Mohawks vote in U.S. on owning own Electrical power

You know, I was just reading about my people (one of, as I am Upper Cayuga and Mohawk First Nations, of the Iroquois, and related somewhat, to those in the States)owning their own electrical power plants. I must say, I am of two minds about this.

We must be able to be truly self-sufficient and capable of handling our own affairs, if we claim to be 'traditionally sovereign' in my view. In the modern world, I guess that would mean be able to do all the things that a state would do for it's people. We could contract it in from somewhere else, but that would mean making trade pacts with U.S., and more daunting, Canada, who won't recognize Mohawks as being 'sovereign' in any way shape or form, though they call us 'First Nations". And the U.S., though they have treaties with us, (which they, according to their history, don't honour in most, if any, cases) which recognize traditional ownership over certain territories, would they enter into trade agreements? It is highly doubtfull. That would mean doing one or two of the above options.

It would be unreasonable to assume that they in the U.S. and we in Canada as Native people are going to continue to be repaid by the so-called 'conquerers' or more accurately, 'colonisers'. It stands to reason, therefore, that we begin the long process of finding ways to govern ourselves, using whatever ways we know, and to begin even more, to exert our authority over the natural resources we have to hand. But what does that mean to us who have a more traditional belief about our relationship to the environment? Can we do this without damaging it, like the others have? If the Mohawks back there can do such a thing with their own electricity, they will have to balance this. They will have to implement their own teachings in this, and act accordingly, both for their present, and the future of their children to come.

I personally believe it is possible to do both, however it is a tricky game to play. Hopefully more details will come as they happen. We wil just have to see what transpires, with the vote, and how the U.S. will respond. I for one, will be watching.