“Kahnawake Waters, Part 1” SAMAQAN Season 3 Episode 30

The Kahnawake Mohawk Territory runs along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River in Québec, across from Montréal. It is here, along the river, that Mohawk people have lived for centuries. This is the first of two programs on the Kahnawake First Nation, and it explores how the Mohawks' lives were seriously disrupted with the building of the St. Lawrence Seaway which cuts right through their territory. The Seaway was built for economic development at the expense of the Mohawks whose territories were expropriated by the Canadian Government after it altered the Indian Act in 1951 to make waterways eligible for expropriation. Payments offered for areas expropriated were very low. Former championship wrestler and Mohawk Elder Billy Two Rivers comments on its impact on their lives and culture and the resulting pollution from heavy traffic on this waterway. He mentions that the Canadian Government could have built the seaway in other places instead of running it through traditional Mohawk territory.

This documentary from “SAMAQAN: Water Stories” Series 3, looks deeper at water's role in culture, spirituality and life itself for North America's First Nations people.

Directed by: Marianne Jones, Jeff Bear
Produced by: Marianne Jones, Kristy Assu, Jeff Bear