THE THUNDERWATER MOVEMENT

"They want the Government at Ottawa to see that all Indian children are educated at least as far as the high school entrance, on a par with the white folks. They want schools established plentifully on every reservation for this purpose. They claim the Indian Agent has no right....to dictate to their chiefs or councillors."

Progressive? Bound as it was to its own culture, the conservative nature of the Indian Affairs Officials caused them to fear change, and made them reluctant to enter the mainstream of 20th Century thinking. So, Department officials were informed:

"As you are aware, the Department is not in sympathy with the holding of any meetings on the reserve by Thunderwater or his followers."

Agents were also encouraged to interfere in the democratic elections by the Indians of their chiefs and councillors, if Thunderwater support was indicated:

"You will note in enclosed letter that he refers to three of our chiefs; Loran Jocko, Mitchell C. Jacobs, and A. Papineau, as having signed his commission. I think it might be well to bear this in mind when holding the election for chiefs next July."

This can easily be contrasted with the style of democracy advocated by Thunderwater:

"It is the work of the electors, and they should know the man better than I do. Your people are living in contact with all of each other, and you are in a better position to understand the characteristics of each other than I do. At any rate, it is the business of all of the electors of the reservation and not mine as who shall be nominated and elected."

One of the legends perpetuated by Indian Affairs Officials is that they alone understand Indians. As C.C. Parker, the closet-hiding inspector wrote Ottawa:

"To the average person, or in fact to anyone not in active touch with Indian Affairs, it must be admitted that Thunderwater and his Council of Tribes would appear to be not only an organization of innocents, but even an organization calculated to uplift Indians.....

"It is worthy of note, however, that what we look upon as the Better Class of Indians have kept away from the man...Publicly he is careful not to say anything incriminating. However, I am quite satisfied, in my own mind, that he is stirring up the Indians in an effort to do away with some of the Authority of the Department, and that promises made, which if carried out, would not be in the interests of the Department and Its System of Handling Indian Affairs.....

"A further indication is the disregard some of his followers now have for their agent, and disrespectful language I have heard used in speaking of The Department."

When a delegation of eight Indians, several of them chiefs of their tribes, came to Ottawa to see officials of the Indian Affairs Branch, they were refused an audience. As the Ottawa CITIZEN reported:

"Scott did not care to hold conversation with them, and said he wanted nothing to do with the organization.....Mr. Scott had accused Chief Thunderwater of being behind the organization for the purpose of robbing the Indians.

"(Thunderwater) was enraged at this remark, and brought three chiefs from Deseronto (Tyendinaga), St. Regis (Akwesasne), and Brantford (Ohsweken-Six Nations Reserve) reservations into the Citizen office to testify to his high character. They all said that instead of getting anything for his work in organizing the Indians, Chief Thunderwater was carrying on the work partially out of his own pocket.

".....Two sensational statements were made by Chief Thunderwater. He declared that an attempt was made to obstruct his journey to Caughnawaga (Kahnawake) by Immigration Officials at Prescott the other day, and that the Department had placed one of its agents in hiding in the Deseronto Reservation to see if they said anything with which they could get him.

"Thunderwater said that other than the Department, the only ones opposing him are the whiskey sellers, bootleggers, and grafters."

"They were refused an audience by Dr. Duncan Campbell Scott, Deputy Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, this morning. They came here to familiarize the Department with the work of the organization in bettering the condition of the Indians...

Another cultural trait of the Indian Affairs officials is that it sometimes seems they become vicious against individuals who they feel threaten their own programs. For instance, separate files were set up on each Indian who appeared in the delegation mentioned above so that in the future, any contact with the Department would recall they were "Thunderwater people".

Sometimes, the visciousness even causes them to cut off their noses to spite their faces, as the saying goes. For example, when Thunderwater wrote Ottawa that he would be happy to encourage Indians to cooperate in the production of additional food to aid the war effort, he said:

"As a rule, the Indians have not much ready cash, but can produce in large quantities. We have sent large quantities of socks, and in other ways helped. In the States, we have purchased Liberty Bonds. We still set aside and send to a specified place some of the crops, butter, etc., for presentation to the government, thus aiding and feeding the soldiers overseas or still here in camps.....

"I hope that your honourable body will suggest to the Department that Indians be provided with sufficient seed, etc., to bring forth a mighty crop this season.....Hoping that you will realize my sincerity and desire to be or of real service......"

Indian Affairs replied with a flat refusal to cooperate in any way.

The vindictiveness can often be carried to such an extent that the democratic operation of Parliament is sometimes thwarted. The Branch had for a long time complained that Thunderwater's organization was not legally incorporated. A number of Indians therefore attempted to get Letters Patent to incorporate their organization. However, Indian Affairs Officials then blocked their efforts to do so, by writing to the Undersecretary of State:

"Since Thunderwater's real motive, as evidenced by his action, is to make difficulties for this department and its agents, and to stir up among the Indians distrust of the Department and opposition to the special laws existing for the Indians....I do not think it is in the best interest of Good Administration to allow its incorporation."

The Undersecretary complied, and refused to issue the charter. The Indians then found a sympathetic member of Parliament to introduce a private bill. Alarmed, Indian Agents wrote to Ottawa:

"I am sure you will not allow any such movement to secure a foothold, as it is certainly not to the best interests of Indians of Canada."

The bill, which received first reading in the House of Comons on April 3, 1918, was "an Act to incorporate a council for the Indian Tribes of Canada." It contained 171 names to show its authenticity, including John Thompson, Tom Thomas, Alexander Barnhart, Thomas Benedict, Mitchell Buckshot and John Bruce (a relative of former U.S. Commissioner of Indian Affairs Louis Bruce) of St. Regis as well as Chief J. Delisle, grand councillor of Caughnawaga.

The general purpose of the Council was stated to "make and formulate the constitution to unite fraternally all Indian persons." The specific goals were:

1. To give material aid in its power to distressed persons.
2. To educate its members socially, morally, and intellectually, and to inculcate a loyalty to Crown and Country.
3. To encourage and compel the enforcement and observation of the principles of compulsory education.
4. To encourage the observation of temperance and to insist on the enforcement of laws regarding the sale of liquor to Indians.
5. To encourage hygenic principles in the diffusion of scientific facts tending to improve the health and lower the rates of mortality against Indians.
6. To promote increase in production of Indian lands as the result of Indian labor, by directing the labor of Indians and their finances to better and more scientific cultivation of the land.

The Indian Affairs Branch went into immediate action, and the Secretary of Indian Affairs wrote to Indian Agents:

"I have to request that you immediately draw up petitions to be signed by all such Indians expressing their disapproval of the Society, and the Bill asked for. You will give this your immediate attention, and see that every available name is procured, and that the petition be forwarded to the Department without delay."

When these "spontaneous" petitions arrived in Ottawa, they were sent to the Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs (an elected official and not a bureaucrat) with a list of reasons why the bill should not be voted into law:

"There is no doubt that this Thunderwater is an adventurer, living on the simple credulity of the poorer elements of the Indians who are led to believe that the great things are to be obtained through him. (Instead of inculcating loyalty to Queen and Country) the reverse is true. They have been told the Indian Agent, the representative of the Government, had no right to sit on their council and that it was their intention to oppose.....certain sections of the Indian Act.

"Encouragement and enforcement of compulsory education is not likely to come from this organization, as his followers are the greatest offenders.

"The provisions of the Indian Act forbidding the sale of liquor is reasonably well enforced, and it does not appear how the proposed incorporation could be of any assistance in this matter.

"I think it will be conceded that any assistance must come from without, rather than from within the Indian Bands.

"The Department has an agricultural representative who visits reserves annually giving instruction in agriculture and encouraging competition among children as well as among adults at fall fairs. The children of this organization take no part in such competition.

"Whatever the ostensible objects of this organization may be, the real object of result.....is to have them revert to former conditions as much as possible, to look forward to the recovery of their allegedly lost privileges and rights rather than to take their places in civilized communities, to conduct their own affairs in their own aboriginal way...In view of the above facts, the Department would greatly regret the passing of this bill."

And so it was that the bill did not reach second reading. But legally incorporated or not, the movement continued to grow.

Completely frustrated by this time, the Department was determined to hamper the organization by means fair or foul. The Deputy Minister for Indian Affairs wrote his inspector:

"I should like very much, if at all possible, to get some hold upon Thunderwater.

"I do not think it necessary to say anything further by way of information, as I know you will appreciate the nature of the information I wish to obtain."

They did find something to use. An Indian boy had been placed with Thunderwater as part of a private adoption agreement. The mother later married, and wanted the return of her son. She wrote the Department alleging that Thunderwater was abusive to the boy, whereupon the Department, with government money, hired a lawyer to prosecute her case. Affidavits alleging abuse, brutality, and neglect were taken. However, a short time later, the complainants withdrew:

"....We were a bit hasty in sending you the information collected in the above investigation. For we found things to be a little different now. The undertaker my wife got the information from has made a great mistake...

"I have found also that the Council of Tribes is incorporated in the State of Ohio.....I believe this man is what he claims, a law-abiding citizen, and a protector of Indians and Indian rights. As I have seen my mistake and the wrong I have done this man, I wish to apologize for all that has been written and said against this man."

Despite the retraction, the officials of the Indian Affairs Department continued to utilize the original affidavits in their campaign against Thunderwater.

Unable to deliver the death blow, however, they merely waited for their chance. It came in 1927. Thunderwater had received an invitation from the Louisville (Kentucky) HERALD POST to visit the city. He was received with great ceremony by the Governor of Kentucky; he made speeches in the schools, and the newspaper played up the stories big on the front pages.

A rival newspaper, the Louisville TIMES AND COURIER JOURNAL, wired Ottawa: "SEND US INFORMATION." This was the big opportunity for Indian Affairs Officials, and they did not miss it. The Deputy Minister himself wired back:

"THUNDERWATER IS NOT CANADIAN INDIAN STOP HE IS AN IMPOSTER AND HAS GIVEN CANADIAN INDIAN DEPARTMENT MUCH TROUBLE"

If he wasn't an Indian, the TIMES reasoned, what was he? A person that dark could only be a BLACKMAN! The newspaper wired a cooperative Ottawa:

"CAN YOU GIVE US ANY LINE ON PARENTAGE AND RACIAL CLASSIFICATION..."

"The Department wired back that the TIMES could have complete access to information and sent photostatic copies of selected documents. And despite the fact that the Department itself had killed Thunderwater's chances for a legal incorporation, they wired Louisville:

"COPY OF REPORT FROM CHIEF OF POLICE CLEVELAND 1915 STATES THUNDERWATER ADMITTED TO POLICE THAT COUNCIL OF TRIBES HAD NO CHARTER..."

"KINDLY SEND ME TIMES ISSUES DEALING WITH THUNDERWATER EXPOSURE."

The balance of the story is that of a masterful hatchet job, more to discredit the rival newspaper than to discredit Thunderwater. The headlines the next day read:

"PRESIDENT OF CLEVELAND BLACK BELT IN LOUISVILLE SCHOOLS"

"....In 1917, the Post Office Department made an extended investigation to ascertain if the mails were being used to defraud.....No direct evidence was found.....The Canadian Indian Bureau wrote the United States Bureau that it would like to have information about him as he had been a continual source of annoyance.....

"The Bureau in the States wrote to Thunderwater that it is regarded that his activities were exceedingly questionable....He has a notorious record in Canada."

With the article were pictures of black children playing on Cleveland streets, captioned sarcastically, "Some Indian Neigbours of Thunderwater."

Thunderwater immediately sued for libel. The Department of Indian Affairs actively participated in the defense of the newspaper, collecting interviews, sending out investigators, hiring lawyers. As the Secretary of Indian Affairs wrote the newspaper:

"I feel sure that Mr. Scott (Deputy Minister) will be willing to cooperate with you in any way that he can in this action."

However, the information that the Canadian Government supplied to the American newspaper only muddied the waters, for the jury disagreed, and the case apparently was settled out of court afterwards.

Thunderwater did not come back to Canada.

The Branch closed its "Thunderwater File."

And still today, Indian Affairs Officials say they are anxious to have Indians step forth and assume leadership in improving Indian education, self-government, and the development of Indian peoples.

But the record shows otherwise. Officials who act as advocates of the native people are axed. "Militant" leaders are discredited through stories fed to the media, by disruption of their activities, by spurious charges against them to tie them up in the courts.

A proper understanding of the culture -- of Indian Affairs Officials -- seems necessary to meet the challenge. What anthropologist is willing to do his thesis on this strange tribe?