Wednesday, July 9, 2008

2 DAYS LEFT!!!!!!!!!!!!

We only got 2 days left - so hold your breath!!!!

It seems to us organizers that this Youth Rally is becoming a HUGE event - w/more and more people helping us, bringing people out, contacting us about the event DAILY.

So we are REALLY excited and can't wait to see all those people who read our blogs....lol...

The detailed schedule we have so far for the 3 days are:

Friday July 11th
8:00 - 9:00 am - Opening Thanksgiving Address, Tobacco Burning
9:00 - 4:00 pm - Set up
4:00 - 9:00 pm - Hip-hop / Rock Concert
Welcoming by Bill Montour
Presentation by Delegation of Six Nations Youth
Derek Miller on DJ
The Breaking Wind
The Blues Brigade
Mainline
Jace Martin
Happy Frejo
Last Nation
Julia Jamieson & Michael Dean Hajas
Loathing in Paradise
Quanche
Infra Red
Wasun
Tasha/Wayne Anderson & others
Falyan Johnson
K’B Young Anitafika
Aquilla

Saturday July 12
“Where We Stand Today”

8:00 - 9:00 am - Opening Thanksgiving Address, Tobacco Burning
9:00 - 10:00 am - Orientation/Introductions
10:00 - 10:30am - Presenter Linda Poweless
10:30 - 11:00am - Discussion of Linda’s topic
11:00 - 11:30am - Ruby Montour
11:30 - 12:00 pm - Discussion on Ruby’s topic
12:00 - 1:00 pm - Lunch Break
1:00 - 2:00pm - Separate men and women to discuss traditional roles
- Mens Fire leading men’s discussion
- Andrea Thomas leading women’s discussion
2:00 - 3:00pm - Jessica Yee / Discussion with both men and women
3:00 - 5:00 pm – Elders vs. Youth Lacrosse game/ Native Women’s Association of Canada Presentation
5:00 - 6:00 pm - Dinner Break
6:00 - 6:30 pm - Kelly Curley
6:30 - 7:00 pm - Question and answer period
7:00 - 7:30 pm - Iyanna Maracle
7:30 - 9:00 pm - Social done by Tyendinaga Mens Youth Group

Arts Tent:
12:00 - 9:00pm - On-going Creation of Youth Mural with Guest Artist

Sunday July 13
“Action: Where We Are Going From Here”

8:00 - 9:00 am - Opening Thanksgiving Address, Tobacco Burning
9:00 - 12:00 pm - Discussion of ACTION (Statement, Youth Centre, etc.)
12:00 - 1:00 pm - Lunch Break
1:00 - 2:30 pm - Community Healing Ceremony
2:30 - 3:00 pm - Jordan Miller
3:00 - 4:00 pm - March for Youth Center -- Chiefswood Park to Veterans Park
4:00 - 4:30 pm - Presentation at Veterans Park
- Tahnee Wilson
- Heather Watts
- Melissa Elliott
- Presentation of Check by Six Nations Police
- Dinner
4:45 - 5:15 pm - Load Buses from Veterans Park to the Woodland Cultural Centre
5:30 - 8:30 pm - Woodland Cultural Centre
- Documentary “Dish With One Spoon”
- Optional Guide Through Museum
8:30 - 9:00 pm - Load Buses to Come Back to Cheifswood Park

Arts Tent:
11:00 - 12:00 pm - Julia Jamieson’s Hip-Hop Dance Workshop
9:00 - 3:00 pm - On-going Creation and Finalization of Youth Mural


HOWEVER - WE STILL NEED:

Financial Donations:
Make cheque payable to:
The Delegation of Six Nations Youth
Royal Band of Canada
4th Line - Chiefswood Rd.
Iroquois Village Plaza
P.O. Box 279
Ohsweken, ON N0A1M0
Phone (519) 445-4141 Fax (519) 445-4772
Bank Account Number: 01144-5063714

Drop off Locations for Donations/Supplies:
Woodland Cultural Centre
184 Mohawk St.
Brantford, ON N3T 5V6
Phone (519) 759-2650 Fax (519) 445-8912

Wesley Elliott
RR#2 1890 Fifth Line Rd.
Ohsweken, ON N0A 1M0



ALSO - we have been meeting everyday for a while now - so if you want to meet w/us for suggestions, to help out, for donations, for sponsorship or anything else, just stop by Social Services 6pm everyday from now until the Rally --- or come on by to the Cheifswood Park on Friday when we're setting up!

A big Nia:weh Kowa to everyone that's been helping us put on this HUGE, INSPIRING, EMPOWERING, INNOVATIVE, AMAZING event!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

PREFORMERS, SCHEDULE, AND UPDATES!!!

Here are the updates on what's been goin on - who's gonna be there and all that jazz...

Friday, July 11th, 2008
Hip-Hop/Rock Concert 4-10pm:
SO FAR (ie. this is not everyone who's gonna be there)
Derek Miller on DJ
The Breaking Wind
The Blues Brigade
Mainline
Jace Martin
Happy Frejo
Last Nation
Julia Jamieson
Loathing in Paradise
Quanche
Infra Red
Wasun
Tasha/Wayne Anderson & others
Falyan Johnson

Saturday, July 12, 2008
Elders Vs. Youth Lacrosse Game 3pm
- To sign up and show the Elders what ya got, just contact us

Traditional Social 7:30pm
- Tyendinaga Mens Youth Singing Group will put on this Social for all the Youth and Elders

Sunday, July 13 2008
March for a Youth Centre 1pm
- Takin' a stand and raising our voices on the one resource that has been needed in this community for decades...

Community Healing Ceremony 4pm

- Traditional Ceremony to heal the community as one

Ongoing Discussions/ACTION:
- Leadership/Change
- The Great Law
- Violence
- Land Claims
- The Environment
- Healthy Living
- Traditional Roles
- Racism
- Pride
- Etc....

Art Tent
- For all those artists out there - we got u covered w/supplies - soap stone, paint, spray paint (for Graffiti art) - and a huge MURAL to paint by Youth for the Community

Elders Tent
- We got some really cool elders comin down to support the Youth - but if you know anyone who you think would be cool w/talkin to the Youth - contact us or just bring em along! This will be the place to listen and talk to some of the communities finest Leaders...

==========================
=============
SOOO... Basically anything you guys wanna do, we got u covered

BUT - if you know of any cool speakers, performers, Bands, Rap artists - or especially if u know anyone who could sponsor this Huge endeavor then CONTACT US!!!!


delegationofsnyouth@hotmail.com
519-754-5209

OR Facebook message us!!

=======================================
OUR MEETING IS TONIGHT @ 6pm at the Social Services Building - so don't be shy - come and take a stand and DO SOMETHING!

If you can't make it tonight then we will be meeting on Saturday @ 10am at the Six Nations Library - so make it if u can!!!


XOXO
see you all there!!

Sunday, June 8, 2008

The Reality of our Future Generations - A call to action

As many of you know there is a massive political movement happening on Six Nations, the key line being “For our ‘future generations’”. In my opinion, this ideology and concept has almost lost its meaning in the crossfire of discussions being held. Don’t get me wrong I love that there is discussions going on, but I pose a serious statement: any land or financial compensation that is gotten will go to waste unless there is a social movement equal to that of the political one.

For example, take a look at our past:

A young boy is called into the principal’s office only to find that his sister is there, he is then forced to have sex with her while the principal watches and masturbates.

A young boy is placed in solitary confinement for attempting to escape.

A young boy dies and his body is buried, his parents are not notified.

These are all real events that occurred in residential schools; possibly a similar event occurred to a relative of yours. All of the children have one thing in common: they were prohibited to practice their ceremonies. They were punished for speaking the language. If the children did not experience sexual, emotional, or physical abuse first hand, then they witnessed it.

Now, these are our parents and grandparents. And therein lies the problem: would you be able to raise your children in a healthy productive manner if you were one of these students?

Our people are hurting weather you recognize it or not. The works of the government has affected you on an every day, social, and personal level. As a result, our community is broken, lost and directionless. It's not our fault. However, we are to blame if we allow this cycle to continue.

Although we are one of the most economically stable aboriginal communities in Canada, we are faced with a significant amount of other problems. Everybody who’s ever been out knows how intense drugs and specifically coke is raging throughout our community. We all hit the bottle more than we should. We all have trouble with how to cope. We all have been in or witnessed an extremely unhealthy partner relationship. We all have some degree of self esteem issues. We have all experienced sum form of discomfort and discontent with the education system. We all want to become more knowledgeable in our traditional ways.

This is the current reality of our future generations right now.

This is what we are fighting against.

And no matter how much money we get from these negotiations, it will mean nothing to our People, because to me, the answer to our healing lies in the Youth. This is where the tarnish of our spirit was created and this is were it needs to be cleaned. We need a place in which we can permit our children to grow as an individual so we are able to grow as a community. Once we begin to raise our children right we will prosper and begin to meet our full potential. It will take a lot of work but once the ball is rolling it'll get easier as it picks up speed.

So how do we do this? Well there is already an event that is taking place, which seeks to fulfill this void for the Youth – the Six Nations Youth Rally that is being planned for July 11-13 at Cheifswood Park. Here we are looking to finally start healing these wounds and build our community through the Youth. Hopefully, together we can inspire, involve and empower ourselves and all the other Youth in the Community. We can unify. Not only through discussions and ceremony, but through action.

So, you we really believe in the Future Generations, then I challenge you to come to the Six Nations Youth Rally to support, teach and most importantly listen to your future generation.

Whether you’re a Youth, Elder, Mohawk, Cayuga, Longhouse, Christian or whatever, let's all stand up together and put a face to the future generations our leaders speak so much of and finally DO SOMETHING!


I will see you all there.

Tahnee Wilson
Six Nations Youth
Delegation of Six Nations Youth

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Update - Meeting June 4th

There was a quite a few new faces at the meeting this week. We were joined by a representative from New Directions and a few other awesome youth. It was a short meeting but we accomplished a couple of things:

- We are now, with the help of New Directions, reaching out to any and all Six-Nations based (and urban-native-based) organizations that can assist us in the organizing, implementation, funding or any other aspect of this event. So if you know of any organizations contact us or come to the meetings every Tuesday at 6pm at the Social Services Building in Ohsweken.

- We are also still searching for BIG names (bands, performers, artists, etc.) to come out and support the youth at this Youth Rally. -- SO if you know any, contact us or contact THEM and THEN contact us (it'll save us a lot of work...lol...)!!

- Dakota Brant also informed everyone that there will be a Spaghetti Fundraiser on FRIDAY JUNE 6TH FROM 6-8PM AT THE VETERANS HALL for the Spirit of the Youth UNITY RUN 2008. So come on out if you want some good food and lots of fun!

Again, the meeting was kept short as a lot of people couldn't make it this week and there were other meetings people had to attend, but we are going full-ahead at next week's meeting so JOIN US!!!

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Update -- May 27th Meeting

There was only a few of us at the meeting but the main things we are looking at right now are:

1. Preparing our Budget for the event to start applying for various funding
2. Getting more big names (Bands, Artists and speakers) to come to our event and donate their time for the youth
3. Partnering up with different community and youth-based organizations on Six Nations to make this event a community effort.
4. Finally starting to put info on this event out into the community through our own media outlets.
5. Getting more youth and elders to come to our meeting so that we can accomplish our goals more quickly (and it doesn't fall on only a few people's backs)

So if anyone has any info on any of these speaking points or can help out in any way - email us at delegationofsnyouth@hotmail.com or call at 416-662-5438 (ask for melissa) OR you can get us on our facebook group/event page!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

What Help Do We Need?



The only way we, the Delegation of Six Nations Youth can even hope to put on this Youth Rally is through the assistance of the Six Nations community at all levels of planning and implementation of it. It is apparent that we need the assistance of our community - this HAS to be a community effort!!

Donation/Support Needed List

Immediate Needs:
  • MONETARY DONATIONS
  • COMPANY SPONSORS
  • Delegates from community organizations/ businesses to ATTEND MEETINGS (every Tuesday @ 6pm at the Social Services Building)
  • ACTIVE PROMOTION OF RALLY to Youth AND Elders (through mass distribution of flyers, word of mouth, media coverage, etc.)

Supplies:
  • Water
  • Food (canned, meat, potatoes, catering services, etc.)
  • Art Supplies (Soap stone, large canvas, spray paint, tempera paint, paint brushes, markers)
  • Large Canopy Tents
  • Tables
  • Tobacco (and other traditional medicine)
  • Poster board, flip charts, paper, pens, pencils, etc.
  • Wood (for Sacred Fire)
  • Walkie-Talkies
  • Flashlights

Interactive Speakers/Workshop Coordinators on Issues:
  • Leadership(change)
  • Healthy Living
  • Non-Violence
  • The Great Law and other Haudenosaunee Traditions
  • Land Claims
  • The Environment
  • Traditional Roles (Men & Women, Elders & Youth, etc.)
  • Education
  • Pride
  • Racism
  • Bullying

Volunteers:
  • Elders
  • Cooks
  • Security
  • Parking
  • Registration
  • Clean-up personal
  • Assistants for Art & Elders Tents

AND ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING ELSE!

***We especially need organizers and workshop coordinators -- so if you can't do it, find someone who can and COME TO OUR MEETINGS:


EVERY TUESDAY @ 6PM AT THE SIX NATIONS SOCIAL SERVICES BUILDING IN THE BOARD ROOM!


or contact us at:
delegationofsnyouth@hotmail.com
416-662-5438 (ask for Melissa)

The Delegation of Six Nations Youth


The Delegation of Six Nations Youth is really just a group of youth have been advocating for a the involvement and inclusion of youth in Six Nations since creation in early 2007.

Some of the things we have done so far are:

A protest and toll-booth last summer (2007) on the National Aboriginal Day of Action (June 29th) on Highway 54. While on the hwy - we handed out copies of our statement and collected donations for the building of a MUCH need Youth Rally for Six Nations.

Our Statement read:

Delegation of Six Nations Youth
On this June 29th, we the Delegation have decided to take action and collectively voice our concerns regarding our territory. These are our major concerns. We ask you to read them, internalize them, and DO SOMETHING!

1. Abuse programs do NOT get to the root of the problems in our community.
2. Loss of connection to the Earth.
3. YOUTH CENTRE!!!
4. Misinterpretation of traditional roles.
5. No solid base for Youth Empowerment
6. The dominant educational system blocks cultural knowledge
7. Education should not be viewed as a weapon, but as a tool.
8. Hate and resentment should NOT be passed down to our generation. It is immature and stunts our growth!
9. Native funding is designed to avoid the problem rather than solve it.
10. The effort should be made to support Youth in cultural endeavors.
11. Factionalism is against the Law. The Great Law! We need to get past exclusive mindsets and fill the seats of the Confederacy!
12. Parents need to take the initiative to all their children to be put in situations where culture is available.

YOU SAY YOU STAND FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS, WELL, HERE WE ARE! PLEASE LISTEN TO OUR CONCERNS AND HELP US STAND FOR OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS!

- As well, this year, at a joint meeting between Six Nations Band Council and Confederacy Council, the Delegation of Six Nations Youth developed another hand-out was developed and distributed to the leaders with one main message:
WHERE DO OUR PRIORITIES LIE??? A new Bingo Hall is being built on Six Nations while a Youth Centre is still on the back-burner.

NOW we are planning this Youth Rally to get ALL Six Nations Youth on board to start getting our concerns heard in the community and FINALLY build a Youth and Elders Centre!!!