It is with great regret that we have decided to cancel this year’s Doctrine of Christian Discovery (DoCD) conference “Christian Domination and the Failure of ‘Truth and Reconciliation.’” It has been rescheduled for 22-23 August 2020. Of course we will fully refund everyone who has registered for the conference.

As all of you know, our sponsoring organizations—the Indigenous Values Initiative (IVI) and the American Indian Law Alliance (AILA)—are deeply involved with the work of revealing and dismantling the DoCD and we do not want this cancelation to slow any of the momentum that has been built around this issue over the last few years. However, our small volunteer organizations have been involved in some new and exciting directions that require our undivided attention over the next few months. This week we all decided that missing one year of the DoCD conference was unavoidable and that this postponement would not be too disruptive.

In recognition of the 100 year anniversary of the Women’s right to vote, one of our initiatives for 2020 is to focus on the Haudenosaunee influence on the Women’s Suffrage Movement (following Sally Roesch Wagner’s work and new book on the topic). Our 2020 DoCD conference will likely focus on Women and their roles in traditional matrilineal societies and how that has been systematically disrupted by religion. If you have other ideas on this topic or others we would like to hear them.

We will be refunding you the ticket amount here shortly. Unfortuantely we are unable to refund the eventbrite.com fee.

Instead we would like to offer you the following options to covery the eventbrite processing fee:

A coupon to the Indigenous Values store.
A check for the processing fee amount mailed to you. if you would like us to do that please email info@indigenousvalues.org and give us your mailing address

Thank you for your patience with us and, again, we are sorry to miss seeing you all again this year.

Phil, Betty, Sandy, Gail, Joe and Adam

A conference in Onondaga Nation Territory, at Syracuse University and Skä·noñh—Great Law of Peace Center

Saturday and Sunday, 17-18 August 2019.

Description:

This conference continues discussions between religious communities and Indigenous Peoples about the Doctrine of Christian Discovery (DOCD) so that real healing can occur. “Truth and Reconciliation” efforts in settler-colonial states have the appearance of resolving the history of conquest and domination but often do not result in a healing of Indigenous Peoples and their lands. Using words like reconciliation, repudiation, domination, discovery, conquest, missionization, colonialism and settler-colonialism, or referring to Indigenous Peoples in the singular or as populations, issues or groups, has consequences. Noam Chomsky, George Lakoff, and Steven Newcomb remind us that word choice matters and, although these concepts appear benign, they actually perpetuate and give cover to a violent past. The DOCD continues to be a matter of urgent concern for Indigenous Peoples around the world. It has emboldened trans-national corporations to further their extraction practices everywhere forcing standoffs and migration of Indigenous Peoples. Our lineup of speakers will address international migration issues and the connection between the DOCD and the destruction of Mother Earth.

• The event is co-sponsored by the American Indian Law Alliance and Indigenous Values Initiative.
• Religion News Service Press Release.

Confirmed speakers:

• Oren Lyons (Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs)
• Tadodaho Sid Hill (Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs)
• Beverly Jacobs (Law, University of Windsor)
• Betty Lyons (American Indian Law Alliance)
• Sandy Bigtree (Indigenous Values Initiative)
• Joe Heath (General Council for the Onondaga Nation)
• Phil Arnold (Religion, Syracuse University)

Conference fees:

• Early-bird registration $125 until 30 June 2019
• Regular registration $150 until 31 July 2019
• Late registration $175 until 15 August
• Walkup registration $200

Scholarships:

There are a limited number of scholarships available to cover the registration fee.

If you need a scholarship, please send an email to info@indigenousvalues.org and briefly tell us who you are, why you would like to attend and any work you do connected to dismantling the ‘doctrine of discovery’ and why you are applying for a scholarship. Please put ‘scholarship request’ in the subject of the email.

If you want to contribute a scholarship for others to attend the conference you can donate to the conference.

Hotels

Book your group rate for SU Religion.

Draft Schedule

(draft 26 June 19)

Saturday 17 August

• 8:00 AM — Onondaga Lake Water Ceremony – at Onondaga Lake
  • Meet at pier near Salt Museum
  • Opening address by Tadodaho Sidney Hill
  • Water Ceremony conducted by Betty Lyons and Eve Reyes-Aguirre
    • (Bring waters from your home territories for this event)
• 9:00 AM — Haudenosaunee breakfast — at the Skanonh Center
  • Orientation to the Skä·noñh—Great Law of Peace Center, Sandy Bigtree and Phil Arnold
• 11:09 AM — Registration — at Falk College, SU
• Noon-1:30 PM — Lunch — followed by the film “The Doctrine of Discovery” (1 hour) and a talk with Steven Newcomb.
• 1:30-3:30 PM —  International work panel — Grant Auditorium, SU
  • Panelists: Betty Lyons, Tupac Enrique Acosta, Eve Reyes-Aguirre, & Jake Edwards
• 4:00-6:00 PM — Law Panel — Grant Auditorium, SU
  • Panelists: Joe Heath, Steve Newcomb, Dana Lloyd
• 7:00-9:00 PM — dinner — Falk College, SU

Sunday 18 August

• 8:00 AM—light breakfast (Falk, SU catering)
• 9:00-11:00 AM—Religion panel  — Grant Auditorium, SU
  • Panelists: Philip P. Arnold, Adam DJ Brett, Eglute Trinkauskaite, Sandra Bigtree
• 11:30 AM-1:00 PM—Listening circle on what people are doing about the DoD — Falk College, SU
  • Facilitated by Gail Bundy
• 1:00-2:30 PM—lunch —Falk College, SU
  • During lunch the Onondaga youth will perform social songs
• 2:30-4:00 PM—Oren Lyons Keynote, “Truth and Reconciliation” — Grant Auditorium, SU
  • Followed by a discussion
• 4:30-5:30 PM—Final thoughts and concerns, “Value Change for Survival” — Grant Auditorium, SU

Thank you all for your partnership to bring the Indie Lens Screening of “Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World” to our community. Following are the details and agenda for the event. In red are action items. If there is anyone else involved who should be included, please forward this information along. And if you have any edits/suggestions, please let me know.

WCNY’s Marketing team will update our website posting to reflect our additional partners/details (Indigenous Values Initiative), as well as update social media posts and news release/calendar alerts. We will encourage advance registration, since seating at the Auburn Public Theater is limited (please confirm total number of possible seats at 180). Please continue to promote this event through your networks and share the registration link: http://www.wcny.org/events/rumble-the-indians-that-rocked-the-world/

DESCRIPTION: 

• RUMBLE brings to light a profound and missing chapter in the history of American music: the Indigenous influence. Featuring music icons Charley Patton, Mildred Bailey, Link Wray, Jimi Hendrix, Jesse Ed Davis, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Robbie Robertson, Randy Castillo, and Taboo, RUMBLE shows how these pioneering Native musicians helped shape the soundtracks of our lives.
• A discussion guide with details about the film and bios of the featured artists has been shared with Rob and Sandy.
• Broadcast Premiere on PBS will be Monday, Jan. 21, 2019.

SCREENING JANUARY 16, 2019:

• At 6:30 P.M., Courtney will share information about the Equal Rights Heritage Center, then instruct attendees to make their way to the Auburn Public Theater for screening.
• (Partnership with Philip Arnold, founding director Skä·noñh, Great Law of Peace Center, and president of Indigenous Values Initiative and Sandy Bigtree, musician and member of Indigenous Values Initiative)7-9 p.m. screening at Auburn Public Theater, Auburn, NY. (contact is Angela Daddabbo)
• Registration table to be provided. WCNY will man registration table.
• Podium and microphone to be provided by Center, as well as some seating.
• Octane Social House (Rob Otterstatter) will be coordinating the reception and providing hors d’oeuvres and beverages.5-7 p.m. reception at Equal Rights Heritage Center, Auburn (contact is Courtney Rae Kasper)
• At 6:50 p.m., Cristina will introduce Indie Lens Screening of film Rumble.At 8:30 p.m., Sandy Bigtree and Phil Arnold will moderate community conversation around film.Movie will play from 7 p.m. to 8:30. Approximate Running Time: 86 minutes. DVDs were provided to Rob, who will get them to Angela to test in advance.
• At 9:00 p.m., Angela will thank guests for coming.

Cristina will bring surveys to Auburn Public Theater for placement on all seats.

At 5:40 p.m., Mayor Quill will introduce Sandy Bigtree and Phil Arnold (bios: https://indigenousvalues.org/about/our-team/) to discuss Indigenous Values Initiative and introduce conversation topics/question for audience feedback and participation.

• At 5:30 p.m., Rob will make introductory remarks and introduce Mayor Quill.

 Learn more at WCNY.

Deyhontsigwa’ehs: The Creator’s Game,
Lacrosse Weekend 2019

Saturday September 28-Sunday September 29, 2019
Onondaga Lake Park, Liverpool, New York
in the heart of Onondaga Nation Territory

4th Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival

The festival features wooden lacrosse stick makers and other Haudenosaunee crafters. The festival takes place on the sports fields on the south of Onondaga Lake Park. There will be traditional singing and dancing with traditional Haudenosaunee foods and speakers. This event will be educational and entertaining for the whole family.

There are three exciting events taking place at the same time:

• Wooden Stick Festival (9:00am-5:00pm)

Social Dancing Noon Saturday and Sunday

• • Wooden lacrosse stick artisans,
    • Alf Jacques will have a booth showcasing his collection and how to make wooden sticks. He will be doing presentations throughout the day.
    • Travis Gabriel and Tionatakwente Lacrosse will be selling lacrosse sticks at the event.
  • traditional Haudenosaunee crafters
  • Haudenosaunee dancing
  • Haudenosaunee speakers
  • Free and fun for the whole family

• Rand Hall Masters Wood Stick Lacrosse Tournament (9:00am-4:00pm)

  • Free to watch
  • registration fee to play (to cover refs and rentals)

• Spirit Twins Box Lacrosse Clinic (Noon on Saturday)

  • Noon on Saturday
  • Box clinic for 9-13 year olds. 
  • spirittwinslacrosse.com

The Haudenosaunee (Called “Iroquois” by colonists) are the originators and keepers of the game known today as “lacrosse.” Deyhontsigwa’ehs (“They Bump Hips,” in the Onondaga Language) goes back millennia and is also known as “The Creator’s Game” and the “Medicine Game” The Onondaga Nation is the “Central Fire” of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy of six nations (Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora). The Haudenosaunee Confederacy was founded on the shore of Onondaga Lake––now called Syracuse, NY. Over 1000 years ago. Deyhontsigwa’ehs played an integral role in establishing “The Great Law of Peace.” Today throughout Haudenosaunee territory the “Medicine Game” is still played in ceremony. We are dedicated to re-establishing a Haudenosaunee presence back at Onondaga Lake where this game was originally played.

Our Collaborative Spirit.

The Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival is a collaboration between the American Indian Law Alliance and the Indigenous Values Initiative. We are proud to collaborate with one another on such an important event. One of the many lessons we can all learn from Deyhontsigwa’ehs (lacrosse) is the importance of collaboration and working together.

Our Sponsors

Special thanks to our Sponsors:

• Syracuse University Athletics

• The Tewaaraton Foundation

Second Annual Randy Hall Masters
Wooden Stick Lacrosse Tournament

There will be referees, a tent for changing, a box sized field marked out on the grass with 4×4 nets by Onondaga Lake. Players will be responsible for helmets and gloves, and wooden sticks. Teams will be responsible for their jerseys. Wooden sticks are preferred but not required.

• Prizes
  • First Prize: Leather Game Ball, trophy, $700 cash
  • Second Prize: Plaque, and $300 cash.
  • Third Prize: Plaque and $300 cash.
• The tournament registration fee:
  • $300 Early Bird registration per team until 3/31/2019
  • $400 Regular registration per team until 8/31/19 
  • $500 Walk-up per team until 9/28/19
• Individual registration for house team(s) (includes jersey and lunch)
  • Early Bird registration $75 per person until 3/31/2019
  • Regular registration $100 per person until 8/31/2019
  • Walk-up registration $125 per person until 9/28/2019

Get Involved

About Randy Hall

Thomas Randall “Randy” Hall, Akwesasne Mohawk Wolf Clan, passed away January 18, 2018. He served in Vietnam with US Army (1965-68) and participated in the 1972 AIM take-over of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington D.C. He loved sports and was deeply involved with the Onondaga Athletic Club where he played and coached lacrosse and basketball. One of his favorite things to do was to travel and play in tournaments. In his memory, the Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival honors Randy by naming the wooden sticks tournament after him.

The inaugural Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival was held at Onondaga Lake in 2013. Previously the game had been played exclusively on Haudenosaunee Nation territories, but in 2013, Randy Hall asked Philip P. Arnold and Sandy Bigtree for help in bringing the game back to Onondaga Lake––its place of origin. It was here the Peacemaker arrived well over 1,000 years ago to bring peace to five warring nations. Few realize that Deyhontsigwa’ehs, the Creator’s Game, was an integral part of this peacemaking process. This ancient game is still played ceremonially among the Haudenosaunee. It is played hard, but always played to foster good relationships between human beings and the natural world.

Hotels

Registration link Hotel Information

#laxweekend19