A group of Mohawk land defenders opposes a $70 million settlement to cede Barnhart Island to New York, asserting their right to ancestral land despite ongoing contamination from nearby industry.
Brandi Morin reports for The Narwhal.
In short:
- Akwesasne citizens face health problems linked to decades of industrial pollution but refuse to surrender Barnhart Island, a relatively clean part of their territory.
- While elected tribal leaders support the settlement, land defenders argue it ignores their ancestral governance.
- A 2022 court ruling declared New York’s acquisition of the land in the 1800s unlawful, fueling the ongoing dispute.
Key quote:
“We’ve been taken advantage of over and over again since colonization began.”
— Sierra Johnson-Caldwell, land defender
Why this matters:
The fight over Barnhart Island highlights tensions between Indigenous sovereignty and modern governance, while illustrating the devastating health impacts of industrial contamination on Indigenous communities.
