The past is often used by political figures in the present in order to achieve political goals by manipulating a feeling of identity, based upon a shared history, among their followers. The extent to which a political leader may alter narratives of the past to meet his or her own needs is governed by certain constraints and laws of structure, as Appadurai and Sahlins have argued (Appadurai 1981; Sahlins 1985). However, the credibility of a leader is affected by such factors as how well that leader fills the cultural construct of a leader's role and adheres to the community's expectations. At Kahnawake, a Mohawk community near Montreal, I found that the amount of authority granted to individual factional leaders in their interpretation of the Iroquois Confederacy's Great Law of Peace reflected the degree to which each leader behaved as a Confederacy chief or orator should, and also reflected the degree to which the leader obeyed social norms, particularly that of not advocating violence against fellow Mohawks. My findings add to the growing body of anthropological literature on the uses of the past by demonstrating in a specific case study how interpersonal relationships between leaders and a community affect the leaders' credibility and authority over the past.

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The St. Lawrence Seaway, constructed between 1954 and 1959, had a significant impact on the Mohawk community of Kahnawake. Located on the shores of the St. Lawrence River, Kahnawake was faced with the expropriation of 1,262 acres of land for the construction of a canal that effectively cut off the community's access to the river and reduced its land base. Regarded by its members as one of the most important events in Kahnawake's history, the Seaway has become part of the everyday discourse of the community. This thesis examines two recurring themes in the discourse about the Seaway---the factionalism in the community at the time of the construction, and memories about the river---and illustrates how this event informs the present political identity of Kahnawake. The Seaway has become a metaphor for the intrusiveness of the Canadian government and the necessity of resisting any encroachment on Kahnawake's autonomy, and as such has played an important part in the development of nationalism in this community.

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This thesis explores processes of self-representation in Indigenous media by analyzing the work of a weekly newspaper, The Eastern Door, of the Mohawk community of Kahnawake, Quebec (Canada). The thesis examines articulations of power in relations between State and Aboriginal communities, demonstrating the importance of such a medium for the conceptualization of Aboriginal Nation and construction of identity in the contemporary context. The Eastern Door is an important vehicle for communicating Mohawk identity and nationhood, a role it consciously plays, as part of its commitment to political autonomy. Its commitment is shown by its discursive explorations: of avenues, themes chosen, concerns expressed and language used. An element of this commitment is an emphasis on collective and individual behaviour, and on "being" as an expression of Mohawk identity, both of which provide powerful bases of action for the community and in relations with the State. If this thesis underlines that State interest and power are an influence on these processes, it also demonstrates that the Mohawk engagement with cultural politics is influential itself, allowing the Mohawks to develop political strategies vis-a-vis the State, and even to impose political agendas that have to be engaged with by the government.

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