The Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation, which straddles the U.S.-Canada border in northern New York State, is analyzed in order to reveal how it has persevered, despite enormous political and economic difficulties, since its founding around 1754. It is demonstrated that a number of facets of Mohawk social life have allowed the community to flourish. Preeminent among these has been the issue of Mohawk sovereignty and the role of Mohawk women in maintaining the community. As the tendency for Mohawk men to work away from the community increased, the tradition of Mohawk women staying on the reservation to raise children and maintain traditional family and community values provided all community members with a geographically explicit area to which they could refer as home. These roles have reinforced and recast ancient Mohawk concepts of sovereignty. Social history and historical censuses provide valuable insights into these issues.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/291665 |
| Date | January 1993 |
| Creators | Eden, Eric James, 1965- |
| Contributors | Plane, David |
| Publisher | The University of Arizona. |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
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