"The People's Council of the Tuscarora Nation was started in May of 2011 in response to the growing frustration of the Tuscarora people regarding the "Tuscarora Council of Chiefs." The current "Chiefs Council" is comprised of Leo Henry, Kenneth Patterson, Stuart Patterson, Neil Patterson Sr., and Neil Patterson Jr.

The People's Council is comprised of concerned members of the Tuscarora Nation who feel that they must act now to preserve the Tuscarora way of life. Acting on behalf of the people is why our group was formed in the first place.

There are four main problems that the People's Council is attempting to address. They are: 1. Governmental abuse against our own people. It's no big surprise, with the media's assistance such as the Niagara Falls Reporter, that the Tuscarora Council of Chiefs does not act for the betterment of the people.

They are supposed to act on the Clan Mother's recommendations, which she gets from regular Clan meetings. This Council acts on its own behalf, which violates the traditional ways they claim to follow. It appears that when it benefits them, they claim to be a traditional government, but when they need to act on their own, when it benefits them, they act as an elected leadership, ignoring the requests of legitimate Clan Mothers."

Get the Story:
Ross Johnson: PEOPLE'S COUNCIL OF THE TUSCARORA NATION (The Niagara Falls Reporter 1/10)