History CALEB: Can you tell us about some of the major stops on the canoe trip to the UN? SALLY: Sure, there will be two rows of people paddling in canoes, one of the rows will be the people of the Native American nations, the other row will be allies of the native people. So, for example, I will be paddling in the second row with the people who are not indigenous, but are there as supporters. ,The Haudenosaunee people will be starting the trip from as far north as Syracuse and will join the supporters in Albany, where there will be a festival and program on Saturday, July 27th. Then the paddlers are going to start their trip down the Hudson on Sunday. After that the biggest stop will be in Beacon on August 3rd, where there will be a big festival in support of the Two Row Wampum Campaign. After that, the last major stop will be at the United Nations on August 9th, which is the UN’s Day of Indigenous People. So the Haudenosaunee will be joining many different cultures who will be converging at the UN that day. CALEB: Are there ways the public can participate in this event? SALLY: Oh, yes, absolutely! It’s open to the public. What I would recommend is for people interested in participating to go on the website http://honorthetworow.org/
CALEB: Can you tell us a little bit about the environmental goals the Haudenosaunee people hope to address at the UN on August 9th? SALLY: There are many, but the main goals they want to address in regard to New York State, are the many threats of hydrofracking, which is something the Haudenosaunee people have opposed for a long time. The Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign, more than anything, seeks to achieve environmental cleanup and preservation. Now, on the 400th anniversary of the Two Row Wampum agreement, the people of the Onondaga nation, with the support of the Two Wampum Renewal Campaign, are embarking on an epic 13-day canoe trip down the Hudson River to the UN in New York City. They will be joined at different points along the river by the Dakota Unity Riders coming from Manitoba, Canada. The Dakota Nation Unity Ride will be embarking on their own epic 1,800-mile journey on horseback. The purpose of the ride is for the Dakota people to join with the six nations (Seneca, Onondaga, Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida and Tuscarora) and converge with the Haudenosaunee at the United Nations in August 9th. Both the Two Row and The Unity Riders will come to Saugerties Aug, 1 Meritime Museum then Woodstock August 4 for the International Walk for World Peace hosted by Live Peace International. 845-750-9303. theunityride.com or Livepeaceinternational.org
A Portal to Hudson River History
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yet again. Unfortunately, over the years, businesses along the Hudson River, began dumping toxic waste into the river, killing so much of its marine life, and spoiling the purity of this great landmark. Thankfully, people have started to take notice, and the government has begun enforcing new laws which ensure the cleanup of the river by the very companies who had polluted it in its first place. The Hudson River has been very important in American history, and thanks to places like the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, NY as well as not-for-profit groups like Riverkeeper, and the Hudson River sloop Clearwater organization , who have partnered with the Muse-
Exective Director of Hudson River Maritime Museum Patrick McDonough
Photo by Dylan McNamara
recently went to the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, NY, located in downtown Kingston along the historic Rondout waterfront. Upon arriving, we were greeted by the Executive Director, Patrick McDonough, who gave us a tour of the museum. He showed us a wide variety of historical artifacts and photographs. Leading the way through the galleries, he explained all the stories that went hand-in-hand with each exhibit. In the first gallery, there was a replica of a Native American dugout canoe. Patrick explained to us that the river was used by the native tribes for travel and sustenance. To them, the river was known as “Mahicantuck” – the river that flows both ways – because, it in fact, flows north and south, affected by the tides and by where it meets the ocean. The tribes also enjoyed the river’s unusually dense marine life, making it a reliable source for food. We then moved into an interior replica of Henry Hudson’s aft cabin on the “Half Moon”. Patrick mentioned that one of Hudson’s crew members, Robert Juet, kept a written log or journal of each day on the journey, and from that journal, we can get a good idea of what Hudson and his crew encountered as they sailed up the river. Roughly, there were about 10,000 native or indigenous peoples that lived on the banks of the Hudson River. Juet wrote they were “a people with friendly attitudes, a complex social organization, ample food supplies, a peaceful lifestyle, and extensive territory”. While many already know that Hudson explored this historic river in 1609 while being hired by the Dutch East India Company to find the fabled Northwest passage, you may not know that as he and his crew pushed north on a subsequent trip, they came to no longer trust him. Patrick told us how they finally mutinied in this 1611 voyage because harsh winter conditions had set in for the season. The crew put Hudson, his young son and seven other faithful crew into a small boat and set it adrift. Hudson was never heard from again. Lastly, Patrick led us to the large exhibit hall which opened up into large space, housing exhibits focused on historic vessels from the early Dutch-built sloops (similar to the ones from Holland) to the first commercially successful steamboat, which was named the “Clermont”, invented in the 1800s by Robert Fulton. These new steamers opened up the era of pleasure cruises. Thousands of socialites would come and enjoy these luxurious floating palaces. I found myself intrigued
By Joda Hoffman, age 19
um. They have all helped to educate us and promote the restoration of this great river back to better health. The Hudson River Maritime Museum hosts a number of educational programs like the Wednesday evening “Follow the River” Lecture Series; On August 1“Two Row Wampum” Renewal Campaign (canoeists from Albany to the United Nations in NYC) and the Unity Riders (riding horseback from Albany to Washington, DC)The Museum Courtyard Complex, 50 Rondout Landing, will be the meeting venue for both groups as well as providing a stopping point along their journey. For more information, visit www.hrmm.org or call 845.338.0071, ext. 15 www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 21