The city of Niagara Falls, NY has officially inaugurated Indigenous People’s Weekend as an annual holiday celebration. The weekend starts on October 7th and ends on the 11th. It was presented as an alternative option to Columbus Day for those who don’t want to celebrate a genocidal legacy. This new holiday follows a series of other progressive actions by Niagara Falls.

City Councilman Bill Kennedy wrote the resolution which kicked things off. The events were organized by Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters, a non-profit from the Falls. On the morning of Thursday October 7th, the Hiawatha Belt of the Six Nations was raised on the flagpole at city hall by Mayor Robert Restaino, Assemblyman Angelo Morinello, Chief Tom Jonathan (Tuscarora Bear Clan) and Chief Brennan Ferguson (Tuscarora Turtle Clan), Randy Greene (Tuscarora Turtle), Jocelyn Jones (Seneca Wolf), Saladin Allah (host/co-creator of the event), and other progressive individuals.

Later in the evening, there was another flag raising. This one took place on contested territory known as Goat Island, currently occupied by Niagara Falls State Park; the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; and Delaware North. But that’s a story for another day.

The opening ceremony began with Seneca elder Vance Wyder (Beaver Clan) delivering the Ganonhanyonh. Then came the opening speeches followed by a performance by the Niagara River Iroquois Dancers. Among those speaking was Jeffrey Hill (Oneida Bear Clan), Chief Brennan Ferguson (Tuscarora Turtle Clan), host Saladin Allah, Mayor Robert Restaino and Niagara Falls Water Protector Ken Cosentino.

Mayor Robert Restaino gave a heartfelt speech, saying “The city of Niagara Falls is an excellent example of how critical it is for cultures and ethnicities, races… to mingle and mix with one another in what is a beautiful mosaic that brings together a community. I don’t think that the rejection of any one of us makes us any better, any smarter, or any more affluent. To the extent that we don’t recognize everyone matters, we’re becoming something less of ourselves.” See his full speech below:

Anchoring the speech portion of the ceremony was Niagara Falls Water Protector Ken Cosentino, who maximized his five minutes by calling out the Catholic Church for their role in residential school murders. He also kept a spotlight on several important water related issues effecting Six Nations and the Tuscarora Reservation, and he ended his speech by addressing President Biden directly; calling for a full pardon of Leonard Peltier. Cosentino’s tantalizing speech is delivered in front of a roaring waterfall, creating a noticeably ironic moment. Watch the video below.

After the ceremony, most of the crowd went home. A large group of Indigenous people and non-Indigenous allies eagerly awaited the guests of honored. At 8 PM, a caravan arrived, led by Lakota Chief Bear Cross (Ghost Nation) and Chase Iron Eyes. Accompanying both men were their families. They met with their Haudenosaunee hosts, and Seneca Elder Vance Wyder welcomed them with an Edge of the Woods ceremony. Everyone exchanged stories and the Niagara River Iroquois Dancers danced and sang their traditional songs in front of the Falls, which was illuminated in traditional Ghost Nation colors.

The agenda for the weekend was as follows: Friday at 4 PM, Ghost Nation gave a presentation at the Niagara Falls Public Library called “Sacred America: Breaking 500 Years of Silence.” The event was followed by a Q&A with the public. Immediately afterwards, Chief Bear blessed the thundering waters of Niagara.

On Saturday at 11 AM there was a small gathering of friends at Hyde Park’s Veteran’s Memorial, where a monument is dedicated to Wounded Knee Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Frederick Toy. Niagara Falls City Councilman Bill Kennedy showed support for his Lakota guests. Last December, Kennedy called for the removal of this monument. The immediate response by the monument committee, briefly stated, is that they do not choose who is awarded a Medal of Honor and this is an issue for the Department of Defense.

Lakota Chief Bear Cross - Ghost Nation (Photo by Geoffrey Harding)

Chief Bear Cross is the great-great grandson of Crazy Horse and adopted son of Leonard Crow Dog. Chief Bear, Chase Iron Eyes and their families were not happy about the Medal of Honor monument at Hyde Park. They are Ghost Nation because they are descended from those who performed the Ghost Dance. They are actively raising awareness of the Remove the Stain Act.

Chief Bear Cross spoke, saying “My great grandfather survived Wounded Knee. I feel a little offended by this. I’m not here to destroy anything, but I’m here to disagree. Back home, our people are upset. Why would you give somebody a piece of medal for gunning down unarmed men, women and children and placing them in a mass grave? It is sad that they had to give this medal to somebody, awarded him a Medal of Honor for hurting our people.”

Zaniyan Iron Eyes watches as his father hugs Councilman Kennedy at the monument (Photo by Geoffrey Harding)

Next spoke 14 year old Zaniyan Iron Eyes “My great-great grandfather was killed at Wounded Knee. I don’t think anybody should be given a Medal of Honor for gunning down unarmed women, children and elders in the blistering cold.”

Left to Right: Zaniyan Iron Eyes, Chase Iron Eyes, Bill Kennedy, Chief Bear Cross and wife Kelsey, lifelong AIM member Dan Merrivel and Grandmother Brenda Demery (Photo by Ken Cosentino)

Chase Iron Eyes also spoke, saying “I don’t know Sgt. Frederick Toy’s descendants, but if he was my grandfather I would not want to take any dignity or credit for what happened there. I think we can all agree, just like at Mỹ Lai; it is not honorable to gun down unarmed women and children, and non-combatants. That is a deplorable act that our culture doesn’t recognize either. We are a heavy warrior culture that honors our veterans. We just wanted to come here today to see this monument and show our support for the Remove the Stain Act. Contact your congressional reps, your senators and tell them to support the Remove the Stain Act. That would revoke those medals that were given for conduct at the Wounded Knee massacre.” See their full speeches in the video below:

After reading the city resolution, officially marking October 7th - 11th as Indigenous People’s Weekend, Councilman Kennedy spoke in tears, saying “There is no honor in genocide.” Also speaking was historian Jowes (Seneca Wolf Clan), a local activist who has been fighting for the removal of the monument for years.

Niagara Falls City Councilman Bill Kennedy and Lakota Chief Bear Cross shake hands behind the monument. (Photo by Ken Cosentino)

After visiting the monument, everyone went out for lunch. They ate at a local taco place and recharged their batteries for a Meet & Greet at Three Sisters Islands, which are three small islands accessible from Goat Island, overlooking the Horseshoe Falls. On the third island, Celinda Eliza, Chief Bear once more blessed the waters. This required he and his family to cross a railing and bypass a trespassing sign.

It wasn’t long before officers arrived to enforce the trespassing sign. Ally Ken Cosentino intervened and educated the responding unit on the history of the railing and sovereign rights recognized by the United States Constitution. After some back and forth, the officers had their photo taken with Chief Bear Cross and some members of Ghost Nation.

Cosentino posted the following photos on social media, stating “We didn’t want to spoil the ceremony by creating conflict. Both officers were gentlemen, and once they realized what they’d just walked into, they had their picture taken with Chief. We had every right to do what we did and we also respected the men beneath the uniform. You don’t see stories like this on the news, they’d rather portray Water Protectors getting their heads cracked open by law enforcement. As bad as that is, and it is bad, our message is meant to end war, not make it worse. We weren’t protesting and the cops weren’t looking for a fight.”

Niagara Falls State Park Police pose with Chief Bear Cross (Photo by Randy Greene)

Niagara Falls, NY Inaugurates First Annual Indigenous People's Weekend