-----------REVISED GOAL: $2800------------
We have matching funds promised up to $2800. Please help us reach this full match! The Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign will happen no matter how much is raised on Indiegogo, but the amount raised overall will dictate how large and visible our events will be. Please help us out in our last few days of this indiegogo campaign, to help us realize our dreams!
The Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign, a partnership between the Onondaga Nation and Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation (NOON), is developing a broad alliance between the Haudenosaunee and their allies in New York and throughout the world. Our statewide advocacy and educational campaign seeks to create dialogue and achieve justice by “polishing” the chain of friendship established in the first treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Dutch immigrants, raising awareness of indigenous issues and rights, and of all of our responsibilites to the earth. Environmental cleanup and preservation is a core component of our campaign.
Educational events will be held all across New York State during 2013, starting with an opening event celebrating existing Haudenosaunee - neighbor partnerships on February 11 in Syracuse, NY. For more information about events, visit our
calendar page.
The point is to create a place and time where the voices of the Haudenosaunee will be heard by many that may not otherwise have the opportunity to hear them; where current Indigenous issues can be highlighted and understood; and where friendships and dialogue can begin and be strengthened. It is about here and now, and the future for all of us.
The Two Row Wampum is the record of the first agreement between the Haudenosaunee and arriving immigrants. When it was created in 1613, those immigrants were Dutch traders. The agreement provides an inspirational vision for peaceful co-existence of different nations living and caring for the same land. It is the foundation upon which the Haudenosaunee negotiated all subsequent treaties with the English and then the United States. The Two Row Wampum Treaty outlines a model of peace and friendship, of living in parallel forever, working together where appropriate and respecting one another’s sovereignty. It describes the Haudenosaunee and the Europeans as traveling down the river of life in different boats, both agreeing not to interfere in the internal affairs of the other or to damage the shared environment. Though this principle has been violated many times by the Europeans and Americans that followed them, the Haudenosaunee have observed this treaty for centuries. We aim to use the 400th anniversary to build public support for US governments and peoples to begin living up to their commitment.
Watch a short explanation of the history
here.
Hear Jake Edwards, of the Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs, retell the oral history
here.
THE SYMBOLIC ENACTMENT
A focal point of the campaign will be a symbolic “enactment” of the treaty along the Hudson River, with canoes (representing the Haudenosaunee) and ships (representing the Europeans) sailing down the Hudson River side-by-side. We will start near Albany, with a major kickoff event, stop at various spots along the route for educational and cultural events. The trip will close in New York City with a larger commemoration near the United Nations to highlight the connection between the vision of the Two Row Wampum and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The symbolic enactment will last for approximately two weeks, providing plenty of time to travel from Albany to NYC, meet people along the route, and generate considerable media attention and publicity. All events will feature Haudenosaunee leaders as speakers and include efforts to involve as wide a range as possible of different people and organizations, including Haudenosaunee Nations, other native people, educational institutions, environmental groups, faith communities and social justice organizations.
Check out the fun "trailer" video we made during a practice trip last summer!
![Participants in four-day trial paddle, August 2012]( "Participants in four-day trial paddle, August 2012")
It's much more than one canoe trip
With educational events across New York State throughout the year, this campaign will develop a broad alliance between the Haudenosaunee and New Yorkers with the long-term goal of achieving social, economic and ecological justice for the Haudenosaunee and restoring the balance with the natural environment that is central to the Haudenosaunee culture and to all of our survival on this planet.
What We Need
This campaign will include an extensive educational effort featuring a strong Internet presence, social media, and publications for both schools and the community-at-large and educational and cultural events throughout the state. We will use existing materials as well as create new publications, all of which will be distributed to a statewide audience. The campaign will highlight the importance of the Two Row Wampum Treaty and call on New York State and the United States to live up to their obligations under this and subsequent treaties. Environmental cleanup and preservation will be integrated as a core part of the larger campaign message of treaty accountability.
As you can imagine, our ambitious campaign is going to cost considerably more than $11,000. Our budget for the enactment alone is over $65,000! (Think: portapotties, publicity, safety boats, food, etc. for 100-200 participants) Don’t worry, we are working with a number of foundation, educational, corporate, and indigenous nation partners to generate most of the funding for our educational events, campaign materials, and the symbolic enactment. We have secured $68,500 as of December 1.
But we’re asking for your individual support here to send an important message to the world, that this is an issue that is important us all. Your funding allows our message to spread that much further - it can mean more events, more printed information. The more people who support us financially in some small way, the more we can do.
![Two Row Wampum]()
As you can see from the picture above, the number 11 looks like the two parallel lines on the Two Row Wampum, representing the two peoples traveling side-by-side down the river of life forever “as long as the grass is green, as long as the rivers flow downhill and as long as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west”. It is because of this that we have been using the number 11 throughout the campaign as a symbolic reference to the Two Row Wampum. Our goal is to crowdfund 11,000 dollars to demonstrate broad support for justice and respect for Indigenous peoples and their ways of life, and renew our past commitment to friendship, peace between peoples, and living in parallel forever.
What You Get!
You will help us to make history by helping us to renew the 400-year-old three-part vision of the Two Row Wampum:
Peace
To increase awareness and understanding of the history of relations between the Haudenosaunee, other Native nations and the United States, highlighting the importance of the Two Row Wampum Treaty and building momentum for respect of indigenous sovereignty by the citizens and government of New York State.
Friendship
Increase recognition and appreciation of the contemporary Haudenosaunee and other Native nations of New York, their culture, aspirations, worldview and ecological knowledge.
Forever, ensuring a sustainable future
Share the Two Row Wampum as a model for how we can halt environmental destruction and move forward together towards a sustainable future, based on natural law, in peace and friendship forever.
![Clean Onondaga Lake]()
In addition to the spiritual and ethical benefits of participating in such an important project, you’ll also receive:
If you pledge $11 - You will receive recognition on www.honorthetworow.org so that everyone will know of your generous donation.
If you pledge $25 -You will receive an original Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign Button so that you can tell others of our campaign, and your generosity.
If you pledge $55 - You will receive an original Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign bumper sticker and a button.
If you pledge $100- In addition to the bumper sticker and button, you will receive a copy of the CD "Singing Clear: Clean Earth Air Water 'Round Here", produced as a fundraiser for Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation by Colleen Kattau.
If you pledge $400 - You will receive a copy "Exiled in the Land of the Free: Democracy, Indian Nations, and the U.S. Constitution", a compilation of essays from respected authors Oren Lyons, John Mohawk, Robert Venables, Vine Deloria Jr. and others. These excellent books are no longer being published. Each copy is autographed by Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper to the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation and a recognized international advocate of indigenous rights and prevention of climate change.
If you pledge $1000 - You will receive a stone turtle hand carved by Onondaga Nation craftsman Gerry Jamieson.
How You Can Pledge
To pledge just select "claim this perk" and enter your credit card information. Once thats finished you will be able to enter your shipping information. Perks will be sent out after January 15.
Other Ways You Can Help!
We understand that not everyone can is in a position to help us out financially. However, we would still like you to show your support! There are many ways that you can get involved and help with our campaign. We are constantly trying to raise our awareness on our social media pages. You can help in ways such as: 'liking' our Facebook page, joining our Twitter feed and visiting our website to keep up with what we're doing.
Please do everything you can to help spread the word!
FACEBOOK US at:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/9499047173/?fref=ts
TWEET US at:
https://twitter.com/HonorTheTwoRow
OUR WEBSITES:
http://honorthetworow.org/
http://www.onondaganation.org/
Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation
Quick Icon Links Are Below!
