John Harding (Sha ko hen the tha) facts for kids

John Harding (Sha ko hen teh tha) is a Mohawk politician from Kanesatake, a Mohawk community in Quebec, Canada. He was elected to the chiefs' council there from 2001 to 2004. During his time on the council, he was part of a group that disagreed with Grand Chief James Gabriel between 2003 and 2004. In 2005, neither Harding nor Gabriel were re-elected as chiefs.

Early Life and Mohawk Roots

John Harding, whose Mohawk name is Sha ko hen teh tha, was born to a Mohawk mother. He belongs to her Turtle clan. In the Mohawk culture, like many Indigenous cultures, the family line and important traditions are passed down through the mother's side. This is called a matrilineal system. John Harding grew up deeply connected to his mother's Mohawk culture and follows traditional ways.

Political Career and Community Role

Before becoming a chief, John Harding worked as a policeman in his community. The Mohawk people in Kanesatake have their own government and can make decisions about certain laws and safety within their territory. Harding strongly believes in the Mohawk tradition where the council chiefs work together to reach an agreement, or "consensus," on important decisions for their people.

Disagreement with Grand Chief Gabriel

In January 2004, John Harding and two other chiefs, Pearl Bonspille and Steven Bonspille, disagreed with Grand Chief James Gabriel. These three chiefs made up half of the six-member council. Gabriel had been elected Grand Chief three times by the community.

The chiefs who disagreed with Gabriel felt he had not talked enough with them or the council before making big decisions. They were especially concerned about his choice to bring in many police officers from outside forces for a community action. They believed he was trying to gain too much power for himself.

This disagreement led to a lot of tension in the community. Grand Chief Gabriel's home was damaged in January 2004, and he and his family left the community for their safety.

Harding's Role in Leadership Change

John Harding was an important person in the council's decision to remove James Gabriel as Grand Chief. Harding has always said that his opponents' claims about his supporters were not true. Harding and his supporters also did not agree with the choice of an interim police chief, Ed Thompson. In April 2004, they helped set up traditional Mohawk Peacekeepers to watch over the main road that goes through the Kanesatake community.

In 2005, both John Harding and James Gabriel ran for re-election as chiefs but neither of them won. Instead, Steven Bonspille was elected as the new Grand Chief that year. A group of six new chiefs, who supported James Gabriel, were elected to the council.