NOTE: It is with sadness we announce the dehorning of a Confederacy Roya’ner in the Cayuga Wolf title, Dyohyongo ( Sam General) on the weekend. After hearing from a family representative and the Roya’ner himself, Onondaga Grand Council determined he had removed himself by his actions with his clan mother and clan and that no further warning or action would take place, he has taken the horns off himself through his actions. The title is now in the hands of the clanmother and clan.
Bob Antone provides us with this synopsis of council.
HCCC Media Relations
Bob Antone
Grand Council
December 10, 2016
Some after thoughts… The invitation wampum were returned from each of the nations and an issue that came with one message was immediately added to the agenda. Some people may feel this is inappropriate but it is rare because it deals with the removal of the horns of one of the delegates. It was done in a respectful way and debated with the opportunity given to the one who has chosen to disrespect his position. He was given an opportunity to speak but offered no real response to the critical issues of intimidating his clanmother or holding the “longhouse fire” hostage. It was reported by clan members that he was given several opportunities to make things right and refuses to see the errors of his ways.
The Grand Council accepted the position of his clan that he was no longer their representative. He has therefore “dehorned himself” a definition given by one of the respected Chiefs.
This was one of the hardest issues to deal with for many of the Chiefs who have known this person for years. He was fed, visited by some and left alone in his state, and he soon left the meeting.
40 years ago I witnessed a dehorning in the Grand Council which was much different and violent. Two men at that time were removed from participating at the Grand Council by their community members. It was not a very good experience but the point of dehorning is never a nice thing to experience no matter how it is done.
To achieve a position of Lotiyaneshu and have it taken from you by the group of Lotiyaneshu you sit with can be very disheartening. When this happens it is usually the person in the position that has brought it upon themselves. It is our accountability system within the Grand Council of Chiefs. We have to hold each other accountable or we loose the respect of the people.
This process took over 4 hours of the meeting and the issues that were addressed on the invitational agenda were; Meetings in Washington DC, concerning the change in the US government and the MOA concerning ID cards. Maintaining communications with DC.
Meeting in Niagara concerning border crossing and security. There is now on-going discussions with the Canadian government concerning ID cards.
International work delegates are going to UN meetings in NYC concerning new role for Indigenous peoples within the UN.
There are discussions going on with the Canadian government officials concerning the passport.
We will be responding to a questionnaire from the UN on the impact of The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) on our communities.
Standing Rock report on the importance of water, legal issues, continued support, future meeting with traditional Lakota Treaty Council.
I post this to keep people informed about the activities of the Grand Council. I think it is important to be transparent and to keep the people informed.
