,610 that there were supposed to be 100 other police officers 834 00:44:55,610 --> 00:44:57,696 on standby right outside 835 00:44:57,696 --> 00:44:59,864 to ensure that there would be safe passage. 836 00:44:59,864 --> 00:45:01,491 - There was a lot of cops there. 837 00:45:01,491 --> 00:45:03,576 It was a bad scene and no... 838 00:45:04,369 --> 00:45:05,870 no riot squad showed up. 839 00:45:05,870 --> 00:45:07,747 - We were victimized, 840 00:45:07,747 --> 00:45:12,001 and again the violence was perpetrated on us, 841 00:45:12,001 --> 00:45:15,004 and again we were not the aggressors. 842 00:45:15,004 --> 00:45:17,966 We were not violent toward anybody. 843 00:45:17,966 --> 00:45:21,344 Why could they have not gone and physically 844 00:45:21,344 --> 00:45:23,138 stopped these people from 845 00:45:23,138 --> 00:45:25,223 picking up rocks and throwing them? 846 00:45:29,018 --> 00:45:31,646 - I saw the news that evening, 847 00:45:31,646 --> 00:45:34,524 and they were like, "Yeah, we got the Warriors!" 848 00:45:34,524 --> 00:45:35,900 They got a Warrior! 849 00:45:35,900 --> 00:45:39,028 They got a 76-year-old French-Canadian from Lachine. 850 00:45:39,028 --> 00:45:40,029 That's who they got. 851 00:45:40,029 --> 00:45:41,781 Joseph Armand Lacroix. 852 00:45:41,781 --> 00:45:43,658 He married my mother. My mother was Mohawk. 853 00:45:45,034 --> 00:45:47,787 He never really recovered from the incident. 854 00:45:47,787 --> 00:45:50,373 Even when we had to bring him back from check-ups, 855 00:45:50,373 --> 00:45:51,750 he would always be very nervous, 856 00:45:51,750 --> 00:45:53,793 especially going over the bridge. 857 00:45:53,793 --> 00:45:55,795 He never wanted to talk about it. 858 00:45:55,795 --> 00:45:57,547 He died in 1994. 859 00:46:00,175 --> 00:46:03,261 (acoustic guitar) 860 00:46:06,639 --> 00:46:10,310 - I should never have left. I would never leave again. 861 00:46:10,310 --> 00:46:12,270 I feel safe in Kahnawake, 862 00:46:12,270 --> 00:46:14,814 and I feel safe nowhere else but here. 863 00:46:16,316 --> 00:46:19,402 (blues guitar) 864 00:46:22,071 --> 00:46:25,575 I'm proud to live in this community. 865 00:46:28,661 --> 00:46:30,330 Kahnawake, to me... 866 00:46:31,331 --> 00:46:36,211 shows how very strong and determined 867 00:46:36,211 --> 00:46:39,964 our people are to maintain our identity. 868 00:46:40,924 --> 00:46:44,093 (blues guitar) (people chatter) 869 00:46:49,849 --> 00:46:51,184 I'm proud to be Mohawk. 870 00:46:53,061 --> 00:46:57,232 I think that, no matter how the Governments 871 00:46:57,232 --> 00:46:59,234 or the outside communities try, 872 00:47:01,694 --> 00:47:03,988 they could never beat that out of us, 873 00:47:05,698 --> 00:47:06,991 not even with a rock. 874 00:47:09,452 --> 00:47:12,497 (blues guitar) 875 00:47:18,503 --> 00:47:20,129 - If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die here. 876 00:47:20,129 --> 00:47:23,758 I am not gonna die from somebody throwing rocks at me. 877 00:47:23,758 --> 00:47:25,093 I'd rather die in my own house 878 00:47:25,093 --> 00:47:27,262 with my children and my family close by. 879 00:47:30,348 --> 00:47:32,892 (gentle music) 880 00:47:37,730 --> 00:47:40,859 - The questions were, how did it happen and who planned it 881 00:47:40,859 --> 00:47:44,279 and what kind of plan took place to allow this? 882 00:47:44,279 --> 00:47:46,739 And it's like... we were in such a position 883 00:47:46,739 --> 00:47:49,868 that we really couldn't answer those questions. 884 00:47:49,868 --> 00:47:53,413 If the people who planned it knew what was going to happen, 885 00:47:53,413 --> 00:47:55,039 they would have never done that. 886 00:47:55,039 --> 00:47:57,667 They would have never let the people across that bridge. 887 00:47:57,667 --> 00:48:00,420 They would have taken them in boat or any other way. 888 00:48:03,131 --> 00:48:04,799 - I was scared at many times 889 00:48:04,799 --> 00:48:08,011 when the women and the children were driving through. 890 00:48:08,011 --> 00:48:10,763 I've seen people approaching with boulders and... 891 00:48:10,763 --> 00:48:13,766 softball-size rocks, whipping them through windows 892 00:48:13,766 --> 00:48:15,184 and not really even caring 893 00:48:15,184 --> 00:48:18,062 what was on the other side of those windows 894 00:48:18,062 --> 00:48:19,647 in the automobile. 895 00:48:19,647 --> 00:48:20,940 - What was on the other side? 896 00:48:20,940 --> 00:48:23,151 - Women and small children. 897 00:48:23,151 --> 00:48:24,903 Innocent people. Innocent. 898 00:48:25,695 --> 00:48:28,323 (moody music) 899 00:48:31,659 --> 00:48:34,287 - That was the lowest point in my life, what I seen. 900 00:48:35,455 --> 00:48:38,041 I would say my career as a Peacekeeper 901 00:48:38,041 --> 00:48:40,835 and everyone else that was there that day... 902 00:48:40,835 --> 00:48:43,713 we had spoken to them, the elderly, 903 00:48:43,713 --> 00:48:45,214 telling them they're gonna be safe. 904 00:48:45,214 --> 00:48:46,591 Don't worry about anything. 905 00:48:48,301 --> 00:48:52,347 Little did we know they were in more danger than we were, 906 00:48:54,349 --> 00:48:56,726 just by passing through that one little section. 907 00:49:00,605 --> 00:49:03,942 That day when I came back, finished work, 908 00:49:06,235 --> 00:49:07,570 I just came home. 909 00:49:09,113 --> 00:49:11,741 I went into my bedroom and closed the door... 910 00:49:13,701 --> 00:49:15,828 my wife and my family knew what happened. 911 00:49:16,829 --> 00:49:19,999 They didn't say a word. They just let me be. 912 00:49:19,999 --> 00:49:21,751 I'd seen it on the news that night. 913 00:49:24,003 --> 00:49:25,630 The hurt came back right away. 914 00:49:27,382 --> 00:49:29,842 - Everybody was crying and... 915 00:49:29,842 --> 00:49:33,513 I felt bad for my grandchildren and my parents. 916 00:49:34,597 --> 00:49:36,140 You know, to go through that. 917 00:49:39,519 --> 00:49:41,646 - We went to a school in Dorval 918 00:49:41,646 --> 00:49:43,898 where they were taking names down, 919 00:49:43,898 --> 00:49:45,733 and it was there that we saw all the damage 920 00:49:45,733 --> 00:49:47,735 to the other cars. 921 00:49:47,735 --> 00:49:49,404 We were basically on our own 922 00:49:49,404 --> 00:49:51,781 once we went through that gauntlet. 923 00:49:51,781 --> 00:49:54,742 From there, we went to a hotel, 924 00:49:54,742 --> 00:49:59,664 stayed over a week, maybe 10 days 925 00:49:59,664 --> 00:50:03,001 because we had started school. 926 00:50:04,419 --> 00:50:07,255 - My kids cried, my older one, every day. 927 00:50:07,255 --> 00:50:08,881 "Let's go home, let's go home." He said, 928 00:50:08,881 --> 00:50:11,300 "I don't even care, ma, if they stone us." 929 00:50:11,300 --> 00:50:13,928 I heard people say, "Oh, you're on vacation." 930 00:50:13,928 --> 00:50:17,640 That was the most miserable 11 days of my life. 931 00:50:17,640 --> 00:50:20,560 Sitting in that hotel, you didn't know what was happening. 932 00:50:21,394 --> 00:50:23,438 We went out, like, to wash your clothes. 933 00:50:23,438 --> 00:50:25,565 People were staring at us. 934 00:50:25,565 --> 00:50:29,193 You know... they couldn't miss you. 935 00:50:29,193 --> 00:50:31,446 Your car was all busted up. 936 00:50:31,446 --> 00:50:36,325 - There was one elderly man who, after the incident, 937 00:50:36,325 --> 00:50:39,662 suffered a heart attack and died the day after, 938 00:50:39,662 --> 00:50:42,331 so that was quite devastating as well. 939 00:50:43,332 --> 00:50:45,960 (somber music) 940 00:50:49,964 --> 00:50:52,717 - I don't know what they think of us today, but... 941 00:50:52,717 --> 00:50:55,094 it was out of our control and... 942 00:50:55,094 --> 00:50:56,804 they didn't take the means or the measures 943 00:50:56,804 --> 00:50:58,806 to prevent something like this. 944 00:51:01,100 --> 00:51:03,352 I think they were well aware of it because... 945 00:51:04,479 --> 00:51:07,106 before that, when people were going across, 946 00:51:07,106 --> 00:51:09,358 there was incidents that were happening there. 947 00:51:09,358 --> 00:51:11,944 Anyways, these guys, when they went to court, 948 00:51:11,944 --> 00:51:15,364 they got a smack in the hand and that was it. 949 00:51:16,741 --> 00:51:19,368 - (filmmaker) 13 people were arrested. 950 00:51:19,368 --> 00:51:21,746 11 adults and two juveniles. 951 00:51:22,872 --> 00:51:25,708 One man was sentenced to 10 consecutive weekends 952 00:51:25,708 --> 00:51:26,834 at Bordeaux Jail. 953 00:51:27,627 --> 00:51:30,088 10 of them received conditional discharges 954 00:51:30,088 --> 00:51:34,467 and varied fines going from $100 to $1,000 955 00:51:34,467 --> 00:51:36,511 with probation of up to two years. 956 00:51:38,262 --> 00:51:42,517 The charges against the two juveniles were dropped. 957 00:52:15,508 --> 00:52:18,177 - They blocked us from coming out or going through, 958 00:52:18,177 --> 00:52:19,929 so now we don't want them to come out. 959 00:52:19,929 --> 00:52:22,140 - Okay, within some time this evening, 960 00:52:22,140 --> 00:52:24,058 the army's going to be going in... 961 00:52:24,058 --> 00:52:24,934 - I don't care about the army. 962 00:52:24,934 --> 00:52:26,144 - Children and elderly people. 963 00:52:26,144 --> 00:52:29,814 - That's too bad. It's a real shame. I feel sorry for them. 964 00:53:16,485 --> 00:53:17,987 - As an athlete... 965 00:53:19,488 --> 00:53:23,993 one thing is that I gained respect 966 00:53:23,993 --> 00:53:25,953 from other athletes in other countries 967 00:53:25,953 --> 00:53:30,958 because of my performance levels. 968 00:53:31,125 --> 00:53:33,502 - In the lead. Now with a full boat-length lead. 969 00:53:33,502 --> 00:53:36,088 Nobody's going to catch the Canadians, I don't think. 970 00:53:36,088 --> 00:53:38,466 We have another gold medal for Canada. 971 00:53:38,466 --> 00:53:39,258 - Yeah! 972 00:53:39,258 --> 00:53:41,344 - Hugh Fisher and Alwyn Morris 973 00:53:41,344 --> 00:53:44,764 win the gold medal for Canada in the K2 1000 meters. 974 00:53:44,764 --> 00:53:47,975 A lot of sacrifice by both of these fine Canadian athletes. 975 00:53:48,267 --> 00:53:52,647 - The friends that I met and the places that I've been 976 00:53:52,647 --> 00:53:55,775 and the respect that I was shown, I will never forget. 977 00:53:55,775 --> 00:53:58,027 - Winners of the gold medals. 978 00:53:58,027 --> 00:54:01,280 The Olympic champions. The team from Canada! 979 00:54:02,156 --> 00:54:03,241 (audience applause and cheers) 980 00:54:03,241 --> 00:54:06,744 - I'm sharing this victory with the Kahnawake reserve, 981 00:54:06,744 --> 00:54:08,287 with the Mohawk Indians in Canada, 982 00:54:08,287 --> 00:54:10,748 and with all the Native people in North America. 983 00:54:12,416 --> 00:54:14,627 I feel really strong about... 984 00:54:14,627 --> 00:54:17,505 about being an athlete, being Native, and being Canadian, 985 00:54:17,505 --> 00:54:20,424 and carrying it up here had very much significance for me, 986 00:54:21,676 --> 00:54:23,678 and I just hope my grandfather's very proud. 987 00:54:23,678 --> 00:54:24,553 Thank you. 988 00:54:24,553 --> 00:54:27,014 I always had an easy time making friends 989 00:54:27,014 --> 00:54:29,183 and taking people for their word, 990 00:54:29,183 --> 00:54:32,186 and whether that's something that I learned 991 00:54:32,186 --> 00:54:36,565 as a young man, growing up in Kahnawake 992 00:54:36,565 --> 00:54:40,194 or with my grandparents, it was part of me. 993 00:54:40,194 --> 00:54:43,823 So when I made all these arrangements 994 00:54:45,157 --> 00:54:46,909 with the Surete 995 00:54:46,909 --> 00:54:49,829 and, given certain assurances, 996 00:54:49,829 --> 00:54:54,458 I had to go on their word and my own deep feelings 997 00:54:54,458 --> 00:54:56,294 that this thing was gonna be okay. 998 00:54:58,838 --> 00:55:01,716 When you relay that kind of message 999 00:55:01,716 --> 00:55:04,468 in your own terms, in your own words, 1000 00:55:06,304 --> 00:55:07,930 and then see what happened, 1001 00:55:10,057 --> 00:55:11,100 you lose something. 1002 00:55:11,100 --> 00:55:12,685 You lose that faith. 1003 00:55:16,355 --> 00:55:18,316 It's so difficult to bring it back, 1004 00:55:18,316 --> 00:55:21,485 in terms of redeveloping it. 1005 00:55:21,485 --> 00:55:24,447 In retrospect, and that's always 20/20, 1006 00:55:24,613 --> 00:55:27,992 it would have been smarter to say, "Look, 1007 00:55:27,992 --> 00:55:30,578 there's a big crowd here. It's not gonna work. 1008 00:55:30,578 --> 00:55:32,496 Go back to the community. 1009 00:55:32,496 --> 00:55:34,248 We'll work out another 1010 00:55:34,248 --> 00:55:36,584 way in which to do this at a later date." 1011 00:55:36,584 --> 00:55:39,003 There was a lot of property damage. 1012 00:55:39,003 --> 00:55:43,090 People did get hurt by the glass and the stones. 1013 00:55:46,135 --> 00:55:47,345 Those things healed, 1014 00:55:49,472 --> 00:55:53,017 and the fact that it happened here, in this country 1015 00:55:54,518 --> 00:55:58,647 suggests some very deep-down problems 1016 00:55:58,647 --> 00:55:59,899 from a social standpoint. 1017 00:56:01,025 --> 00:56:04,028 How long is that wound gonna take to heal? I don't know. 1018 00:56:04,904 --> 00:56:06,155 Maybe not in my lifetime. 1019 00:56:11,494 --> 00:56:14,497 - Maybe the people that agreed to it, 1020 00:56:14,497 --> 00:56:17,041 who were in command and who Alwyn spoke to, 1021 00:56:17,041 --> 00:56:20,044 maybe were sincere and did it in good faith. 1022 00:56:20,044 --> 00:56:21,796 But again, it was another example 1023 00:56:21,796 --> 00:56:27,802 of the orders not being followed by line officers. 1024 00:56:28,260 --> 00:56:30,179 - To me, it was planned. 1025 00:56:30,346 --> 00:56:34,308 It had to be planned for them to get everybody there and... 1026 00:56:35,393 --> 00:56:36,894 all it takes is one person. 1027 00:56:36,894 --> 00:56:41,065 Word gets around and that's it. Everybody knows. 1028 00:57:08,592 --> 00:57:10,845 - My brother worked on the bridge, 1029 00:57:11,804 --> 00:57:14,557 on the Kahnawake end. 1030 00:57:15,850 --> 00:57:19,103 All Mohawks, no white men. 1031 00:57:19,103 --> 00:57:21,355 The steel arrived from Lachine 1032 00:57:21,355 --> 00:57:25,109 to the south shore end of the bridge. 1033 00:57:26,235 --> 00:57:28,237 It came by rail 1034 00:57:28,237 --> 00:57:30,990 and then it was trucked in from there. 1035 00:57:32,116 --> 00:57:34,243 My late brother Louis 1036 00:57:34,243 --> 00:57:36,203 had a team of horses, 1037 00:57:36,203 --> 00:57:39,248 and they plowed the road same as they would plow 1038 00:57:39,248 --> 00:57:44,086 on the farmland, to break up the plaques out 1039 00:57:45,504 --> 00:57:48,215 before the trucks could get through. 1040 00:57:48,215 --> 00:57:52,011 They had an army of men from here 1041 00:57:52,011 --> 00:57:53,220 to shovel the snow, 1042 00:57:55,890 --> 00:57:59,643 and if your shovel was too small, they won't hire you. 1043 00:57:59,643 --> 00:58:00,895 You had to have... 1044 00:58:02,146 --> 00:58:03,272 a regular snow shovel 1045 00:58:03,272 --> 00:58:04,773 before you went to work. 1046 00:58:06,775 --> 00:58:10,863 The iron workers on the Mercier Bridge itself... 1047 00:58:10,863 --> 00:58:12,531 it was very, very tough. 1048 00:58:13,991 --> 00:58:16,285 It was cold, windy. 1049 00:58:18,245 --> 00:58:20,664 One whole week, before Christmas, 1050 00:58:21,665 --> 00:58:23,375 they didn't put in an hour's work. 1051 00:58:24,418 --> 00:58:26,879 Being Christmas, the company turned around 1052 00:58:28,506 --> 00:58:31,926 and paid them one hour each, every man, 1053 00:58:33,886 --> 00:58:37,932 which wasn't very much, let me tell you. 75 cents. 1054 00:58:39,308 --> 00:58:42,019 That was the hourly rate at the time. 1055 00:58:42,019 --> 00:58:44,188 Those are the iron workers. 1056 00:58:44,188 --> 00:58:47,191 We were only laborers, working on the abutments. 1057 00:58:48,943 --> 00:58:51,946 We were only making 30 cents an hour. 1058 00:58:51,946 --> 00:58:53,405 That was big money then. 1059 00:58:57,409 --> 00:59:00,412 In the springtime, I started 1060 00:59:01,705 --> 00:59:02,665 work at the quarry, 1061 00:59:02,665 --> 00:59:04,083 feeding the stone crusher. 1062 00:59:07,211 --> 00:59:11,215 They used the crushed stone to build the roads. 1063 00:59:11,215 --> 00:59:14,927 10 hours a day, six days a week. 1064 00:59:14,927 --> 00:59:18,347 That's the only time I ever worked close to home. 1065 00:59:19,557 --> 00:59:21,809 - [filmmaker] The construction of Honore-Mercier Bridge 1066 00:59:21,809 --> 00:59:24,353 started in 1932. 1067 00:59:24,353 --> 00:59:26,313 They worked all year round. 1068 00:59:27,606 --> 00:59:31,193 By July 12, 1935, the church and the state 1069 00:59:31,193 --> 00:59:34,572 were well represented at the inauguration of the bridge. 1070 00:59:36,991 --> 00:59:40,995 In 1955, an order in council was passed, 1071 00:59:40,995 --> 00:59:44,081 permitting the expropriation of Mohawk land 1072 00:59:44,081 --> 00:59:46,584 by the seaway officials. 1073 00:59:46,584 --> 00:59:49,378 This meant that the privy council was to allow 1074 00:59:49,378 --> 00:59:54,133 the seizure of 1,855 acres of Mohawk land. 1075 00:59:56,760 --> 00:59:59,388 When people refused to move, 1076 00:59:59,388 --> 01:00:03,767 a bailiff and police officers came and evicted them. 1077 01:00:39,303 --> 01:00:41,055 (explosions) 1078 01:00:43,807 --> 01:00:45,934 - [filmmaker] Tons of clay dug out of the canal 1079 01:00:45,934 --> 01:00:48,437 were dumped on Kahnawake farmland. 1080 01:00:49,813 --> 01:00:53,317 The seaway needed to construct bridges high enough to allow 1081 01:00:53,317 --> 01:00:55,069 the passage of large ships. 1082 01:00:56,945 --> 01:01:01,075 The Mercier Bridge was raised and a twin bridge constructed. 1083 01:01:02,951 --> 01:01:07,456 A lift was also added to the existing train bridge, 1084 01:01:07,456 --> 01:01:11,794 then the bridges needed new highway approaches. 1085 01:01:11,794 --> 01:01:15,464 That meant more expropriation for the Mohawk people. 1086 01:01:16,924 --> 01:01:19,218 - The other bridge was going up too... 1087 01:01:19,385 --> 01:01:22,346 the railway bridge at the same time. 1088 01:01:22,346 --> 01:01:26,934 The lift bridge... all Indians worked on the south shore. 1089 01:01:26,934 --> 01:01:28,852 Five men with a pusher. 1090 01:01:28,852 --> 01:01:29,853 That's the erecting... 1091 01:01:31,605 --> 01:01:35,609 and then the riveting guys were four men to a crew 1092 01:01:37,861 --> 01:01:40,864 with the heater stick ring and two riveters... 1093 01:01:43,701 --> 01:01:44,618 You wouldn't think there were 1094 01:01:44,785 --> 01:01:47,204 that many Indians in Kahnawake, would you? 1095 01:03:11,038 --> 01:03:14,082 - I'm asking him, "When are we gonna go back to work?" 1096 01:03:19,046 --> 01:03:22,841 - [filmmaker] By 1959, the seaway was completed, 1097 01:03:22,841 --> 01:03:25,219 and the Mohawks would forever after 1098 01:03:25,219 --> 01:03:28,430 suffer this new interference in their lives. 1099 01:03:30,974 --> 01:03:34,061 (blues guitar) 1100 01:04:02,089 --> 01:04:05,008 Kahnawake means "by the rapids." 1101 01:04:05,008 --> 01:04:08,595 Well, the rapids are no longer in view. 1102 01:04:08,595 --> 01:04:12,516 Much land is lost and the beach front is gone. 1103 01:04:25,529 --> 01:04:28,031 - This is a good demonstration of our toys. 1104 01:04:28,031 --> 01:04:29,533 I'll fuckin' cut you in half. 1105 01:04:29,533 --> 01:04:31,869 - Yeah? Why don't you come and try it? 1106 01:04:35,622 --> 01:04:36,999 - This is our land. 1107 01:04:36,999 --> 01:04:38,542 We can't go any place else. 1108 01:04:38,542 --> 01:04:40,794 We can't go to another country. 1109 01:04:40,794 --> 01:04:43,171 This is our home. We have nowhere to go. 1110 01:04:43,171 --> 01:04:45,299 They have their tanks. They have their barb wire. 1111 01:04:45,299 --> 01:04:46,675 They have rocket launchers. 1112 01:04:46,675 --> 01:04:48,510 They have all the armaments, you know, 1113 01:04:48,510 --> 01:04:49,678 that you go to war with. 1114 01:04:49,678 --> 01:04:52,389 You don't do that with Native people here 1115 01:04:52,389 --> 01:04:54,683 who have taken care of their ancestors 1116 01:04:54,683 --> 01:04:57,394 to make sure that they don't starve. 1117 01:04:57,394 --> 01:05:00,689 But we can't take any more of their land taking from us. 1118 01:05:00,689 --> 01:05:02,441 I mean, this is all we have left. 1119 01:05:02,441 --> 01:05:05,068 They have the power in their hands 1120 01:05:05,068 --> 01:05:07,195 to change history right now. 1121 01:05:07,195 --> 01:05:09,907 They could change it by dealing with the land issue. 1122 01:05:13,535 --> 01:05:16,455 - The armed forces mandate was to search 1123 01:05:16,455 --> 01:05:18,707 their vehicles, I guess, for weapons. 1124 01:05:21,793 --> 01:05:23,962 You could have left the community a dozen times 1125 01:05:23,962 --> 01:05:24,963 during the day, 1126 01:05:24,963 --> 01:05:26,715 and you passed the same checkpoint... 1127 01:05:26,715 --> 01:05:28,717 looked at the same people and you would have 1128 01:05:28,717 --> 01:05:30,969 to go through the same process. 1129 01:05:30,969 --> 01:05:33,472 If we were going to have to suffer 1130 01:05:33,472 --> 01:05:35,098 that kind of indignity then we, 1131 01:05:35,098 --> 01:05:37,601 in turn, also would retaliate by 1132 01:05:37,601 --> 01:05:39,853 our own plan of action if you will 1133 01:05:39,853 --> 01:05:41,980 to create as much resistance as we could. 1134 01:05:44,483 --> 01:05:46,860 You're not paid to think. That's your problem. 1135 01:05:46,860 --> 01:05:49,446 It was demanded of me to open the trunk 1136 01:05:49,446 --> 01:05:51,615 of my car and I said, "No." I said, "You open it," 1137 01:05:51,615 --> 01:05:55,077 and we went back and forth for 15, 20 minutes 1138 01:05:55,077 --> 01:05:56,995 or whatever it was... or half an hour, 1139 01:05:56,995 --> 01:05:58,455 and I said, "I'm not opening for you. 1140 01:05:58,455 --> 01:05:59,748 You want to know what's in there? 1141 01:05:59,748 --> 01:06:01,333 You open the damn thing," you know. 1142 01:06:01,333 --> 01:06:04,878 "Here's the keys." And the officer would refuse. 1143 01:06:04,878 --> 01:06:08,256 And we kept going. Finally, as silly as it sounds, 1144 01:06:08,256 --> 01:06:10,759 we both held the key and we both opened the trunk. 1145 01:06:13,345 --> 01:06:15,764 I missed at least one meeting anyway that I was supposed 1146 01:06:15,764 --> 01:06:20,769 to be involved in with several members of parliament. 1147 01:06:22,270 --> 01:06:24,773 But I did manage to get there later on in the day. 1148 01:06:24,773 --> 01:06:28,276 But it's just an example of how difficult 1149 01:06:28,276 --> 01:06:30,779 it was for us to do the things that we had to do 1150 01:06:30,779 --> 01:06:32,030 during that time period. 1151 01:06:36,368 --> 01:06:39,663 - [filmmaker] On August 28, there were secret meetings 1152 01:06:39,663 --> 01:06:42,290 at the Hilton Hotel in Dorval. 1153 01:06:42,290 --> 01:06:43,417 Mohawk leaders 1154 01:06:43,417 --> 01:06:46,878 and officials of Federal and Provincial Governments 1155 01:06:46,878 --> 01:06:51,008 were trying to negotiate a peaceful ending to the stand-off. 1156 01:06:52,175 --> 01:06:55,804 - And I'll continue my discussions with the confederacy. 1157 01:06:57,389 --> 01:06:59,433 - [filmmaker] The barricades would be dismantled 1158 01:06:59,433 --> 01:07:02,811 by both the army and the Warriors. 1159 01:07:02,811 --> 01:07:05,272 The Mercier Bridge would be open to the public 1160 01:07:05,272 --> 01:07:09,067 and Colonel Gagnon promised the army would not enter 1161 01:07:09,067 --> 01:07:11,528 the reserve once the bridge was opened. 1162 01:07:15,782 --> 01:07:19,036 The barricades on the Mercier Bridge came down. 1163 01:07:19,036 --> 01:07:22,664 Repair work was resumed on the bridge. 1164 01:07:22,664 --> 01:07:26,084 Experts searched for explosive devices 1165 01:07:26,084 --> 01:07:28,045 on the bridge and in the river. 1166 01:07:29,838 --> 01:07:33,467 - One day, I saw a submarine coming through and I ran. 1167 01:07:33,467 --> 01:07:35,343 I got my camera, and I took pictures. 1168 01:07:35,343 --> 01:07:37,429 I saw it on the news when they were interviewing, 1169 01:07:37,429 --> 01:07:40,223 and they said, "No, there wasn't a submarine that day... 1170 01:07:40,223 --> 01:07:42,100 came through," you know. 1171 01:07:43,101 --> 01:07:45,729 "The Indians are making it up." 1172 01:07:45,729 --> 01:07:48,356 And the helicopters, they came right over here, 1173 01:07:48,356 --> 01:07:52,235 maybe six feet off on top of the water. 1174 01:07:52,235 --> 01:07:54,488 These helicopters were so loud. 1175 01:07:54,488 --> 01:07:58,617 I remember telling the kids, "Just ignore it. 1176 01:07:58,617 --> 01:07:59,701 Do your homework." 1177 01:08:00,994 --> 01:08:03,371 - [filmmaker] In a meeting with the Warriors, 1178 01:08:03,538 --> 01:08:07,501 Colonel Gagnon announced that his orders had changed. 1179 01:08:07,501 --> 01:08:10,712 The army was preparing to enter the Kahnawake reserve. 1180 01:08:12,005 --> 01:08:14,883 Ironically, in many battles, 1181 01:08:14,883 --> 01:08:18,595 the Mohawks were allied to the French and English Canadians 1182 01:08:18,595 --> 01:08:21,098 to defend Canada against the Americans. 1183 01:08:22,724 --> 01:08:27,187 In 1847, for service in Canada, 1184 01:08:27,187 --> 01:08:30,982 119 medals were given to Indian Warriors, 1185 01:08:30,982 --> 01:08:34,861 of which 82 were for the Chateauguay river battle. 1186 01:08:34,861 --> 01:08:39,866 These Warriors were Abenakis, Algonquins, 1187 01:08:40,242 --> 01:08:42,244 Nipissings, and Iroquois. 1188 01:08:44,246 --> 01:08:48,875 Although the Mohawks were robbed of their ancestral lands, 1189 01:08:48,875 --> 01:08:52,712 they helped defend Canada against its enemies 1190 01:08:52,712 --> 01:08:55,340 and fought throughout both world wars. 1191 01:08:55,340 --> 01:08:57,884 (somber music) 1192 01:09:03,140 --> 01:09:05,725 Meanwhile, in Kanehsatake, 1193 01:09:05,725 --> 01:09:08,603 the army advanced and took over The Pines. 1194 01:09:09,521 --> 01:09:11,982 The Warriors moved to the treatment center. 1195 01:09:12,149 --> 01:09:15,360 - Basically, I would like you to contact your general 1196 01:09:15,360 --> 01:09:16,778 or whoever it is, 1197 01:09:16,778 --> 01:09:19,364 and stop the advancement of these troops. 1198 01:09:19,364 --> 01:09:21,283 - I'm not responsible on this site. 1199 01:09:21,283 --> 01:09:22,909 - I'm just saying he can issue the order immediately 1200 01:09:22,909 --> 01:09:25,412 until we can resolve these things peacefully. 1201 01:09:25,412 --> 01:09:28,165 So they are not recognizing our confederacy. 1202 01:09:29,666 --> 01:09:30,792 - Hey, that's against the law. 1203 01:09:40,135 --> 01:09:43,805 - [filmmaker] The army rolled in with their armored vehicles, 1204 01:09:43,805 --> 01:09:46,558 all the way to the Longhouse and raided it. 1205 01:09:48,435 --> 01:09:49,561 - Hey! 1206 01:09:54,274 --> 01:09:58,945 - The very attack on one of our Longhouses is disgusting. 1207 01:09:59,404 --> 01:10:01,698 Would you like your synagogues, 1208 01:10:01,698 --> 01:10:05,410 your churches, attacked the way ours was yesterday? 1209 01:10:11,333 --> 01:10:12,584 - [filmmaker] Finally, 1210 01:10:12,584 --> 01:10:16,171 the bridge was opened to the public on September 6. 1211 01:10:17,339 --> 01:10:18,715 - They were flying right over our houses, 1212 01:10:18,715 --> 01:10:20,592 the Chinooks, the double blades. 1213 01:10:20,592 --> 01:10:22,469 Those things are big. They're long. 1214 01:10:22,469 --> 01:10:24,721 They're like 30 feet off your roof. 1215 01:10:24,721 --> 01:10:26,181 Three or four of them. 1216 01:10:26,181 --> 01:10:28,725 Flying all over the town and they all out on the island. 1217 01:10:28,725 --> 01:10:30,852 - We were sitting here having lunch, 1218 01:10:30,852 --> 01:10:33,730 and next thing you know, there was helicopters 1219 01:10:33,730 --> 01:10:34,731 flying all over, 1220 01:10:35,607 --> 01:10:38,318 army men just flowing out of the helicopters. 1221 01:10:40,111 --> 01:10:43,865 Then people from town just pulled up, pulled up, pulled up. 1222 01:10:43,865 --> 01:10:46,201 There was people all over. 1223 01:10:47,369 --> 01:10:49,454 - We were coming back from a meeting in Montreal, 1224 01:10:49,454 --> 01:10:52,499 and I received a call on my cell phone 1225 01:10:52,499 --> 01:10:55,126 that the army was at the island. 1226 01:10:55,126 --> 01:10:57,003 We should get there as quickly as we could 1227 01:10:57,003 --> 01:10:58,755 to try and calm things down. 1228 01:10:58,755 --> 01:11:02,509 There was a kind of a stand-off on the small bridge 1229 01:11:02,509 --> 01:11:05,345 that goes to the island between the mainland of Kahnawake 1230 01:11:05,345 --> 01:11:08,223 and the Tekakwitha island. 1231 01:11:08,223 --> 01:11:10,267 There were barbed wire that had been strung, 1232 01:11:10,267 --> 01:11:13,353 and the armed forces were standing on the island itself, 1233 01:11:14,145 --> 01:11:16,523 and people were demanding, you know, 1234 01:11:16,523 --> 01:11:17,774 "What are you doing there?" 1235 01:11:19,776 --> 01:11:21,236 First, there was no response, 1236 01:11:21,236 --> 01:11:23,863 but then one of the commanding officers came over 1237 01:11:23,863 --> 01:11:25,865 and said that they had received evidence 1238 01:11:25,865 --> 01:11:29,035 that there was weapons that were hidden on the island 1239 01:11:29,035 --> 01:11:31,871 and that they were searching the island to find out 1240 01:11:31,871 --> 01:11:34,040 whether there was any truth to this information 1241 01:11:34,040 --> 01:11:36,293 that they had received. 1242 01:11:37,669 --> 01:11:39,004 - And even across the seaway, 1243 01:11:39,004 --> 01:11:41,423 they had like four or five, maybe six APC's. 1244 01:11:41,423 --> 01:11:43,675 They even had army tanks across the river 1245 01:11:43,675 --> 01:11:46,386 with their barrels pointing right at us. 1246 01:11:46,386 --> 01:11:50,056 - What people saw was... was a row of soldiers 1247 01:11:50,890 --> 01:11:54,060 with automatic weapons, gas masks. 1248 01:11:54,060 --> 01:11:55,937 They had everything to their advantage, 1249 01:11:55,937 --> 01:11:59,190 to be able to overwhelm and overpower our people. 1250 01:11:59,190 --> 01:12:01,818 - Some of them, I believe, weren't really... 1251 01:12:01,818 --> 01:12:04,321 didn't want to really be there, you know. 1252 01:12:04,321 --> 01:12:06,656 It's like we're stuck on an island over here, 1253 01:12:06,656 --> 01:12:09,284 and all these people are around us, 1254 01:12:09,284 --> 01:12:11,911 but they had their guns. We didn't have no guns. 1255 01:12:11,911 --> 01:12:13,455 - Are you prepared to let our people move out? 1256 01:12:13,455 --> 01:12:15,332 - No! 1257 01:12:17,083 --> 01:12:18,710 - A couple of the soldiers that were there 1258 01:12:18,710 --> 01:12:23,089 were also in the Longhouse raid, and we recognized them 1259 01:12:23,089 --> 01:12:25,800 'cause they're the ones that we fought with, you know, 1260 01:12:26,718 --> 01:12:30,180 and you could tell that they were very uncomfortable 1261 01:12:30,180 --> 01:12:32,349 standing there. 1262 01:12:32,349 --> 01:12:36,227 They're just waiting for orders, which was... 1263 01:12:37,103 --> 01:12:38,480 what were they gonna do? 1264 01:12:39,064 --> 01:12:41,107 They weren't gonna come into town. 1265 01:12:41,107 --> 01:12:42,317 - Once they would have made it over that bridge, 1266 01:12:42,317 --> 01:12:44,736 there would have been martial law in town. 1267 01:12:44,736 --> 01:12:46,363 And then it would have been even worse. 1268 01:12:46,363 --> 01:12:49,574 Gonna have an APC parked outside my house? No way. (laughs) 1269 01:12:49,574 --> 01:12:52,118 Have army guys walking around our territory? No way. 1270 01:12:53,119 --> 01:12:54,496 They wouldn't have lasted. 1271 01:12:54,496 --> 01:12:56,498 It would have been like a big war for sure. 1272 01:12:57,624 --> 01:13:00,710 - The guys that were on the force even said it. 1273 01:13:00,710 --> 01:13:05,507 If they come in, they're gonna go with the people. 1274 01:13:06,508 --> 01:13:10,011 (blues music) 1275 01:13:10,011 --> 01:13:13,640 - That had to be one of the most bravest moments 1276 01:13:13,640 --> 01:13:15,767 that I've ever seen during that time period 1277 01:13:15,767 --> 01:13:17,102 and during my lifetime 1278 01:13:18,019 --> 01:13:21,523 of our people defending their territory 1279 01:13:21,523 --> 01:13:23,650 against tremendous odds. 1280 01:13:30,490 --> 01:13:32,909 - We are right! They're wrong! 1281 01:13:33,910 --> 01:13:37,038 They're attacking us! They're proud! 1282 01:13:37,038 --> 01:13:39,040 Look at them all! You're all proud! 1283 01:13:40,667 --> 01:13:42,544 - Then our town brought a dump truck 1284 01:13:42,544 --> 01:13:44,879 to the other side of the bridge. 1285 01:13:44,879 --> 01:13:47,674 Blocked it. More people arrived. 1286 01:13:48,550 --> 01:13:49,884 People were getting rowdy. 1287 01:13:51,136 --> 01:13:53,012 - They were really close to the bridge there, 1288 01:13:53,012 --> 01:13:55,557 the army. They made a circle. 1289 01:13:55,557 --> 01:14:00,562 They were throwing razor wire from the helicopters, 1290 01:14:00,728 --> 01:14:02,188 and as fast as they were throwing it, 1291 01:14:02,188 --> 01:14:04,399 the people were picking it up. (laughs) 1292 01:14:11,448 --> 01:14:12,907 - They start shooting at us. 1293 01:14:14,075 --> 01:14:16,828 Bunch of tear gas start going all over the place. 1294 01:14:16,828 --> 01:14:18,830 People start running over the bridge to get over the bridge, 1295 01:14:18,830 --> 01:14:19,914 get away from it. 1296 01:14:20,790 --> 01:14:23,835 (blues music) 1297 01:14:31,301 --> 01:14:33,595 Even women there that were pregnant... 1298 01:14:33,595 --> 01:14:34,471 you could see that they're pregnant, 1299 01:14:34,471 --> 01:14:36,097 but yet they still threw the gas at us. 1300 01:14:37,223 --> 01:14:39,726 - More tear gas. Fights. 1301 01:14:39,726 --> 01:14:42,937 After that was fighting, fighting, everybody was fighting. 1302 01:14:42,937 --> 01:14:45,064 I myself was fighting. 1303 01:14:50,987 --> 01:14:52,113 - It wasn't planned. 1304 01:14:52,113 --> 01:14:55,867 People were there. We're just a big family, that's all, 1305 01:14:55,867 --> 01:14:58,244 and we're gonna stay that way, we're gonna stay united, 1306 01:14:58,244 --> 01:15:00,079 and we're gonna be as strong as ever. 1307 01:15:01,706 --> 01:15:04,459 (dramatic music) 1308 01:15:10,381 --> 01:15:13,384 - Two army men just threw me right over the bridge, 1309 01:15:13,384 --> 01:15:15,720 and there was a big rock over here at the time. 1310 01:15:17,096 --> 01:15:22,101 Landed on that, on my hip. Fled into the water. 1311 01:15:22,268 --> 01:15:23,645 There was people all in here, 1312 01:15:24,771 --> 01:15:27,273 washing their face, getting the tear gas, 1313 01:15:27,273 --> 01:15:28,525 so they could see again. 1314 01:15:32,779 --> 01:15:35,490 I remember a teacher I had in high school. 1315 01:15:36,866 --> 01:15:37,659 He was standing there. 1316 01:15:37,659 --> 01:15:39,160 He's yelling, "Hold on! Hold on!" 1317 01:15:39,160 --> 01:15:42,288 And I'm telling him, "Help me!" I didn't know how to swim. 1318 01:15:43,248 --> 01:15:44,666 I made it to the second pier 1319 01:15:45,667 --> 01:15:47,377 then a ship started passing, 1320 01:15:47,377 --> 01:15:49,045 the current just pulling you in. 1321 01:15:51,422 --> 01:15:53,174 It pulled me right up to the boat. 1322 01:15:54,676 --> 01:15:55,802 I woulda went right underneath. 1323 01:15:58,179 --> 01:16:00,807 This is where the elderly man, Albert... 1324 01:16:00,807 --> 01:16:05,186 his father Sonny was holding my head above the water 1325 01:16:05,186 --> 01:16:07,313 to keep me from going under. 1326 01:16:08,439 --> 01:16:11,442 (gentle acoustic guitar) 1327 01:16:12,694 --> 01:16:15,530 They lifted me out of the water and put me onto the boat, 1328 01:16:17,574 --> 01:16:19,951 and they drove off and put me in an ambulance, 1329 01:16:20,952 --> 01:16:23,955 and finally I got to the hospital. 1330 01:16:25,164 --> 01:16:27,792 I had a fractured hip in two spots. 1331 01:16:31,921 --> 01:16:33,715 So much I wanted to get back at them. 1332 01:16:34,966 --> 01:16:37,093 I still remember their faces, 1333 01:16:38,094 --> 01:16:39,345 two of them especially. 1334 01:16:40,972 --> 01:16:42,432 Sometimes I can't even walk. 1335 01:16:43,308 --> 01:16:45,101 I mean, it's gonna be a wound that's gonna be there 1336 01:16:45,101 --> 01:16:46,185 for the rest of my life. 1337 01:16:46,728 --> 01:16:50,315 - Some had masks on and then they would stand so long, 1338 01:16:50,315 --> 01:16:53,985 and then another line would come in and they would take 1339 01:16:53,985 --> 01:16:57,113 their masks off. It was like they were always on duty. 1340 01:16:57,113 --> 01:16:59,115 Shot us with tear gas and everything. 1341 01:17:01,075 --> 01:17:02,619 - Once the air cleared, 1342 01:17:02,619 --> 01:17:04,704 and we noticed they were trying to cross the bridge, 1343 01:17:04,704 --> 01:17:06,122 and that's when we started stoning. 1344 01:17:07,832 --> 01:17:09,626 We learned that from Whiskey Trench. 1345 01:17:10,877 --> 01:17:12,337 We learned that from what they did to our people 1346 01:17:12,337 --> 01:17:13,630 going over the Mercier Bridge. 1347 01:17:13,630 --> 01:17:15,256 Okay, they want to stone our people? 1348 01:17:15,256 --> 01:17:16,090 That's all we've got. 1349 01:17:16,633 --> 01:17:18,885 Had their helmets and all their gear with them. 1350 01:17:18,885 --> 01:17:20,094 They were halfway across the bridge but us, 1351 01:17:20,094 --> 01:17:20,887 we didn't give up. 1352 01:17:20,887 --> 01:17:22,347 We just kept worse and worse, 1353 01:17:22,347 --> 01:17:23,514 throwing more stones, more stones. 1354 01:17:24,724 --> 01:17:26,517 They couldn't take it anymore, and they backed off. 1355 01:17:27,769 --> 01:17:32,774 (blues music) (people shouting) 1356 01:17:34,525 --> 01:17:36,027 - People started pushing them back, 1357 01:17:36,027 --> 01:17:38,154 away from the bridge entrance. 1358 01:17:40,865 --> 01:17:43,284 Then they wanted to march over the bridge 1359 01:17:43,284 --> 01:17:44,994 through the community itself, 1360 01:17:44,994 --> 01:17:49,040 just to show that they had taken the community, so to speak, 1361 01:17:49,040 --> 01:17:52,293 and the people's resistance prevented them from doing that. 1362 01:17:52,293 --> 01:17:55,046 - And the women are the title holders to the land, 1363 01:17:56,506 --> 01:17:58,049 and we'll never give that up. 1364 01:18:00,301 --> 01:18:03,763 No amount of money 1365 01:18:03,763 --> 01:18:07,517 can take the value of our land. 1366 01:18:10,019 --> 01:18:13,272 - When all you had was people with their spirit 1367 01:18:14,190 --> 01:18:15,817 and their strength 1368 01:18:15,817 --> 01:18:17,694 defending their territory, their village, 1369 01:18:17,694 --> 01:18:19,404 the heart where their children are. 1370 01:18:19,404 --> 01:18:21,781 That's what really this was all about. 1371 01:18:36,671 --> 01:18:39,465 - What kept us... gave us the strength 1372 01:18:39,465 --> 01:18:43,970 was our ancestors through our spirituality, 1373 01:18:51,602 --> 01:18:54,230 and we're gonna be here forever. 1374 01:18:54,230 --> 01:18:56,482 We were always in this area. 1375 01:18:56,482 --> 01:18:58,359 We're not gonna go away. 1376 01:18:58,359 --> 01:19:00,236 No one's gonna drive us out. 1377 01:19:00,236 --> 01:19:01,738 We're gonna remain here. 1378 01:19:02,613 --> 01:19:04,615 - Need blood before you leave? 1379 01:19:04,615 --> 01:19:07,368 - So the people out there should know that. 1380 01:19:17,587 --> 01:19:20,131 - It was a very tense and dangerous situation. 1381 01:19:22,884 --> 01:19:24,886 It almost erupted into 1382 01:19:24,886 --> 01:19:29,265 what could have been, I guess, a tragic situation. 1383 01:19:30,266 --> 01:19:32,643 One of the soldiers did get attacked 1384 01:19:32,643 --> 01:19:35,104 and was beaten by some of our people. 1385 01:19:36,230 --> 01:19:39,650 (gunshots) 1386 01:19:39,650 --> 01:19:41,527 - Right across from the island, there's a hospital. 1387 01:19:41,527 --> 01:19:44,906 A lot of old people in there. Imagine how they felt? 1388 01:19:44,906 --> 01:19:48,284 Scared and they hear gunshots going off. 1389 01:19:48,284 --> 01:19:50,036 - To defend their comrade, 1390 01:19:50,036 --> 01:19:53,247 one of the soldiers did fire one of the automatic weapons 1391 01:19:53,247 --> 01:19:55,249 that he had into the air, 1392 01:19:55,249 --> 01:19:58,169 and that created a situation in which then... 1393 01:19:58,169 --> 01:20:01,172 the rest of his colleagues then pointed their weapons 1394 01:20:01,172 --> 01:20:03,382 at everybody and to myself. I said, "This is it. 1395 01:20:03,382 --> 01:20:06,803 They're gonna shoot," but cooler heads prevailed 1396 01:20:06,803 --> 01:20:08,262 and they didn't. 1397 01:20:08,262 --> 01:20:11,682 They managed to take their... 1398 01:20:11,682 --> 01:20:15,812 injured colleague and tend to his injuries. 1399 01:20:15,812 --> 01:20:18,898 People were still quite insistent 1400 01:20:18,898 --> 01:20:20,024 that they were going to leave. 1401 01:20:20,024 --> 01:20:22,443 That they had no choice in the matter. 1402 01:20:22,443 --> 01:20:25,279 The soldiers themselves... they were scared... 1403 01:20:28,074 --> 01:20:30,576 because they could see the anger and the hatred 1404 01:20:30,576 --> 01:20:33,788 in our people for them being there. 1405 01:20:34,330 --> 01:20:37,083 They also raided the marina itself 1406 01:20:37,583 --> 01:20:41,045 and for whatever reason, they seized alcohol and records 1407 01:20:41,045 --> 01:20:42,922 and all kinds of things which, from what I know... 1408 01:20:42,922 --> 01:20:45,466 from what I understand, have never been returned... 1409 01:20:47,343 --> 01:20:48,469 and they asked for time. 1410 01:20:48,469 --> 01:20:50,847 They said, "Look, we have X number of people 1411 01:20:50,847 --> 01:20:52,849 on the island over here. 1412 01:20:52,849 --> 01:20:55,810 In order for us to evacuate, we will need to make several... 1413 01:20:55,810 --> 01:20:59,564 several trips, in order to pick everybody up." 1414 01:20:59,564 --> 01:21:01,566 Some people said, "We don't care how they get out of here. 1415 01:21:01,566 --> 01:21:02,984 Let 'em swim if they want." 1416 01:21:07,488 --> 01:21:09,198 - We stayed there 'till nighttime, 1417 01:21:10,241 --> 01:21:12,368 'till they were ready to move out. 1418 01:21:12,368 --> 01:21:14,495 - We stopped them from coming into our territory, 1419 01:21:14,495 --> 01:21:16,330 and we sent them right back home, 1420 01:21:16,330 --> 01:21:17,623 same way they came in. 1421 01:21:21,127 --> 01:21:23,880 - [filmmaker] The confrontation lasted seven hours. 1422 01:21:25,506 --> 01:21:29,010 The army could not enter the town as they had planned. 1423 01:21:29,844 --> 01:21:32,889 At sundown, the helicopters airlifted 1424 01:21:32,889 --> 01:21:35,725 the 140 soldiers off the island. 1425 01:21:48,863 --> 01:21:50,281 - The last Chinook that took off 1426 01:21:50,281 --> 01:21:52,408 almost didn't even make it off the ground. 1427 01:21:53,409 --> 01:21:55,161 That's how overloaded they were 1428 01:21:55,870 --> 01:21:57,496 and in a hurry to get out of here. 1429 01:21:58,998 --> 01:22:00,666 - [filmmaker] In late afternoon, 1430 01:22:00,666 --> 01:22:03,544 the 78-day siege came to an end. 1431 01:22:07,298 --> 01:22:10,384 (blues music) 1432 01:22:16,390 --> 01:22:19,936 - Come on, get up! Get the fuck up! 1433 01:22:25,691 --> 01:22:29,070 - The soldiers handcuffed everyone except the children 1434 01:22:29,070 --> 01:22:32,073 and put them in waiting buses. 1435 01:22:32,073 --> 01:22:34,951 They were taken to an army camp. 1436 01:22:35,952 --> 01:22:38,829 In Farnham, they remained in the buses 1437 01:22:38,829 --> 01:22:41,791 until 4 A.M. then, 1438 01:22:41,791 --> 01:22:44,335 one by one, they were interrogated 1439 01:22:44,335 --> 01:22:46,170 by the army and the police. 1440 01:22:48,214 --> 01:22:51,842 Their lawyers argued for hours to see their clients. 1441 01:22:52,718 --> 01:22:55,346 When they finally were allowed in the base, 1442 01:22:55,346 --> 01:22:58,849 they were not permitted to be present at the interrogation. 1443 01:23:01,811 --> 01:23:03,354 The Warriors were released 1444 01:23:03,354 --> 01:23:06,816 nine days later, after the laying of criminal charges. 1445 01:23:10,319 --> 01:23:11,112 - The spirit was high. 1446 01:23:11,112 --> 01:23:13,197 Confidence was always high up here. 1447 01:23:13,197 --> 01:23:14,490 There was no other... 1448 01:23:15,741 --> 01:23:17,702 no other motive for anybody being here 1449 01:23:17,702 --> 01:23:19,704 other than defending this land, 1450 01:23:21,622 --> 01:23:24,375 and when it comes to land, Native people 1451 01:23:24,375 --> 01:23:26,585 have very little left. 1452 01:23:26,585 --> 01:23:29,255 They've either had it treatied away, stolen away... 1453 01:23:30,631 --> 01:23:34,260 or outwardly taken from them, including rights, 1454 01:23:35,970 --> 01:23:39,348 just general disregard for our heritage, 1455 01:23:40,141 --> 01:23:43,019 so nothing can shock a native 1456 01:23:43,019 --> 01:23:44,895 because it's already been done to them 1457 01:23:44,895 --> 01:23:46,397 repeatedly throughout history. 1458 01:23:48,399 --> 01:23:52,403 (chanting and percussion) 1459 01:24:06,000 --> 01:24:08,294 - I have no fear of going to jail. 1460 01:24:08,294 --> 01:24:11,797 If I go to jail, I'll go to jail with my head high. 1461 01:24:11,797 --> 01:24:12,923 I'll come out of jail 1462 01:24:12,923 --> 01:24:14,925 with my head 10 times higher than that. 1463 01:24:16,052 --> 01:24:17,928 - If you go to any Native territory 1464 01:24:17,928 --> 01:24:19,805 throughout North America, 1465 01:24:19,805 --> 01:24:22,516 and you ask if we're guilty, we're not guilty, 1466 01:24:22,516 --> 01:24:24,060 and that's what counts. 1467 01:24:24,060 --> 01:24:28,064 As long as our people feel that we're innocent, 1468 01:24:28,064 --> 01:24:29,648 then I'll go to jail 1469 01:24:31,400 --> 01:24:34,403 because while I'm in jail, I know I'll have the support 1470 01:24:35,279 --> 01:24:37,823 of all Aboriginal people throughout North America. 1471 01:24:40,409 --> 01:24:43,204 (chanting and percussion) 1472 01:24:54,090 --> 01:24:57,468 - You all know what we all had to went through 1473 01:24:57,468 --> 01:24:59,595 over the years 1474 01:24:59,595 --> 01:25:01,847 when we had to talk about this land. 1475 01:25:03,099 --> 01:25:07,353 (speaking Mohawk) 1476 01:25:11,357 --> 01:25:16,362 This land we live on, this earth is very pitiful now. 1477 01:25:17,113 --> 01:25:19,073 A lot of hurt has been happening here, 1478 01:25:19,073 --> 01:25:23,119 not only to us people, but to the land, to the territories. 1479 01:25:24,453 --> 01:25:27,498 (speaking Mohawk) 1480 01:25:27,498 --> 01:25:30,126 This is all our concern, 1481 01:25:30,126 --> 01:25:33,379 all of us different tribes 1482 01:25:33,379 --> 01:25:34,880 on this earth. 1483 01:25:38,134 --> 01:25:40,261 We all only have one heart. 1484 01:25:41,637 --> 01:25:44,765 (chanting and percussion) 1485 01:26:10,624 --> 01:26:13,169 I give the Mohawk people, 1486 01:26:13,169 --> 01:26:15,296 the six nations of this territory 1487 01:26:15,296 --> 01:26:18,174 all the respect that I could ever give them. 1488 01:26:18,174 --> 01:26:19,675 I can't do enough for them, 1489 01:26:21,051 --> 01:26:24,513 but to say I thank them for opening my eyes 1490 01:26:24,513 --> 01:26:26,807 along with other nations across Canada. 1491 01:26:31,770 --> 01:26:32,938 - [filmmaker] The crisis was far 1492 01:26:32,938 --> 01:26:35,065 from being over in Kahnawake. 1493 01:26:35,941 --> 01:26:39,528 The police continued to harass the people nonstop 1494 01:26:39,528 --> 01:26:41,447 for the next two years. 1495 01:26:41,822 --> 01:26:44,575 - When you came back to Kahnawake, was the army still here? 1496 01:26:44,575 --> 01:26:45,534 - Oh yes. Oh yes. 1497 01:26:45,534 --> 01:26:47,328 They gave us a hard time when we were coming back. 1498 01:26:47,328 --> 01:26:48,204 - What happened? 1499 01:26:49,455 --> 01:26:52,583 - Somewhere on Highway 30, 1500 01:26:52,583 --> 01:26:54,960 we had to show all our stuff what we brought back, 1501 01:26:54,960 --> 01:26:57,213 all our birth certificate, 1502 01:26:57,213 --> 01:26:59,340 and what helped us out was my birth certificate. 1503 01:26:59,340 --> 01:27:00,841 It's written that my father was at war. 1504 01:27:00,841 --> 01:27:02,676 The First World War. 1505 01:27:02,676 --> 01:27:04,970 That's the year I was born, 1506 01:27:04,970 --> 01:27:06,430 and then the Provincial police... he says, 1507 01:27:06,430 --> 01:27:08,557 "Okay, you can go." 1508 01:27:08,557 --> 01:27:12,937 We went maybe from here across the seaway. 1509 01:27:12,937 --> 01:27:14,855 There was another bunch that we had to stop there. 1510 01:27:14,855 --> 01:27:18,734 We had to report again that, you know, we were coming home. 1511 01:27:18,734 --> 01:27:20,236 Again, we were checked. 1512 01:27:20,236 --> 01:27:21,737 Below the Mercier Bridge. 1513 01:27:21,737 --> 01:27:23,739 Again, there was another bunch, 1514 01:27:23,739 --> 01:27:26,617 and there was about five or six cars behind us. 1515 01:27:26,617 --> 01:27:27,743 We were all stopped. 1516 01:27:27,743 --> 01:27:30,371 We had to get out, checked what we had in there, 1517 01:27:30,371 --> 01:27:33,874 and once we got in Kahnawake, well, I made the sign 1518 01:27:33,874 --> 01:27:37,127 of the cross, and I thanked God that I was back home. 1519 01:27:37,127 --> 01:27:39,964 - Every time you go out of town, they harass you. 1520 01:27:39,964 --> 01:27:41,382 They pull you over, they check your trunk, 1521 01:27:41,382 --> 01:27:43,259 they check underneath your seats. 1522 01:27:43,259 --> 01:27:45,010 Even the cops... if your tire's low, 1523 01:27:45,010 --> 01:27:46,637 they give you a ticket for that, 1524 01:27:46,637 --> 01:27:48,597 and they search you, 1525 01:27:48,597 --> 01:27:51,725 your I.D., your car, everything. 1526 01:27:51,725 --> 01:27:53,352 Like two minutes later, you're going back out. 1527 01:27:53,352 --> 01:27:55,396 They know it's you, they search you, they do it again. 1528 01:27:55,980 --> 01:27:57,523 It's just harassment. 1529 01:27:57,523 --> 01:27:59,650 They had no business here after that. 1530 01:27:59,650 --> 01:28:02,611 If you're a Mohawk, you're in trouble. 1531 01:28:03,404 --> 01:28:06,031 - The primary law enforcement agency 1532 01:28:06,031 --> 01:28:08,367 in the territory of Kahnawake 1533 01:28:08,367 --> 01:28:10,035 is the Peacekeepers. 1534 01:28:10,035 --> 01:28:14,415 - One evening, we were returning from St-Constant 1535 01:28:14,415 --> 01:28:17,042 where we had our motor vehicle repaired, 1536 01:28:18,377 --> 01:28:20,879 and Assistant Chief White and myself 1537 01:28:20,879 --> 01:28:22,798 had come into the first checkpoint within the reserve, 1538 01:28:22,798 --> 01:28:25,551 and we're stopped by the military police 1539 01:28:25,551 --> 01:28:27,553 and asked to step out of our vehicles, 1540 01:28:27,553 --> 01:28:29,054 asked to put our hands over our head, 1541 01:28:29,054 --> 01:28:30,931 then we were advised we were placed under arrest 1542 01:28:30,931 --> 01:28:34,518 for possession of unregistered, restricted weapons. 1543 01:28:35,060 --> 01:28:36,895 Well, we've been carrying firearms 1544 01:28:36,895 --> 01:28:38,564 as a law enforcement agency 1545 01:28:38,564 --> 01:28:41,317 within Kahnawake for approximately 20 years, 1546 01:28:41,317 --> 01:28:44,445 and we've never had a problem until Monday. 1547 01:28:44,445 --> 01:28:46,196 - The Peacekeepers are going to continue to function 1548 01:28:46,196 --> 01:28:48,324 as peace officers in the community of Kahnawake. 1549 01:28:48,324 --> 01:28:49,450 They're going to continue to patrol 1550 01:28:49,450 --> 01:28:50,951 the community of Kahnawake. 1551 01:28:50,951 --> 01:28:52,286 They're going to continue to apprehend 1552 01:28:52,286 --> 01:28:54,038 offenders in the community of Kahnawake, 1553 01:28:54,038 --> 01:28:55,831 both Indian and non-Indian. 1554 01:28:55,831 --> 01:28:57,708 Anybody who comes into the community who thinks 1555 01:28:57,708 --> 01:28:59,960 they can commit a criminal infraction and get away with it 1556 01:28:59,960 --> 01:29:03,297 because of this possibility of charges are sorely wrong. 1557 01:29:03,297 --> 01:29:07,801 I understand that the decision to investigate 1558 01:29:07,801 --> 01:29:08,594 the possibility of laying charges 1559 01:29:08,594 --> 01:29:10,220 was made by the Provincial police. 1560 01:29:10,220 --> 01:29:14,975 - I hope the Surete decides to be reasonable about this 1561 01:29:14,975 --> 01:29:17,436 because it can have a reciprocal effect. 1562 01:29:17,853 --> 01:29:20,856 - It is a very serious problem because, you know, 1563 01:29:20,856 --> 01:29:23,609 whenever they want to do something in Kahnawake, 1564 01:29:23,609 --> 01:29:26,320 they feel they can come and they don't have to consult. 1565 01:29:27,363 --> 01:29:29,365 We have a legitimate police agreement 1566 01:29:29,365 --> 01:29:30,824 with the Federal Government 1567 01:29:30,824 --> 01:29:33,369 and Provincial Government that says otherwise. 1568 01:29:33,535 --> 01:29:34,244 I think at that time, 1569 01:29:34,244 --> 01:29:37,873 we probably were the most heavily policed community 1570 01:29:37,873 --> 01:29:39,750 you'd find anywhere in North America. 1571 01:29:45,506 --> 01:29:46,507 (sirens) 1572 01:29:46,507 --> 01:29:48,133 - We were living in Chateauguay, 1573 01:29:49,385 --> 01:29:51,637 and I was the president of the school committee 1574 01:29:51,804 --> 01:29:53,013 of St. Willibrod School, 1575 01:29:54,014 --> 01:29:55,766 and they came out with the saying 1576 01:29:55,766 --> 01:29:58,143 that we better not let the Mohawk children come back 1577 01:29:58,143 --> 01:30:00,979 right away because it's not safe for them, 1578 01:30:00,979 --> 01:30:04,149 and I decided to speak out, which I did, 1579 01:30:04,149 --> 01:30:06,235 and there was a meeting of the school board. 1580 01:30:06,902 --> 01:30:09,154 We were in the French board at the time, 1581 01:30:09,154 --> 01:30:11,615 and I went prepared with two speeches, 1582 01:30:11,615 --> 01:30:13,283 one in French and one in English, 1583 01:30:14,243 --> 01:30:16,787 and I didn't even get a chance to start. 1584 01:30:18,539 --> 01:30:20,999 The hatred was fierce in the room. 1585 01:30:20,999 --> 01:30:24,795 People were attacking the Gazette reporter. 1586 01:30:25,671 --> 01:30:27,881 They threw his phone across the room. 1587 01:30:27,881 --> 01:30:32,553 I felt very threatened and I said, "Let's get out of here." 1588 01:30:32,553 --> 01:30:35,180 I know that hatred is evil, 1589 01:30:35,180 --> 01:30:37,683 and I don't care if it comes out of a white man, 1590 01:30:37,683 --> 01:30:40,185 a red man, a black man... it affects us. 1591 01:30:42,062 --> 01:30:44,523 - I kept them in French school, but I sent them to Lachine 1592 01:30:44,523 --> 01:30:47,443 because there was just too much trouble in Chateauguay, 1593 01:30:47,443 --> 01:30:49,445 and it was... 1594 01:30:49,445 --> 01:30:50,446 they started late. 1595 01:30:50,446 --> 01:30:51,447 They didn't let them start 1596 01:30:51,447 --> 01:30:53,907 at the beginning of the school year. 1597 01:30:53,907 --> 01:30:55,576 They had a corn party the first day, 1598 01:30:55,576 --> 01:30:57,161 but our children weren't invited. 1599 01:30:57,161 --> 01:30:59,663 They were thinking of protecting our children 1600 01:31:01,457 --> 01:31:03,959 'cause the English teacher asked why. She says, 1601 01:31:03,959 --> 01:31:07,296 "You have... you're having a corn party," she says, 1602 01:31:07,296 --> 01:31:09,173 "and it was the Indians that gave you corn," 1603 01:31:09,173 --> 01:31:11,550 and she says, "All of the Indian children 1604 01:31:11,550 --> 01:31:12,801 are not in school." 1605 01:32:32,381 --> 01:32:33,924 - I went to summer drama camp, 1606 01:32:33,924 --> 01:32:38,178 and we learned how to make, like, a box... like a stage. 1607 01:32:38,178 --> 01:32:40,430 This is my school, St. Willibrord. 1608 01:32:40,430 --> 01:32:43,308 This is our schoolyard, 1609 01:32:43,308 --> 01:32:46,395 and we're doing the round dance, the four people, 1610 01:32:46,395 --> 01:32:51,400 and this is me. There's a few kids in my class: 1611 01:32:51,567 --> 01:32:56,530 Amy, Amanda, and Julie. They were interested 1612 01:32:56,697 --> 01:33:00,450 in Indians, and I showed them the round dance, 1613 01:33:00,450 --> 01:33:03,328 and there's about three Indians in our class, 1614 01:33:03,328 --> 01:33:06,456 and we, like, do a few dances, 1615 01:33:06,456 --> 01:33:10,294 and then James and them... James, Danny, and Brock... 1616 01:33:10,294 --> 01:33:11,420 they make fun of us 1617 01:33:11,420 --> 01:33:13,088 because, like, it's different. 1618 01:33:15,841 --> 01:33:17,551 - So Heavenly Father, as this smoke rises, 1619 01:33:17,551 --> 01:33:19,469 we ask you to send your holy spirit, 1620 01:33:19,469 --> 01:33:22,973 your great spirit to look upon and bless it. 1621 01:33:22,973 --> 01:33:25,851 Purify the fire and purify this feather 1622 01:33:25,851 --> 01:33:28,812 that we will be using tonight, as we share 1623 01:33:28,812 --> 01:33:30,063 one another. 1624 01:33:30,063 --> 01:33:34,359 Purify the circle to strike out against another. 1625 01:33:34,359 --> 01:33:36,486 - I participated in a few healing circles. 1626 01:33:37,988 --> 01:33:41,867 - Grandfather, Great Spirit, Jesus Christ, Gitche Manitou, 1627 01:33:41,867 --> 01:33:43,952 and all the many names that we address you with. 1628 01:33:43,952 --> 01:33:45,621 - I went to a sweat lodge. 1629 01:33:46,622 --> 01:33:47,497 I'm just... 1630 01:33:48,874 --> 01:33:50,584 I'm still in search, you know, 1631 01:33:51,877 --> 01:33:55,380 but I've come a long way from where I was. 1632 01:33:56,131 --> 01:33:58,008 - In 1990, that summer that many of us remember 1633 01:33:58,008 --> 01:34:02,763 in different ways... it is good to recall it 1634 01:34:04,473 --> 01:34:08,393 because like any healing, when we're wounded, 1635 01:34:08,393 --> 01:34:12,147 and unless the wound is cleansed deeply 1636 01:34:12,147 --> 01:34:15,400 and profoundly, the infection will continue to fester. 1637 01:34:16,109 --> 01:34:17,778 - And the circle is really... 1638 01:34:20,739 --> 01:34:22,115 really working, I think, Ron 1639 01:34:22,115 --> 01:34:24,284 because we've all come together and... 1640 01:34:24,284 --> 01:34:26,787 sit with the non-Native brothers and sisters, 1641 01:34:26,787 --> 01:34:28,038 and we're all working together, 1642 01:34:28,038 --> 01:34:30,540 and leaving our hurts here. 1643 01:34:30,540 --> 01:34:33,418 - My main attitude was that of indifference, 1644 01:34:33,418 --> 01:34:36,129 making jokes about the Warriors 1645 01:34:36,129 --> 01:34:37,547 and about the masks and all this, 1646 01:34:37,547 --> 01:34:40,926 and as men generally do, we like to kid 1647 01:34:40,926 --> 01:34:43,804 and make jokes about things we don't understand 1648 01:34:43,804 --> 01:34:46,264 and things over which we have no control, 1649 01:34:47,182 --> 01:34:49,393 and it was that ignorance 1650 01:34:49,393 --> 01:34:54,398 and that lack of control that was really controlling us. 1651 01:34:56,191 --> 01:34:59,569 We got to meet these people, and they became friends. 1652 01:34:59,569 --> 01:35:01,154 They became brothers. 1653 01:35:01,154 --> 01:35:04,157 We needed healing, the healing of our indifference 1654 01:35:04,157 --> 01:35:05,951 because we started to care. 1655 01:35:05,951 --> 01:35:09,955 - I had in my classes so many children from Kahnawake. 1656 01:35:09,955 --> 01:35:13,333 I felt... after the crisis was over... 1657 01:35:14,334 --> 01:35:17,462 I felt it was important to do something, 1658 01:35:17,462 --> 01:35:21,341 and if I could help build bridges of reconciliation 1659 01:35:21,341 --> 01:35:23,552 between Chateauguay and Kahnawake, 1660 01:35:23,552 --> 01:35:26,346 then that was what I wanted to do, 1661 01:35:26,346 --> 01:35:32,102 and I enjoyed a feeling of family here 1662 01:35:33,311 --> 01:35:37,357 in this healing circle that I had never known. 1663 01:35:47,576 --> 01:35:51,621 - We didn't open many stores in 1990, '91, '92, '93. 1664 01:35:51,621 --> 01:35:56,585 It was the lowest development years in the province. 1665 01:35:57,002 --> 01:35:58,754 We had a crisis then, 1666 01:35:58,754 --> 01:35:59,880 but it's improving now. 1667 01:36:03,008 --> 01:36:05,135 The majority of the citizens of Chateauguay are pleased 1668 01:36:05,135 --> 01:36:08,346 with what's going on between Chateauguay and Kahnawake. 1669 01:36:08,346 --> 01:36:09,473 - There was a long period of time 1670 01:36:09,473 --> 01:36:14,478 before I even wanted to go back and give any of my business 1671 01:36:14,853 --> 01:36:19,858 or associate with anything to do with Chateauguay, 1672 01:36:20,108 --> 01:36:25,405 so even now, it's a very thin layer of tolerance 1673 01:36:25,906 --> 01:36:29,159 that's still there, and probably you'd peel that back 1674 01:36:29,159 --> 01:36:33,622 if there was... any kind of a situation was to occur... 1675 01:36:33,622 --> 01:36:35,916 very quickly that thing would flare back up. 1676 01:36:39,503 --> 01:36:42,047 (gentle music) 1677 01:36:42,047 --> 01:36:44,132 They say time heals things. 1678 01:36:44,132 --> 01:36:46,301 Yes, it does to a certain extent, 1679 01:36:46,301 --> 01:36:49,763 but I think the underlying problems are still... 1680 01:36:49,763 --> 01:36:51,056 haven't been addressed there. 1681 01:36:52,307 --> 01:36:56,937 - Now had not the Mohawk land been as important, 1682 01:36:56,937 --> 01:36:59,189 then we would have not done that. 1683 01:36:59,189 --> 01:37:00,690 As a result of it, 1684 01:37:00,690 --> 01:37:03,693 our community has been economically devastated. 1685 01:37:11,952 --> 01:37:15,956 - So the first time I went back, which was to actually go 1686 01:37:15,956 --> 01:37:18,208 and shop there, was maybe a year later, 1687 01:37:19,793 --> 01:37:23,171 and I felt very uncomfortable. 1688 01:37:23,171 --> 01:37:26,091 I thought people were looking at me, you know. 1689 01:37:26,091 --> 01:37:28,844 I guess we'll never forget it. It'll always be there. 1690 01:37:30,178 --> 01:37:31,721 - One time, I went at Zellers, 1691 01:37:33,056 --> 01:37:36,101 "Ah, these people!" (speaking French) 1692 01:37:37,477 --> 01:37:38,854 That's... 1693 01:37:38,854 --> 01:37:41,106 Then my daughter Mona, she says, "Hey." 1694 01:37:41,106 --> 01:37:42,858 She says, "We're not savages." 1695 01:37:42,858 --> 01:37:46,486 She says, "It's the people that throw stones at my mother... 1696 01:37:46,486 --> 01:37:48,572 they're the savages." 1697 01:37:48,572 --> 01:37:50,740 So anyways, that stopped. 1698 01:37:50,740 --> 01:37:54,369 The manager, I think, came and he told them to stop, 1699 01:37:55,871 --> 01:37:57,873 so we didn't even buy nothing that day. 1700 01:37:57,873 --> 01:37:59,875 We came back out, and we went home. 1701 01:38:00,750 --> 01:38:02,961 - I find people are still staring at you. 1702 01:38:03,378 --> 01:38:06,381 - Here, but look at this one. You always liked big glasses. 1703 01:38:06,381 --> 01:38:08,008 - Let me check further down. 1704 01:38:08,008 --> 01:38:09,759 - I try. I try... 1705 01:38:12,512 --> 01:38:15,849 to remember the ones that helped. 1706 01:38:19,352 --> 01:38:22,147 - If we want to improve relations, 1707 01:38:23,023 --> 01:38:25,525 we can't look back all the time. 1708 01:38:25,525 --> 01:38:26,776 We have to look forward. 1709 01:38:27,611 --> 01:38:32,908 We may not forget, but we have the obligation to forgive. 1710 01:38:33,783 --> 01:38:34,743 On both sides. 1711 01:38:36,036 --> 01:38:40,040 - I know people like to think about forgive and forget, 1712 01:38:40,040 --> 01:38:42,042 you know, and let's not bring up the past. 1713 01:38:42,042 --> 01:38:45,670 Whether it's good or bad, it had a beginning somewhere. 1714 01:38:45,670 --> 01:38:47,422 There's a cause for it. 1715 01:38:47,422 --> 01:38:50,300 It's always necessary to look back in time 1716 01:38:50,300 --> 01:38:53,053 at what has created a situation. 1717 01:38:53,053 --> 01:38:57,057 Why are people doing things at that point? 1718 01:38:57,933 --> 01:39:00,518 Why are there difficulties? Why is it so difficult 1719 01:39:00,518 --> 01:39:03,188 to live in the province of Quebec, you know? 1720 01:39:03,188 --> 01:39:06,942 And why is it that much more difficult for Native people 1721 01:39:06,942 --> 01:39:11,321 and, in this instance, Mohawk people, Kahnawake... 1722 01:39:12,530 --> 01:39:15,325 to have a relationship with their neighbors? 1723 01:39:18,662 --> 01:39:23,166 - The land issue is something beyond my capacity. 1724 01:39:23,166 --> 01:39:25,710 I understand the situation, but I cannot resolve it. 1725 01:39:27,170 --> 01:39:28,797 - We look at the world around us, 1726 01:39:28,797 --> 01:39:32,842 and there's not many great things to look at, you know. 1727 01:39:32,842 --> 01:39:37,847 We see disparity, wars going on, oppression, you know, 1728 01:39:38,098 --> 01:39:39,724 violation of human rights. 1729 01:39:39,724 --> 01:39:41,601 There's a lot of negativity. 1730 01:39:45,063 --> 01:39:47,190 It's very rewarding because you see them 1731 01:39:47,190 --> 01:39:48,942 developing physically, 1732 01:39:48,942 --> 01:39:51,111 you see them developing spiritually, 1733 01:39:51,111 --> 01:39:53,321 and you see them developing mentally, 1734 01:39:53,321 --> 01:39:56,241 and when you see a being develop like that, 1735 01:39:56,241 --> 01:39:58,326 it's pretty hard to intimidate them, 1736 01:39:58,326 --> 01:40:01,454 to make them walk off a good path. 1737 01:40:02,330 --> 01:40:04,374 Beautiful. Beautiful. 1738 01:40:05,500 --> 01:40:07,127 - For our future generations, 1739 01:40:07,127 --> 01:40:09,379 well, we gotta think of our little kids that are growing up, 1740 01:40:09,379 --> 01:40:12,257 that are coming up and, you know... 1741 01:40:12,257 --> 01:40:15,093 to take care of whatever we have left on the reserve. 1742 01:40:16,094 --> 01:40:19,347 (speaking Mohawk) 1743 01:40:26,396 --> 01:40:31,735 - The 78 days that we were home on the land, 1744 01:40:32,277 --> 01:40:37,157 the peace that was there, just to be unified, 1745 01:40:37,157 --> 01:40:40,285 will help us to always remember 1746 01:40:40,285 --> 01:40:42,412 the seven generations that follows, 1747 01:40:43,413 --> 01:40:45,874 from the unborn that's coming yet. 1748 01:40:45,874 --> 01:40:47,542 In our language, they would turn around and say, 1749 01:40:47,542 --> 01:40:48,793 (speaking Mohawk) 1750 01:40:48,793 --> 01:40:50,920 "Their faces are not here, they're coming though." 1751 01:40:52,297 --> 01:40:56,176 Mother Earth gave us life, just like a woman will give life, 1752 01:40:56,176 --> 01:41:00,805 and each generation anew will bring happiness and joy, 1753 01:41:00,805 --> 01:41:04,434 and that will be the most beautiful that we can live, 1754 01:41:04,434 --> 01:41:06,436 but we need to work together, 1755 01:41:07,812 --> 01:41:11,024 not just my people, but the people of the world. 1756 01:41:13,651 --> 01:41:16,905 (gentle music) 1757 01:41:40,470 --> 01:41:43,306 - That we don't have to go to the Canadian Government 1758 01:41:43,306 --> 01:41:44,974 and ask for our sovereignty. 1759 01:41:46,226 --> 01:41:48,228 That we don't have to go to the Canadian Government 1760 01:41:48,228 --> 01:41:52,357 and ask for our rights to be self-determining. 1761 01:41:52,357 --> 01:41:53,358 We have those. 1762 01:41:55,110 --> 01:41:57,237 They're inside of our hearts. 1763 01:41:57,237 --> 01:41:58,738 They're in our beliefs. 1764 01:42:00,365 --> 01:42:02,700 We have to ensure that those rights 1765 01:42:02,700 --> 01:42:05,120 continue to exist into the future, 1766 01:42:05,120 --> 01:42:06,621 so that our children do not have 1767 01:42:06,621 --> 01:42:08,456 to go through that kind of struggle, 1768 01:42:10,125 --> 01:42:13,628 so that they will enjoy the peace and the respect 1769 01:42:13,628 --> 01:42:16,089 and the honor of being Onkwehonwe. 1770 01:42:18,758 --> 01:42:23,138 So I ask you, all of you, to keep your commitment strong, 1771 01:42:24,097 --> 01:42:27,016 to keep your prayers strong, 1772 01:42:27,016 --> 01:42:31,604 and I ask all of you to begin to work in your communities, 1773 01:42:31,604 --> 01:42:35,608 to begin building your nations, build your Government, 1774 01:42:35,608 --> 01:42:37,652 build your people, 1775 01:42:39,154 --> 01:42:41,114 demonstrate and respect and honor 1776 01:42:42,031 --> 01:42:45,869 that these people had made a commitment over 75 days. 1777 01:42:45,869 --> 01:42:46,911 Always remember them. 1778 01:42:49,164 --> 01:42:52,167 - [filmmaker] To have the treaties respected and recognized 1779 01:42:52,167 --> 01:42:56,421 by the Government and its citizens has always been 1780 01:42:56,421 --> 01:42:59,674 a struggle for all Aboriginal people in Canada. 1781 01:43:01,509 --> 01:43:04,679 (somber music) 1782 01:43:04,679 --> 01:43:09,058 The experience of treachery and loss is their history. 1783 01:43:23,907 --> 01:43:28,828 The 1990 stand by the Mohawks of Kahnawake and Kanehsatake, 1784 01:43:28,828 --> 01:43:30,205 was not in vain. 1785 01:43:32,207 --> 01:43:35,835 Negotiations on land rights and self-management 1786 01:43:35,835 --> 01:43:38,087 have been going on with the Federal Government 1787 01:43:38,087 --> 01:43:40,340 and several nations across the country. 1788 01:43:42,800 --> 01:43:46,846 This time, the Aboriginal people must be certain 1789 01:43:46,846 --> 01:43:51,851 that any agreement will be best, not only for the present, 1790 01:43:52,185 --> 01:43:55,104 but also for future generations. 1791 01:43:56,481 --> 01:43:59,108 (hopeful music) 133184

Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.