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The answer to the question, Who is a Mohawk? has changed many times throughout Akwesasne's history, despite a continuity in traditional principles on the question. The Mohawk Tribe, when unimpeded by external forces, has always recognized its members according to fundamental cultural values, maintained throughout its history But many historical events have affected tribal membership, with the establishment of the U.S.-Canadian border causing the greatest infringement. The community is split by three distinct governing authorities: the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (the Canadian elective system of government); the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council (the American elective system of government); the Mohawk Nation Council (the traditional longhouse body). At different points in time, this tripartite authority has created not only a complicated membership scenario but also conflicting policies that denied tribal membership to full-blood Mohawk children. On the Canadian side, passage of the Indian Act of 1876 required that membership be determined patrilineally -- following the father. This change was significant because Mohawk society had always been matrilineal. Imposing a new way of determining membership struck at the core of Mohawk culture and values and furthered the assimilationist goals of the Canadian government. For more than 100 years, if an Indian woman married a non-Indian man, she lost her status as an Indian and her children also lost their status. Conversely, if an Indian man married a non-Indian woman, the man retained his status, his children received status and status was conferred upon his non-Indian wife. So for all intents and purposes, non-Native women, without clans, could become status Indians by marrying an Indian. Policies on the New York State side also complicated matters because Mohawks there continued to follow their traditional matrilineal practices. Under these conflicting policies, the children of a Canadian Mohawk woman who married an American Mohawk man could not be enrolled on either side of the Akwesasne reservation. In the late 1800s, membership policies on the American side shifted from matrilineal to patrilineal as well. Lastly, the amendment granted authority to the tribes to determine their own membership. Before the amendment, the registration of Indians under the Indian Act automatically gave them membership status in a band and left no way for individual bands to decide their own membership. Now, as long as a band has promulgated membership rules adopted by the majority of the band members, they may determine their own membership. The act does not impose membership requirements, but it does draw a distinction between band \"members\" and \"status Indians\" who are registered under the Indian Act. \"Status Indians\" are those who meet the registration criteria imposed by Canada's Indian Act; they are registered at Canada's Department of Indian and Northern Affairs and at Akwesasne. A \"band member,\" on the other hand, is someone who meets Akwesasne's membership criteria only; they are registered at Akwesasne and not at the federal level.

According to the information booklet on the tour, there are 111 nuclear reactors in the U.S. and all of their nuclear waste storage facilities are full or near capacity. Many communities, mostly native communities and communities of color, have been polluted for decades and now, the storage of nuclear waste on their homelands must be prevented. An article by Mary Olsen, Nuclear Information and Resource Service, states that \"high level nuclear waste is the most dangerous substance ever created by humankind, remaining deadly for 250,000 years. Approximately 35,000 metric tons of this waste sits at the 111 nuclear reactors across the country.\" With this knowledge, the U.S. wants to relocate this waste across hundreds of miles of roadways and railways. It will be traveling through the communities of thousands of people. Not only is the transportation of this waste a mortal health hazard, its storage at Yucca Mountain would be violating the 1863 Treaty of Ruby Valley. This treaty gave the western Shoshone full sovereignty and has already been violated by the initial study of Yucca Mountain. If HR 1270, now before Congress, is passed, it will be in further violation of Shosone's sovereign rights.

The Sacred Run will take place with participants carrying the Sacred Bundle (prepared in consultation with tribal elders) from the past sites of the Games to this year's site in Victoria. The run and transport of this bundle are an integral part of the Indigenous Games and represent the strong link between all native peoples. There will also be a colorful parade of athletes and Nations at the Opening Ceremonies. The Sacred Bundle and Sacred Lance will officially be presented. Also incorporated in the Opening Ceremonies will be a presentation of sports that demonstrate and reinforce the sacredness of the number four (four cardinal directions) in the traditional Native way of life. The First Nations Cultural Village, a focal point of the games, includes an arts and crafts area with hundreds of vendors and artists. An outdoor amphitheater will house daily entertainment and other events for the thousands of spectators. In addition to the formal arrival of Native America on the Olympic scene, natives have been participating in an \"Olympics\" of their own. The North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) began in 1990 in Edmonton, Alberta with 3,000 athletes in attendance. The Games have since been held in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan in 1993, and in Blaine, Minnesota in 1995. The games are held every two years and the number of athletes has grown to 8,000 with nearly an equal number of volunteers. Tribes organize by state, province, or territory and enter the Games together as a team. NAIG are governed by a council consisting of 13 mandated representatives from Canada and 13 representatives from the U.S. The Council is responsible for establishing the philosophy, objectives, and rules of the Games; policies and procedures to guide the preparation and staging of the Games; ensuring that the Games play an important role in Aboriginal sports development; and determining the site of future Games.