John Harding (''Sha ko hen tha'') (b.? ,

Mohawk Mohawk may refer to: Related to Native Americans *Mohawk people, an indigenous people of North America (Canada and New York) *Mohawk language, the language spoken by the Mohawk people *Mohawk hairstyle, from a hairstyle once thought to have been t ...

) is a politician who was elected to the chiefs' council at

Kanesatake Kanesatake (''Kanehsatà:ke'' in Mohawk) is a Mohawk (''Kanien'kéha:ka'' in Mohawk) settlement on the shore of the Lake of Two Mountains in southwestern Quebec, Canada, at the confluence of the Ottawa and Saint Lawrence rivers and about west of ...

(2001–2004), a Mohawk settlement in

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, Canada. During his period in office, he was part of organized opposition to Grand Chief James Gabriel in 2003–2004. In 2005, neither Harding nor Gabriel were re-elected as chiefs.

Early life and education

John Harding (Sha ko hen tha - Mohawk name) was born to a Mohawk mother and into her Turtle

clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...

. In the

matrilineal Matrilineality is the tracing of kinship through the female line. It may also correlate with a social system in which each person is identified with their matriline – their mother's Lineage (anthropology), lineage – and which can in ...

kinship system In anthropology, kinship is the web of social relationships that form an important part of the lives of all humans in all societies, although its exact meanings even within this discipline are often debated. Anthropologist Robin Fox says that ...

, inheritance and property are passed through the maternal line. Harding's father is not Mohawk. Harding grew up in his mother's Mohawk culture and identifies as a traditionalist.

Career

Harding worked as a policeman in the settlement, where the self-governing Mohawk have some jurisdiction over certain crimes. He is strongly supportive of the Mohawk tradition of the council chiefs setting consensus for direction of the people. In January 2004 Harding and fellow chiefs

Pearl Bonspille A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariid Conulariida is a poorly understood fossil group that has possible aff ...

and

Steven Bonspille Steven Bonspille (Mohawk) is a political leader; he was Grand Chief (2005–2008) of the Kanesatake community located northwest of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. History Bonspille is a traditionalist, elected to the chiefs' council in 2001. The co ...

, half of the six-member council, opposed Grand Chief James Gabriel. The latter had been popularly elected three times. The dissenters said that Gabriel had not consulted with them or the council on his decision to conduct a raid with the use of numerous police officers from other reserves and forces and suggested he was trying to secure too much private power.Irwin Block, "Oka standoff, Quebec; Kanesatake divided over police chief's legitimacy; Thompson's opponents say they have no intention of recognizing his position"
''The Gazette'', 12 April 2004, accessed 14 October 2015 Continued confrontation over these issues resulted in violence. Gabriel's residence was burned in January 2004. He and his family left the reserve for their safety. Numerous protesters were prosecuted in the aftermath of the violence.Aubin, Benoit (March 23, 2004)
"Kanesatake Chief in Exile"
, ''Maclean's Magazine,'' online at ''The Canadian Encyclopedia,'' Retrieved on: July 12. 2008. Harding was a key figure in Gabriel's eventual removal as grand chief by the tribal council. He has denied Gabriel's claims that many of his opponents were part of a criminal class. Harding and supporters opposed the appointment of an interim police chief, Ed Thompson. In April 2004 they established some traditional Peacekeepers to monitor the highway running through the settlement. In 2005, both Gabriel and Harding lost their bids for re-election as chiefs.Jeff Heinrich, "Wide-open race in Kanesatake"
''The Gazette'', 27 June 2008, ''La Nation Autochthone du Quebec'', accessed 29 January 2010

was elected as grand chief that year. A slate of six Gabriel supporters was elected to the chiefs' council, and all were new members.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harding, John Canadian Mohawk people Indigenous leaders in Quebec Living people Mohawks of Kanesatake Year of birth missing (living people)