Kahn-Tineta Horn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kahn-Tineta Horn
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| Kahn-Tineta ("she makes the grass wave"), or Kahentinetha | |
Kahn-Tineta Horn in 1963.
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| Mohawk leader | |
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| Born | 16 April 1940 (age 85) Brooklyn, New York, USA |
| Children | 4, including Waneek Horn-Miller and Kaniehtiio Horn |
Kahn-Tineta Horn (born April 16, 1940, in New York City) is a Mohawk leader, activist, and former fashion model. Since 1972, she has worked for the Canadian government in different roles, focusing on social, community, and education policies for Indigenous peoples. She is a member of the Bear Clan of Kahnawake.
About Kahn-Tineta Horn
Kahn-Tineta Horn is well-known for her strong voice against unfair treatment of Indigenous peoples. She has also worked to improve government policies related to First Nations.
Early Life and Activism
In the 1960s and early 1970s, Kahn-Tineta Horn became famous for speaking out. She criticized racism against Indigenous people. She also spoke about government policies that affected First Nations communities. She believed in the importance of Indigenous self-governance.
She was involved in important events, like a conference in 1962 about poverty among Indigenous peoples. In 1968, she helped block the International Bridge at Akwesasne. This was part of a protest for Indigenous rights.
Kahn-Tineta Horn also caught the attention of the media. In 1964, she was removed from her role as a Director of the National Indian Council. She was also no longer the "Indian Princess of Canada." By 1972, her views were shared in major newspapers and TV interviews.
Her Family's Story
Kahn-Tineta Horn and her daughters played a big part in the Oka Crisis in 1990. This was a major standoff between Mohawks and the Canadian government. During the crisis, her daughter, Waneek Horn-Miller (born 1975), was injured. She was holding her younger sister, Kaniehtiio, who was only 4 years old. A photo of this moment became a symbol of the conflict.
Waneek Horn-Miller later became a broadcaster. She was also co-captain of Canada's first women's national water polo team. They competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Kaniehtiio Horn is now a successful film and television actress. Her oldest daughter, Dr. Ojistoh Horn, is a family doctor in Akwesasne. She follows traditional ways in her practice.
Later Work and Advocacy
Kahn-Tineta Horn has appeared in two short films. These films are Artisans de notre histoire, Volume 2: Les Explorateurs (1995) and David Thompson: The Great Mapmaker (1964). She has also worked as the publisher for the Mohawk Nation News. She was a Director of the Canadian Alliance in Solidarity with Native Peoples. She also helped coordinate the Free Wolverine Campaign.
In 2002, she gave a speech at McGill University. The speech was titled How Canada violated the BNA Act to Steal Native Land: The Forgotten Arguments of Deskaheh. This speech highlighted historical issues about land rights.
In 2006, Kahn-Tineta Horn was involved in another important action. She and another woman submitted a "notice of seizure" to developers. This was for the Melancthon Wind Farm near Shelburne, Ontario. They did this on behalf of the Haudenosaunee people. She also taught a history class at Concordia University in Montreal.
In 2008, at age 68, she suffered a heart attack at the Cornwall/Akwesasne border crossing.
