Tag Archives: Huron

History

‘What Happened To The ‘Neutrals’?’


This is the tribe that occupied southwestern Ontario until the 1650s, when fellow Iroquois tribes from what is now the U.S. rendered them extinct. In modern terminology, they were ‘victims of genocide’ {although they were far from passive}: ERBLWhatHappenedToTheNeutrals800x800

“It is 1625… and I have just stepped into the few recorded pages of the Iroquoian ‘Neutrals’. What I saw, riveted my attention.

“I was not prepared for the total nakedness of these people. Their skin was saturated by blood scarring, with charcoal-pierced tattoos of snakes, monstrous beasts and “Oki” spirits. They were the tallest, finest-bodied people among the Huron, Petun and Five Iroquois Nations. There were no hunchbacks, club feet or one-eyes in the villages. Unlike the other Iroquoians, there was no specific style of hair… no head-dress… but curls were not allowed. Continue reading ‘What Happened To The ‘Neutrals’?’ →

Government, History, Indian vs. Indian, Ontario, Rewriting History, Treaties

‘The Toronto Purchase’


Whose ‘Traditional Land’ Is This? 

Even though the Nation of Canada and the City of Toronto recently hosted the Pan Am Games – and the financially-inept Ontario government absorbed most of the $2.5 billion in costs – people from faraway lands were greeted with this:

“The Mississaugas Of The New Credit ‘First Nation’ is proud to be the host ‘first nation’ of the Toronto2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am games. 

“As chief of the Mississaugas, I welcome you to our traditional lands…”

This foolishness {“our traditional lands”} went by with virtually no comment from Canadian historians or our governments; indeed, our governments were complicit in spreading what amounts to an historical lie. This has become commonplace, with Canadian officials constantly thanking the ‘traditional’ landowners, even when — as in this case — their claim is ridiculous…  Continue reading ‘The Toronto Purchase’ →