The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) is advising Kahnawa’kehró:non that with harvesting season now underway, the MCK continues to receive concerns from other Indigenous communities regarding harvesting activities involving Kahnawà:ke harvesters within their territories. We wish to remind Kahnawa’kehró:non that, to ensure respect, cooperation, and collaboration, many First Nations now have a process in place which should be followed when exercising harvesting rights outside of Kahnawà:ke. Those who plan to harvest in the traditional territories of other First Nations, should be aware of the following incidents and matters:
- In recent years, Kahnawà:ke harvesters have been stopped by both provincial and First Nation conservation officers while harvesting in other territories.
- Kahnawà:ke harvesters were charged with hunting without the required documentation, including letters of acknowledgment from host communities
- There is currently one court case pending involving Kahnawà:ke harvesters.
The MCK encourages harvesters to contact any First Nation host community in advance to advise them of their intent to harvest within its territory and request a letter of acknowledgment from the appropriate office. Other Kahnawà:ke harvesters who were stopped by conservation officers were not charged because they were accompanied by a local First Nation harvester or were able to provide documentation.
Provincial Game Wardens may request a letter from the host community confirming the acknowledgement and acceptance from the host community/nation. Following this process helps uphold our shared principles of respect, responsibility, and nation-to-nation relations while exercising harvesting rights.
The core of this issue is respect for the lands, waters, wildlife, and the cultural protocols of other First Nations whose territory is being accessed.
For any inquiries or questions, please contact Ratsénhaienhs David Diabo at David.Diabo@mck.ca or Office for the Council of Chiefs strategist Dennis Diabo Dennis.Diabo@mck.ca.
