Conversations with Remarkable Native Americans

EPILOGUE: In memory of Deskaheh

EPILOGUE In memory of Deskaheh Deskaheh, a Cayuga chief and member of the Sour Springs Longhouse, spokesman of the Six Nations of the Grand River Land, near Brantford, Ontario, brought the cause of Iroquois sovereignty to the League of Nations, in Geneva, in 1923.1 He was known for his negotiating ability and his oratorical skills and, in Geneva, he inspired much sympathy and respect as a patient and unflappable spokesman. During the years following the First World War, the commitment of the League to the protection of “small nations” reinforced Deskaheh’s expectations. With his Redman’s Appeal for Justice, he managed to inspire much sympathy. He secured the assistance of humanitarian and support groups and was encouraged by several member governments. Although Deskaheh did not succeed in being heard by the League of Nations, his mission is still remembered on the international scene. It has been a source of encouragement for the Native American NGOs who came to the United Nations in Geneva in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s to defend “indigenous rights.” “My heart is broken,” wrote Deskaheh before leaving Geneva. He was desperate to think that he had failed, but it set his mind at rest to think that his mission would not be forgotten. In his last speech in March 1925 he declared: “it has gone into the records where your children can find it when I may be dead.”2 113 Deskaheh (Courtesy of Centre d’iconographic penevoise-BGE) ...