Joseph Onasakenrat
Mohawk chief (1845-1881)
Chief Onasakenrat was to play an important role in the Mohawk land claims related to the Seigneury of Lake of Two Mountains. (Lainey 2013, 102) He is seen here wearing a wampum belt made when the Mohawks moved to the new Lake of Two Mountains mission in 1721. On a few occasions following the British Conquest, in 1781 in particular, the wampum was presented to the colonial authorities to assert Mohawk title to the lands of the Seigneury of Lake of Two Mountains. The colonial authorities considered the wampum to be worthless and not proof of title to the land. (Pariseau 1975) It was the beginning of a long battle marked by ongoing protests, petitions and various claims among the Mohawks, Algonquins and Nepissings.
