Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance

I loved it, there is finally something out there to tell about the injustice suffered by the native peoples. I hope that it helps to serve as a beacon to inspire others. To get the entire story and look at all the facts carefully. A previous comment questioned about the shots and so forth well if you look at the credits carefully it lists a LOT of camera operators. Originally this film had more then 6hrs worth of footage due to all the people with a camera working on this. Think of the editing that had to go into this in order to drop it down to the alloted time. The barricades were claimed as being impenetrable but they were necessary and they were strong. They needed to be in order to rival the equipment the military brought in that were a bit of an overkill on the governments part.

There are few injustices more notorious, ignored and ingrained in history than that of the land stolen from the Native people of North America. When European invaders came into the areas now known as the United States and Canada, they dominated the land, killing many of its original inhabitants, took advantage of resources and made countless empty promises. This poor treatment lasted for centuries and continues today. Rarely, native groups attempt to stand up against injustices inflicted on their land and their people and often times the results are unsavory and violent. However, at times, when injustices are made Native People can ban together and attempt to stand up in the name of their ancestors and their natural rights. Such is seen in Alanis Obomswaim's Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance. The film is controversial and important in that it instills a sense of anger and a lack of understanding in anyone who views it. The blatant abuse and mistreatment of the indigenous people of the area is down right shocking.

The film documents the 1990 standoff between a faction of Mohawk and the town of Oka, Quebec over a stretch of sacred land that was to be acquired and made into a luxury golf course. In the film is an age old story between the power elite of a community and the taken advantage of, fed up native people who only want to preserve the land that is rightfully their's. The land had been the property of the Mohawk in the area as stated in an agreement by the ancestors of the Mohawk and the French and British governments who had taken over the land during the 16 and 1700s. However, as historically illustrated, the non-native people inhabiting the land continued to decrease and push back the land set aside for the Mohawk to the point where it was currently at the time of the documentary. At the film's start, the town of Oka intended to come onto land set aside for the Mohawk to build a new golf course. Angered by this, the Mohawk blocked off the road to incoming construction equipment and workers and a standoff ensued. Interestingly, the Mohawk, local city officials, police and the army actually worked together in a kind of uncomfortable cooperation for the first part of the protest. After some time, however, the Army was given full control and the Mohawk were forced off the road and into a community center.

Throughout the film there are many notable moments that make the audience question how and why one group of people could treat another group in such away. Portions of the film are down right eerie in the almost totalitarian treatment of both native and non native people who inhabit the area. Citizens are relocated, traffic is diverted and local city establishments are taken over to be used for military support. The mixture of military occupation and Mohawk demonstration infuriates the town and a series of racially motivated attacks occur on either side. Throughout the stand off, as seen through various interviews and newscasts, bad sentiments are felt on both sides.

Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance truly shows the adverse effects of overbearing power on an oppressed people. In the end, there is no real resolution to the stand off. The Mohawks confined to the community center eventually leave. They are jailed for a short time and then released. As the movie ends it is stated that there is still an ongoing debate concerning the land. The film is a firm example of a group pushed over their limits. It is invigorating to see the various unforgettable members of the Mohawk tribe and how they ban together to fight against a common cause they see as unjust. There are many members of the other side of the struggle who are unforgettable as well, although for very obvious different reasons. There is a certain level of disappointment experienced when viewing this film. Primarily the film is of an independent production company. It is for this reason that the film received such limited exposure to both American and world audiences. It could be assumed that if more were to view this film there would be more outrage. The film is well made and has a very strong message of unity and never shying away in the face of danger as well as a very intimate look at the lives of modern, passionate warriors in a desperate attempt to preserve what is rightfully theirs.

I just came back from a screening of this film for a Canadian film class. Although one can have an understanding that terrible things happen all the time that you never hear about, it's still very disturbing and upsetting to finally see these things for yourself. The standoff documented in this movie occurred only 13 years ago. I guess the liberal 90's have created such a sugar coated view of Canada that the carnage of this movie seem surreal. The media was restricted access to record the events; citizens of the country were completely robbed of their basic rights; and a community sank to very low levels of existence.

This film serves as a reminder that one's rights are not as infallible as you are led to believe. The soldiers were pawns throughout the entire ordeal, but that does not excuse their unnecessary acts of violence. Some of the town's people behaved like savages (Throwing stones at Natives leaving the area). I can't understand how people like that can live with themselves. All this over a golf course/ p***ing contest. Watch it if you get the chance, especially if you're patriotic. I still think Canada is among the best places to live in the world. But injustice and idiocy are not easily avoided.

It's been almost 20 years since the Oka Crisis happened in the fall of 1990. It was in my opinion one of the most shameful incidents in Canada's last 50 years. The incident took place when native land was taken by the white community to build a golf course. 270 years of repression finally came to a head that year.

The military is eventually called in to stop a native road block. What's most interesting to me is not the repression by the military and police but the fact that everyone is caught up in the repression. The natives are of course repressed the most but the press and French Quebecois are also caught up in the repression when the military starts to control people's freedom of movement.

It's quite startling in these documentaries how quickly things escalate. In a matter of days you're present in a military operation which controls where you go, who you can see, and whether you eat or not. Our so-called guaranteed freedoms are quickly dissolved when the government sees a challenge against its hegemony and power structure. These pockets of resistance are quickly be extinguished before they can spread and state power is questioned elsewhere. The troops on the front lines again don't care and use the ever quotable line "We're just following orders".

The Oka Crisis was a global crisis of course. It's not one which is limited to Canada. The native struggle is one being fought all over the world. The Palestinians in Israel, the aboriginals in Australia, Wounded Knee in the US, the list goes on.

A very good documentary about a dark period in Canada's history. How quickly will we forget it? Thankfully, we have this National Film Board production which has interviews with the main parties as well as lots of footage from the actual incidents in 1990.

Every figure has personality and character depth that will never be seen on film again. Such a horrible situation to be captured on film with perfect attention to detail. Humanity and all its forms and complexities captured forever.

As future documentaries dig further into the details with interviews and reenactments, this film captures everything live and it can be very stressful and distracting from the main point of the film.