{"id":33044,"date":"2023-10-17T12:40:55","date_gmt":"2023-10-17T16:40:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/?p=33044"},"modified":"2023-10-17T13:11:33","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T17:11:33","slug":"the-conversation-mohawk-mothers-keep-fighting-to-protect-lost-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/10\/17\/the-conversation-mohawk-mothers-keep-fighting-to-protect-lost-children\/","title":{"rendered":"The Conversation: Mohawk Mothers keep fighting to protect lost children"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Df3e7zFWiRY?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">APTN News: <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/Df3e7zFWiRY>Mohawk Mothers stop excavation where unmarked graves may be located<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"h3-responsive font-weight-bold\">Mapping unmarked graves: Why the Mohawk Mothers are fighting McGill\u00a0University<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"date\">Tuesday, October 17, 2023<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"byline\">By \r\n\r\n<span><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/lea-denieul-pinsky-1473083\">L\u00e9a Denieul-Pinsky<\/a>, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/concordia-university-1183\">Concordia University<\/a><\/em><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"source\">The Conversation<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"source-links\"><A \r\nhref=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/\">theconversation.com<\/A><\/div>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;\" allowtransparency=\"\" allow=\"clipboard-read; clipboard-write\" src=\"https:\/\/narrations.ad-auris.com\/widget\/the-conversation-canada\/mapping-unmarked-graves-why-the-mohawk-mothers-are-fighting-mcgill-university\" width=\"100%\" height=\"400\"><\/iframe>\r\n\r\n\r\nA Qu\u00e9bec superior court <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/montreal\/montreal-judge-mohawk-mothers-1.6976070\">recently ruled that excavation can continue<\/a> on certain parts of the site of Montr\u00e9al\u2019s former Royal Victoria Hospital. The ruling comes after <a href=\"https:\/\/montreal.ctvnews.ca\/mohawk-mothers-seek-halt-to-excavation-amid-former-montreal-hospital-grave-search-1.6561486\">a group of Indigenous women known as the Mohawk Mothers<\/a> called for an emergency court hearing to halt excavations at the site.<P><\/P>\r\n\r\nThe Mothers called for the hearing after McGill University and the Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 Qu\u00e9b\u00e9coise des Infrastructures (SQI) disbanded the court-appointed panel of Indigenous archaeologists that was set up under a <a href=\"https:\/\/falconers.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Approved-Settlement-Agreement-April-6-2023.pdf\">settlement agreement<\/a> and started construction on certain parts of the former Royal Victoria Hospital site.<P><\/P>\r\n\r\nIn October 2022, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mohawkmothers.ca\/\">Mohawk Mothers<\/a> obtained a temporary injunction against McGill to stop any excavations. The former Royal Victoria Hospital, vacant since 2015, was slated for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aptnnews.ca\/national-news\/mohawk-mothers-win-injunction-against-mcgill-at-david-and-goliath-hearing\/\">an $850-million redevelopment project<\/a> to expand McGill\u2019s campus led by the SQI. It neighbours the Allan Memorial Institute, a former psychiatric hospital where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aptnnews.ca\/national-news\/cadaver-dogs-sniff-out-potential-human-remains-near-old-royal-victoria-hospital-site\/\">American and Canadian-funded psychiatric experiments<\/a> involving Indigenous children took place from 1957 to 1964. <P><\/P>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn April, <a href=\"https:\/\/easterndoor.com\/2023\/04\/21\/landmark-settlement-agreement\/\">Qu\u00e9bec\u2019s Superior Court approved a settlement<\/a> allowing the Mohawk Mothers to investigate unmarked graves at the site. The agreement states that excavation work can begin on a rolling basis if no graves are immediately found, but that it be done in a sensitive manner in case there is an unexpected discovery.<P><\/P>\r\n\r\nIn June, specialized detection dogs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ledevoir.com\/societe\/793868\/des-tombes-autochtones-potentiellement-decouvertes-pres-de-mcgill\">discovered evidence of human remains<\/a> at the site, further substantiating the Mothers\u2019 claim.<P><\/P>\r\n\r\nThe task of investigating children\u2019s deaths and forced disappearances is emotionally taxing and physically draining. One might expect that McGill and the SQI would do everything in their capacity to support the Mothers\u2019 efforts. <P><\/P>\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, this has not been the case. One week after the excavation began, the Mohawk Mothers and cultural monitors mandated to be on-site under the agreement were <a href=\"https:\/\/montreal.citynews.ca\/2023\/08\/07\/mohawk-mothers-feel-pushed-aside-in-the-search-for-unmarked-graves\/\">removed<\/a> by SQI security. <P><\/P>\r\n\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/10\/17\/the-conversation-mohawk-mothers-keep-fighting-to-protect-lost-children\/kwetiiokanienkehakakahnistenseramohawkmothers\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-33051\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1737\" data-attachment-id=\"33051\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/10\/17\/the-conversation-mohawk-mothers-keep-fighting-to-protect-lost-children\/kwetiiokanienkehakakahnistenseramohawkmothers\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/17\/KwetiioKanienkehakaKahnistenseraMohawkMothers-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1737\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Darren Ell&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D850&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1681776184&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Darren Ell&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;155&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;3200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Kwetiio of Kanien&amp;#8217;keha:ka Kahnistensera (Mohawk Mothers)\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Kwetiio of Kanien&amp;#8217;keha:ka Kahnistensera (Mohawk Mothers)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Kwetiio belongs to Kanien&amp;#8217;keha:ka Kahnistensera, the group known as the Mohawk Mothers. Photo: &lt;a href=https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/cinemapolitica\/52846077835\/&gt;Darren Ell \/ Cinema Politica&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/17\/KwetiioKanienkehakaKahnistenseraMohawkMothers-1024x695.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/17\/KwetiioKanienkehakaKahnistenseraMohawkMothers-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Kwetiio of Kanien&#039;keha:ka Kahnistensera (Mohawk Mothers)\"  class=\"size-full wp-image-33051\" \/><\/a> <figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Kwetiio belongs to Kanien&#8217;keha:ka Kahnistensera, the group known as the Mohawk Mothers. Photo: <a href=https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/cinemapolitica\/52846077835\/>Darren Ell \/ Cinema Politica<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<div class=\"h5-responsive sub\">Defining mapping<\/div>\r\n\r\nI am a <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/cag.12883\">cartographer specializing in mapping governmental and ecclesiastical archives<\/a>. Because of this work and my relationships with Mohawk communities around Montr\u00e9al, I was invited to attend the Mohawk Mothers\u2019 court hearings.<P><\/P>\r\n\r\nAt the September 14 hearing, the debate about whether the settlement agreement has been breached revolved around the definition of \u201cmapping.\u201d According to section 11 of the settlement agreement: <P><\/P>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\nThe mandate of the Panel is to assess and identify the appropriate archaeological techniques to be used on different areas of the site to detect whether there are unmarked graves (also known as \u201cMapping\u201d).<P><\/P>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\nMcGill\u2019s lawyer argued that mapping means making a map with points or zones where different archaeological techniques should be applied to find human remains. When all the zones were drawn, the panel could be disbanded because the mapping was over. Construction on certain parts of the site could resume and the Mohawk Mothers would be made aware if anything was found.<P><\/P>\r\n\r\nThis interpretation distorts and extensively simplifies the process of mapping the unmarked graves of children. It reduces mapping to a mere checklist item, detached from the ever-changing reality on the ground.<P><\/P>\r\n\r\nIt allows McGill to claim that the mapping work undertaken by the panel is over, and that McGill no longer needs to consult or share results with them during the excavation phase. Moreover, disbanding the panel gives McGill and the SQI exclusive authority in interpreting the excavation results.<P><\/P>\r\n\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/10\/17\/the-conversation-mohawk-mothers-keep-fighting-to-protect-lost-children\/royalvictoriahospitalmcgilluniversity\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-33053\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2016\" height=\"1512\" data-attachment-id=\"33053\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/10\/17\/the-conversation-mohawk-mothers-keep-fighting-to-protect-lost-children\/royalvictoriahospitalmcgilluniversity\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/17\/RoyalVictoriaHospitalMcGillUniversity.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2016,1512\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Royal Victoria Hospital at McGill University\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Royal Victoria Hospital at McGill University&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The Royal Victoria Hospital at McGill University is located on Mohawk territory in present-day Montreal, Quebec. Photo: &lt;a href=https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/trlc\/2957423\/&gt;zalgon&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/17\/RoyalVictoriaHospitalMcGillUniversity-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/17\/RoyalVictoriaHospitalMcGillUniversity.jpg\" alt=\"Royal Victoria Hospital at McGill University\"  class=\"size-full wp-image-33053\" \/><\/a> <figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">The Royal Victoria Hospital at McGill University is located on Mohawk territory in present-day Montreal, Quebec. Photo: <a href=https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/trlc\/2957423\/>zalgon<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nIn contrast, the Mohawk Mothers\u2019 see the mapping as an ongoing process. This means that the areas where they are actively searching for remains can be continually updated on the map as the project progresses and new information becomes available. <P><\/P>\r\n\r\nThe panel\u2019s responsibilities don\u2019t end after creating an initial map. While this initial mapping serves as a starting point, the panel should remain involved as the map evolves. Starting construction on the site isn\u2019t reasonable given that it may need to halt at any point due to new evidence discovered in archives, survivor testimonies or in the ground.<P><\/P>\r\n\r\nThe paradoxical nature of cartography lies in <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/using-maps-as-a-weapon-to-resist-extractive-industries-on-indigenous-territories-111472\">its dual potential to work both for and against Indigenous communities<\/a>. The debate about how mapping is defined highlights a conflict between colonial and decolonial perspectives. McGill and the SQI have presented themselves as willing collaborators, ostensibly working toward reconciliation. Yet, they view the mapping as a mere item on their to-do list. <P><\/P>\r\n\r\nThe Mohawk Mothers <a href=\"https:\/\/montreal.citynews.ca\/2023\/08\/07\/mohawk-mothers-feel-pushed-aside-in-the-search-for-unmarked-graves\/\">have expressed<\/a> their frustration at being entirely excluded from the process. They cite instances where McGill and SQI have ignored the panel\u2019s suggestions, overlooked crucial evidence and refused to share findings with the <a href=\"https:\/\/canadianarchaeology.com\/caa\/about\/committees\/caa-working-group-unmarked-graves\">Canadian Archaeological Association Working Group on Unmarked Graves<\/a>.  <P><\/P>\r\n\r\nThe September 14 hearing took place four days before <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcgill.ca\/equity\/channels\/event\/12th-annual-indigenous-awareness-weeks-mcgill-university-345586\">McGill\u2019s annual \u201cIndigenous Awareness Weeks.\u201d<\/a> The irony was not lost on anyone.<P><\/P>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mt-1 mb-1\"><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8411603009680747\" data-ad-slot=\"6394965691\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/div><P><\/P>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"h5-responsive sub\">Colonial vs. decolonial perspectives<\/div>\r\n\r\nThis case echoes other well-known debates concerning the definition of mapping and its implications for Indigenous land rights. Observing the courtroom proceedings, I was struck by the enduring presence of colonial assumptions about cartography. Indigenous communities continue having to advocate for and defend their cartographic methods in order to uphold their connections and duties to the land. <P><\/P>\r\n\r\nIn the 1970s, maps played a pivotal role in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca\/eng\/1100100030973\/1542914627289\">land claims negotiations<\/a> between the Inuit and the federal government, ultimately leading to the <a href=\"https:\/\/laws-lois.justice.gc.ca\/eng\/acts\/n-28.7\/page-1.html\">1993 Nunavut Land Claims agreement<\/a>. The Inuit demonstrated in court that mapping, as a process, was more effective in conveying their lived realities. <P><\/P>\r\n\r\nThrough the <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1541-0064.2010.00341.x\">Inuit Land Use and Occupancy project<\/a>, they meticulously developed <a href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1177\/194277861701000109\">\u201cmap biographies\u201d<\/a> to document hunting, fishing, trapping and other activities, showcasing each of the 34 Inuit communities\u2019 longstanding ties to their land.<P><\/P>\r\n\r\nThe Gitxsan and the Wet\u2019suwet\u2019en First Nations faced racism and denialism in <a href=\"https:\/\/scc-csc.lexum.com\/scc-csc\/scc-csc\/en\/item\/1569\/index.do\">the Supreme court of British Colombia<\/a> when they presented their map in the form of a song and were told by the chief justice of the court that \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/pdf\/2564238.pdf\">to have witnesses singing songs in court is, in my respectful opinion, not the proper way to approach the problem<\/a>.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nJust because the panel of archaeologists has made a map, it doesn\u2019t mean they are done mapping. A truly decolonial mapping project <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3138\/cart.53.3.intro\">centres and respects Indigenous geographical knowledge and protocols, and includes involvement of Indigenous communities in the process<\/a>.<P><\/P>\r\n\r\nProtocols and agreements with Indigenous groups should not be seen as cumbersome paperwork. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3138\/cart-2019-0022\">They are an opportunity<\/a> for McGill, the SQI and others to work collaboratively in a culturally sensitive manner for the management of potential burial sites.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/214204\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" style=\"border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" \/><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --><P><\/P>\r\n<HR><EM>\r\n<span><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/lea-denieul-pinsky-1473083\">L\u00e9a Denieul-Pinsky<\/a> is a PhD Candidate in Geography, Planning, Environment  at <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/concordia-university-1183\">Concordia University<\/a>. Based in Kanien\u2019keha:ka (Mohawk) territory in and around Montreal, Denieul-Pinsky&#8217;s fieldwork explores ways to leverage mapping to expand negotiation opportunities and enter in dialogue with various stakeholders in potentially conflictual situations. As a cartographer specializing in mapping governmental and ecclesiastical archives, she repurposes state-sanctioned historical materials, producing maps to augment how Indigenous-led campaigns reach their target audiences. Denieul-Pinsky receives funding from the Fonds de recherche du Qu\u00e9bec \u2013 Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 et culture (FRQSC) for research related to mapping and Indigenous-settler relations.<\/span>\r\n<\/em><HR>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n\r\nThis article is republished from <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/mapping-unmarked-graves-why-the-mohawk-mothers-are-fighting-mcgill-university-214204\">original article<\/a>.<P><\/P>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Debates over what \u201cmapping\u201d means show how Indigenous communities still have to advocate for and defend their cartographic methods in order to uphold their connections to the land.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33051,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,18,13,14],"tags":[269,176,72,992,61,1679,546,44,102],"class_list":["post-33044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-canada","category-education","category-law","category-politics","tag-colonization","tag-genocide","tag-judiciary","tag-mohawk","tag-racism","tag-residential-schools","tag-the-conversation","tag-women","tag-youth","no-wpautop"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/17\/KwetiioKanienkehakaKahnistenseraMohawkMothers-scaled.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcoJ7g-8AY","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33044"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33044\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33051"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}