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Featured indigenous-peoples by Adam DJ Brett

The People’s State of the Union

Indigenous Rights at the #PeoplesSOTU

We were honored to be part of the Peoples State of the Union on Monday, January 29, 2018 and to provide an Indigenous opening to the event.

Mark Ruffalo welcomed Tadodaho Sid Hill of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy & the Onondaga Nation [Ononda’geh Ongwawenna] to the stage. Tadodaho Sid Hill offered a traditional opening, a thanks giving address.

Following Tadodaho, the President of our organization, Betty Lyons (Onondaga Nation) shared her words.

Betty shared what she calls ‘three of the best kept secrets in U.S. History:’

  1. The birthplace of Democracy is on the shores of Onondaga Lake, when the Peacemaker brought the Great Law of Peace to the Haudenosaunee Confederacy over 1,000 years ago.
  2. The U.S. Government patterned their government after the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, including the 3 branches of government.
  3. Haudenosaunee women inspired the early U.S. women’s movement. Betty ended by calling on all people to protect the Territorial Integrity of Mother Earth.

If you missed the People’s State of the Union you can get caught up on Youtube:

Posted by:Adam DJ Brett

I am International Research Specialist with the American Indian Law Alliance and I hold a Ph.D. in religion from Syracuse University.