SK111 Lecture Notes - Oka Crisis, Mohawk People
Document Summary
The oka crisis was a land dispute between the mohawk nation and the town of oka, Quebec, canada, which began in the summer of 1990 and lasted 78 days. The dispute centered around a proposed expansion of a golf course and the construction of luxury housing on land that had been claimed by the mohawk nation for centuries. The mohawk nation had long claimed ownership of the land in question, which was known as the "pines," and had used it for ceremonial and spiritual purposes. The town of oka, however, had planned to expand a local golf course and build luxury housing on the land. The mohawk nation protested the development, arguing that it would destroy a sacred burial ground and disrupt their traditional practices. The dispute between the mohawk nation and the town of oka escalated in the summer of 1990 when the mohawk nation set up a blockade to prevent construction crews from entering the pines.
