Stories by Marcus Bankuti

A summary of pleas from Kanehsata’kehró:non desperate for support was read out at the National Assembly this week as the provincial government was questioned for its sluggishness in confronting the organized crime running roughshod over Indigenous communities like Kanesatake.

Two weeks ago, the doors to Kahnawake’s major new cultural arts centre, Kanatahkwèn:ke, swung open. It was two students from Kahnawake Survival School who had come in hopes of getting a tour.

Not much has changed since we wrote an editorial called “Red alert for Red Dress Alert” two years ago. That’s not unexpected, in fact it’s by design, but that doesn’t make it any less upsetting, considering the scope and urgency of the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people (MMIWG2S+), which is nothing short of a countrywide emergency.

Community members gathered at the gazebo outside Kahnawà:ke Shakotiia’takéhnhas Community Services (KSCS) on Tuesday to commemorate Red Dress Day.

A few weeks ago, we used this space to reflect on the importance of solidarity between First Nations, especially when it comes to going up against governments that still don’t show respect when it counts, and that’s not set to change anytime soon.

Lead has been detected in metal buckets and taps used by Kahnawake Survival School (KSS) for maple sap collection, but more investigation is needed to determine the extent to which lead may still be a concern after the equipment is replaced.

Today’s the day: The Eastern Door’s 30th Annual Spring Cleanup. It sneaks up on us every year, and 2026 is no different. We hope you’ll join us in rolling up our sleeves, throwing on a pair of gloves, and picking up some of the garbage that has been been encased in ice and snow lo these many months.

Angie Diabo had always wanted to be a teacher, but that couldn’t be her first priority - she had children to feed and clothe, bills to pay, and working at a cigarette factory paid well and enabled her to make ends meet.

The theme of this year’s edition of the Hodinöhsö:ni’ Juried Art Show was “revolutionary peace.” Learning this, local artist Kaysun Oke thought of her daughter.

Another day, another fake news article on Facebook (which still bans real news outlets like ours, by the way).