[Poem] Ohenton Karihwatehkwen

 by Emmit Other

Words Above All Else

Is what the Mohawk say

For Thanksgiving

And I thought

It was invented by Lincoln

It was not

Witness:

The Mohowk still celebrate this event

A profound gratitude for Mother Earth

And what is provided

Gratitude is where humility and kindness meet

Under the eternal sun

Witness

Ronald Raygun introduced the Turkey Pardon

As a gag with later full pardons

And cute names

Conservatives project

Did you know that a Presidential Pardon implies an admission of guilt?

What is the turkey guilty for?

It isn't.  

But I am sure it is grateful for its life.

Witness:

Of 574 Recognized Tribes in the US today

We have broken our word to every single one of them

Massachusets celebrates indigeneous people's day

But still doesnt recognize besides a footnote

That the Wampanoag and Mohawk

Had traditions years and years before the Puritans

(Never call them fucking Pilgrims)

Aeons before the colonizers

Witness:

The Massachusetts Indigenous Legislative Agenda

Asks for five things

-Remove racist fucking mascots

-Remove Racist Italian American Day with Indigenous American Day

-Ensure the best funded schools in the country teach about Native traditions and history

-Protect Native American Heritage with sketchy Hobby Lobby Style grey market bullshit

-Set up a schoolarship for Native American Youth

Domenic Amara and state Rep. Jeffrey Rosario Turco

Love Racist Italian American Day so much

And want to stop this bill

But the other shit 

Is as transparent as Glass

And Beacon Hill

Is a Cess Pit

Gene Weeden-Williams and Billerica, Springfield (High School of Commerce), and Middleborough 

Want to keep their racists mascots

Witness:

G.O.Pee Governal Candidates Mike Kennealy and Brian Shortsleeve

Oppose changing the racist state seal

Witness:

Every year Plymoth celebrates thanksgiving

Straight out of adams Family Values 2

And Standish Investment Group.

Violated tribal sovereigny AGAIN

Bulldozing in trbal land

Every Massachusets state government institution

Celebrates Not Racist Italian Americans Day

But Dukakis made a decision

Arbitrarlily and Randomly

Decades ago

And since then

People like Standish have been weaponizing tribes

That didnt make the cut

Governor Cardboard Healey

Added the bulldozed tribe

As an after thought

-Chappaquiddick Band of Massachusetts

-Chappaquiddick Tribe of the Wampanoag Indian Nation

-Chaubunagungamaug Band of the Nipmuck Nation

-Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki People

-Assawompsett-Nemasket Wampanoag

-Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe

-Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe

-Nipmuc Nation (still fighting for federal recognition despite state recognition)

-Natick Nipmuc of Natick

-Nipmuc of Webster and Dudley

-Massachusett Tribe (Ponkapoag band)

Those who can dither and worry about less of the pie for themselves

What are we thankful for?

Why do we celebrate the pardon of the Turkey?

Beacuse the Turkey is our policy on Native Americans

It is a half assed joke thinkly veiled celebration of colonialism

Now pass the massed potatoes