Dryden votes to support Cayuga Nation

The Dryden Town Board at its March 17 meeting voted unanimously in favor of calling on the federal government “to honor the traditional Gayogohó꞉nǫʼ (Cayuga Nation) decision to remove Clint Halftown as a representative to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Department of Interior (DOI),” according to a release.

Dryden-Groton Plus, a human dignity coalition, brought the resolution to the Town Board for consideration.

According to Kathy Russell, a representative of Dryden-Groton Plus, and Ken Wolkin, a #HalftownMustGo activist, Halftown was removed by the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ from his position on Nation Council by the council and his clan mother in 2004. Russell and Wolkin attended the March 17 Town Board meeting to discuss their views on the situation.

“Halftown has no claim to legitimacy, but the [United States] government is continuing to give him authority [as liaison] and award him status of the federal representative,” Russell said.

Wolkin noted that, to this day, the federal government has “refused to honor that decision.”

“Yet the principles of sovereignty and self-determination require that outcome,” he added. “We are simply asking the federal government to listen to, respect and heed a decision that has been made many, many years ago. [It has been] communicated to them on many occasions.”

According to Russell, since the federal government still sees Halftown as a “representative” for Cayuga Nation, he receives funds “through contracts and grants.”

“We can tell our government to stop giving Halftown the right to use nefarious force against the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ citizens,” Russell added.

According to the release, Halftown, with support from the federal government, is “enabling actions that oppress traditional Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ citizens and violate their human rights.”

The release states that Halftown’s demolition of a schoolhouse and community garden in February 2020 is “just one example” of issues that have stemmed from Halftown. Russell noted that Halftown has even set up his own court system and a “non-native mercenary police” force.

“They’re trying to force evictions of those who have the right to be in their homes,” Russell said. “Serious harm is being done, and human rights are being violated. We can help.”

According to Wolkin, the Council of Chiefs wrote a letter in May 2021 that asks “non-Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ people” to hold the federal government “accountable for their recognition of Clint Halftown.”

“He essentially refused to vacate his position,” Wolkin said. “The issue is fairly simple, and it’s this: Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ has a set of governance processes they follow, based on the Great Law of Peace. It is essentially their constitution.”

Wolkin added, “When the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ make decisions based on its processes that have been around long before ours have, we simply receive and respect them because that’s how sovereignty and self-determination work.”

“Halftown’s power only flows through the [BIA],” Wolkin said.

Town Deputy Supervisor Dan Lamb spoke on behalf of the town at the March 17 meeting and said, “We all support this.”

“The real advocacy that needs to take place here is at the congressional and Senate level,” Lamb added.

Town Board member Jim Skaley noted it’s an important issue “to deal with.”

“As the town of Dryden stands on Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ territory, it was our civic duty to express our solidarity with the Gayogohó:no’ Council of Chiefs and Clanmothers,” said Dryden Town Board member Leonardo Vargas-Mendez in the release. “Our passing of the resolution affirmed that we respect the Haudenosaunee Confederacy’s Great Law of Peace and its institutions of self-governance.”

Russell and Wolkin praised the Town Board for passing the resolution. According to the release, the town of Dryden is the first municipality in Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ territory to do so.

“The more municipalities, the more power in numbers,” Russell said.

Before the resolution vote on March 17, Russell gave recognition for passing a resolution in 2013 in regard to the Two Row Wampum Campaign. According to the release, the resolution “honored the 400-year anniversary of the Two Row Wampum Treaty.”

“[It is an] agreement between the Haudenosaunee and European settlers committing to noninterference in one another’s governance affairs, while proceeding in relationships of peace and friendship,” the release said. “Dryden’s resolution outlines how the U.S. federal government is violating the self-determination of the Cayuga Nation, thereby also violating the principles of the Two Row Wampum.”

Russell and Wolkin noted they are “hopeful” other areas will pass a resolution similar to the one that the town of Dryden passed on March 17.

Dryden Dispatch appears every Wednesday in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Dryden Little League to host golf tournament

Dryden Little League is hosting a captain-and-crew golf tournament at Stonehedges Golf Course in Groton on May 22. The cost per team is $260. The deadline to submit an entry form for the tournament is May 16.

Registration on the day of the tournament is between 7:30 and 8:15 a.m., and tee time is set for 8:30 a.m.

For more information or questions, contact Chris Goggan at golf@drydenlittleleague.com.