Rematriation

We believe that by elevating the voices of Haudenosaunee women and re-connecting the U.S. public with the true story of how their democracy came to be, the entire world has a greater chance of restoring the natural balance between land, water and life that is critical to combating the greatest social and climate issues of our time.

Rematriation is a multimedia storytelling platform designed to amplify the voices of Indigenous women across the globe. As Haudenosaunee people, we are the original carriers of the system of governance and democracy that the Founding Fathers relied upon as a model and justification for the U.S. Constitution. Today, our democracy is the oldest, living on the planet and if the U.S. has any hope to course correct, it must turn its attention to the voices of Haudenosaunee women and follow our example of inclusive, equitable democracy that honors Mother Earth.

Genocidal campaigns and media misrepresentation all contribute to why so many Americans are unaware of this history and the value it holds in this moment of time. This fatal marginalization derails an opportunity for Americans to learn from our teachings and correlates with the current wave of social unrest.

Rematriation is part of a global, grassroots movement led by Indigenous women to restore traditional knowledge and practices as viable solutions to global challenges. From food sovereignty to water protection to restorative justice, Indigenous women are Returning the Sacred to the Mother. Through original articles, podcasts, interviews, films and apps we offer matrilineal narratives that affirm our identities and worldview as Indigenous women and offer an alternative way of living and being on earth to others. 

Our Founder, Michelle Schenandoah, grew up in a traditional home and is the granddaughter of an Oneida Clan Mother and the daughter of an Oneida Faithkeeper. Her upbringing influences how we approach our work and shapes our commitment to share stories and knowledge with our people and the world in a good way. 

We envision a world where Indigenous women’s voices are not only heard, but are leading and trusted by the world’s foremost institutions. In order for this to happen, colonial institutions need to undergo a significant transformation. By sharing our stories and insights with the world, we illuminate a path for them to look to when they are ready to hear our perspective.

Rematriation is a Haudenosaunee-led multimedia platform amplifying Indigenous women’s voices, stories and perspectives with the intent of disrupting mainstream narratives, illuminating pathways toward equitable and inclusive democracy, and presenting traditional knowledge as viable solutions to urgent global challenges.

Indigenous women’s voices and knowledge have been silenced for 500 years in the Americas because of colonization, genocide and currently, within laws, policies, education and media. 1 in 3 Native American women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime and only 1% will report it.  At the same time, a groundbreaking study by Illuminative revealed that 78% of Americans polled know little to nothing about Native Americans and 95% of the first 100 images yielded in a google search for “Native American” are from the 19th century. There is a discrepancy in the United States between the narrative of who non-Natives think we are and the contemporary lives we are actually living, we aim to bridge this disconnect.

Now, as the world turns to new ways of existing, Indigenous and Haudenosaunee peoples have answers. Our democracy within our systems have created peace, equity and inclusion that have existed for over 1,000 years - no other nation on earth can claim this.

Rematriation, housed within the non-profit Kanenhi:io Ionkwaienthos supports a Sisterhood of Haudenosaunee and Indigenous women who are reclaiming traditional identity, culture, laws, and authority through peace, love, healing and uplifting the minds of our Indigenous nations. Our mission consists of three parts: 1. Create spaces and systems of support for healing, collective growth and action among Haudenosaunee and Indigenous women. 2. Provide ongoing support for these systems through our multi-media platforms. 3. Raise public consciousness and allyship around Indigenous rights and traditional knowledge.

In addition to our core work of providing original content to our primary audience of Indigenous women, we actively are developing our outreach to allies. We plan to launch a national campaign to make rematriation a household process and a think tank dedicated to amplifying the influence of Haudenosaunee democracy on the U.S. Constitution and Women’s Rights Movement. This is our story as Haudenosaunee women making us the ideal people to tell it. We plan to work with a thoughtful cohort of Indigenous and non-Native celebrity allies to publicize our ancestral narrative which we expect will feel innovative and hopeful to the mainstream U.S. public unaware of our history.

Our approach to narrative change is innovative in the way it centers the voices of Indigenous women. All of our original content is inspired by closed conversations that happen within community spaces we create solely for Indigenous women. This means that our work represents the heart of a group of approximately 500 Indigenous women committed to embracing and asserting our full matrilineal authority and is regularly shared first with a core group of 1,200 Haudenosaunee and Indigenous women across Turtle Island (North America) and the world. 

Our work is innovative even within our own Haudenosaunee and Indigenous communities, because it pushes back against the ways that colonialism and patriarchy have attempted to infiltrate our society. We gather annually with our core group of women and in sacred space, completely separate from the confines and structure of our organization, we listen in to the needs of our community and our women. 

We currently have strong partnerships with Indigenous media orgs such as Shine Network, Red Nation Media Coalition, and Vision Maker Media. We also regularly meet with Clan Mothers and Faithkeepers to discuss their vision for the future of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the world.