Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, Ontario

Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory is an 73 km² (18000-acre) Mohawk Indian reserve on the Bay of Quinte in southeastern Ontario, Canada, east of Belleville and immediately to the west of Deseronto.

The community takes its name from a variant spelling of Mohawk leader Joseph Brant's traditional Mohawk name, Thayendanegea, which means 'two pieces of fire wood beside each other'.

It was founded in May of 1784 by a group of Mohawk's led by John Deseronto. Tyendinaga is a tract of land that was set aside specifically for the Mohawk's who were allies to the British Monarchy. This tract of land has been legally accepted not only by the Monarchy but also the Canadian government through Treaty 31/2 or the Simcoe Deed.

Currently (June 2008) the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte (Tyendinaga) are embroilled in a land claim struggle with the Canadian government for land that was illegally purchased. The terms and conditions for purchasing land from Natives had been set out in the Royal Proclamation of 1763. Research and documentation has proven these terms and conditions were not followed. Within the Simcoe Deed there are provisions for removing 'intruders' by the government.

Tyendinaga is home to First Nations Technical Institute, an educational partner with Loyalist College, St. Lawrence College, Canadore College, Humber College, Ryerson University, First Nations University of Canada, Trent University, Queens University.

External links

* [http://www.mbq-tmt.org/ Official Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory webpage]
* [http://www.tyendinaga.net/ Additional Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory webpage]
* [http://www.tyendinaga.net/kweradio/kwelive.htm CKWE Radio 105.9 FM] Mohawk Nation Radiohttp://www.mbq-tmt.org/pdf_files/simcoedeed.pdf