Mary Two-Axe Earley: A Trailblazer for Indigenous Women's Rights
Background
Identity: Kanienkeh:ka (Mohawk) elder, advocate for women and children, human rights activist.
Lifespan: Born on 4 October 1911, Kahnaw:ke reserve, QC; died 21 August 1996, same location.
Achievements: Key figure in the Canadian women's movement, particularly active in the 1960s-1980s.
Early Life and Education
Birthplace: Kahnaw:ke reserve, farming community near St. Lawrence River.
Cultural Background: Part of Haudenosaunee Confederacy, also known as Keepers of the Eastern Door.
Family: Mother was an Oneida teacher, healer, and nurse.
Tragedy: Mother died of Spanish flu when Mary was 10.
Move to the United States
Motivation: Limited employment opportunities on reserves.
Migration: Moved to Brooklyn, New York, joined the Little Caughnawaga Mohawk community.
Marriage: Met and married Edward Earley, had two children.
Advocacy for Women's Rights
Focus: Fought injustices under the Indian Act, particularly section 12(1)(b).
Impact of Legislation:
Revoked rights for Status Indian women who married non-Indigenous men.
Status passed through male lineage, leading to disenfranchisement.
Activism Highlights
Catalyst: Death of a friend in 1966 spurred her vocal activism.
Organizations:
Joined Indian Rights for Indian Women (IRIW) in 1967.
Founding member of the Quebec Native Women's Association in 1974.
Key Events:
1967: Royal Commission on the Status of Women (RCSW) hearings.
1975: International Women's Year conference, used eviction notice to highlight discrimination.
Legislative Success: Bill C-31 (1985) amended the Indian Act, allowing reinstatement of status.
Awards and Honours
Recognition:
1979: Governor General's Persons Case Award.
1985: Officer of the National Order of Quebec.
Honorary doctorate from York University.
1996: National Aboriginal Achievement Award.
Recent Tribute: 2021 Google Doodle by artist Star Horn.
Death and Legacy
Death: Succumbed to respiratory illness on 21 August 1996.
Burial: As per her wishes, buried in a Catholic cemetery on Kahnaw:ke reserve.
Legacy: Instrumental in constitutional change for marginalized women under the Indian Act, significant to Canadian women's and Indigenous women's movements.