MoS Collective’s Commissioner, Tim Paulson, is working with a Dutch historian, Hubert de Leeuw, to write a book and produce a documentary of the Two Row Treaty, 1613. The treaty and wampum belt were made and “signed” between the Dutch, at the time just a small colony on Governors Island, the Mohicans and the Haudenosaunee. The agreement was honored for 10 years before someone was shot, resulting in wars, and now the staggering result is a genocide of 98% indigenous people in America.
The Dutch paper treaty is gone but the Two Row wampum remains. The slogan is “honor the treaties and protect the earth”. Read all about it: www.honorthetworow.org
It was made possible by the Partnership between the Onondaga Nation and Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation (NOON).
The design on the wampum belt is two horizontal purple lines on white. This is a symbol that is represents the natives in one row and the Dutch in the other traveling on the river that flows both ways for “as long as the grass is green, as long as the waters flow downhill, and as long as the sun rises in the East and sets in the West.” The wampum belt illustrates a mutual, three-part commitment to friendship, peace between peoples, and living in parallel in perpetuity.
This journey, on the 400th anniversary of this agreement, is a symbolic paddle on the “river that goes both ways”, the Hudson River. It started in Syracuse and ended in NYC in a march to the United Nations on the UN commemoration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Many of the participants were in attendance at the UN meeting.
I missed the first half from Syracuse to Troy but I heard the stories from Tim. Since I didn’t have a kayak or canoe I would participate by helping as ground crew. As I was leaving MA on my way to Troy I stopped to say Hi to a friend, David Sharpe, who said he had a kayak. Next thing I knew it he strapped his amazing kayak on top of my car! I was going to be on the water!
This turned out to be an incredible journey on the river, learning the native’s vision and meeting everyone. The Hudson River valley is gorgeous if you didn’t know. (Well, not so gorgeous near Troy — it really stinks. The air is very toxic and the water is filthy for a long stretch. It stained my skirt.)
I have huge appreciation and gratitude for the on-ground support. Every day we paddled into another town park where our village went up and back down in the am. Basically phantom of an village and a community commons momentarily re-occurred on the waterfront. There were events scheduled for the local people and the participants every day. The local people around Ulster Landing park collaborated to create a great feast (pot luck) with local farms and supporters. Great appreciation for the brain behind that. The Unity Riders joined us that evening who, I heard, were staying near-by in Woodstock at that point.
The towns made an exception for the Two Row camping at their waterside parks, possibly for low or no charge. Surprisingly, the Croton-Point Park charged $1000 for use of their park. The residents of the town were so disturbed by this they rushed to raise the money and presented a donation of ~ $900 right after arriving; and probably filled in the rest. At Croton also, to honor the treaty, the Westchester County Board of Legislators and the Village of Croton each signed proclamations honoring Aug. 7 to forever be known as “Two Row Wampum Renewal Day.” Article. In the evening at Croton, Donna, of Friends of the Clearwater, offered to the campers a circle for appreciations. At that time, I had finally picked up a lacrosse stick and was throwing with Allen, is part of the Bear Clan (Meaning). He and I would go over later, but fortunately he convinced me to go over sooner. The stories and appreciations were so beautiful and moving. The air was silent so people could speak intimately; the sun eventually put us in shadows and silhouettes– a beautiful summer evening on the waters’ edge. We had traveled together for 10 days at that point. A large circle grew with outside visitors listening to varied stories of why each person embarked on this journey. And Allen, who said he was not good with words, spoke a long heartfelt monologue. I am so grateful to be apart of this. Thanks to Donna for the coordinating the circle and Hubert for originally finding Tim last year to write this story.
At the end of each day of paddling I considered taking the next day off with sciatica-type of cramping down my left side. The first day my hip froze up from hard paddling and bad foot positioning. The first two evenings two extremely skilled body workers from Syracuse volunteered to help the aching bodies. I had both of them working on my leg the first night. They helped a lot. A bit of Trager technique she was using I think. Every morning I woke up refreshed, a little concerned yet with energy to go again. I hadn’t really kayaked before this. I learned by watching. Everyone had such different styles of paddling which was great. Tim and Hubert usually in canoe’s always stayed up in front so I rarely saw them on the water. I was taking photos which put me in the very back. Then I would have to “dig” to catch up again.
After two weeks coming into NYC, my gear was adjusted and tweaked, giant crocks ditched for bare feet. I was much stronger, my left pelvis pain was masked so I didn’t have to lean on the tennis ball given to me at the medic tent (w herbal expertise). Approaching NYC, I had concern about kayaking on the Hudson with the giant barges ready to suck me down in their drag. At that point, I was skilled enough on the last day to paddle against the current, waves and the harsh wind for the landing in NYC. We were going against that water because we were 2 hours off the tidal schedule. It was reaaaaaaally a struggle… like screaming hard, impossible to stay in two rows. So worth it. Our messed up rows were not visible to the hundreds waiting for our arrival.
After the weekend of events in NYC our new clan went our separate directions. We are connected through emails and Facebook of course. Rumor has i next summer there might be a Two Row Campaign paddle to the Capital or another row Auust 1 from Kingston. Join us.
Photos from 2013 summer symbolic Tow Row Renewal Campaign journey down the Hudson River with the first people. A selection of 10 days of photos before rough weather soaked my iphone (in it’s two badly sealed baggies)… in my skirt’s bib pocket. To see a video of the arrival to NYC. http://vimeo.com/73260026#
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