Two-Row, Reciprocity, and the Responsibilities of Guests

Mary Vaughan

The Two Row Wampum belt is a living agreement created in 1613 between the Dutch and

the Mohawk people. The Two Row Belt features two parallel lines of purple quahog shells

bracketed by three lines of white whelk shells. The purple lines represent two boats, a

Mohawk canoe and a Dutch ship, while the white shells represent the river of life. The treaty

was built on three core principles. Firstly, friendship. The boats would stay side by side,

neither pulling ahead nor lagging behind. Second, mutual respect. The boats would travel

down the same river but would not interfere with one another. Lastly, peace. If conflict would

arise, they would try and work together to find peace, and if wrong was done, compensation

would be provided. It was agreed that the treaty would be valid as long as the water flowed

downhill, as long as the grass became green, and as long as the sun made its journey across

the sky. Essentially, as long as nature moves in its most fundamental cycles, as long as the

world lasts (The Use of Wampum Belts). Unfortunately, non-indigenous people have largely

forgotten or chosen to ignore their responsibilities as guests on this land. Despite this, these

agreements are still valid, and as a benefactor of colonialism, it is my responsibility to respect

past agreements and actively participate in the ongoing reciprocal relationship.

My relationship with this treaty is as a settler and a guest on Turtle Island. The two-row is

a binding treaty between two specific peoples, but it is also a model of how relationships

between indigenous folks and settlers should continue to be (Koleszar-Green 168). While I'm

unaware of any Dutch heritage in my family tree, that doesn't negate my responsibilities

under the Two Row agreement. In "What is a Guest?" Blank delves into the obligations of

individuals residing on indigenous lands. She asserts that a pivotal duty of being a guest is to

"support Onkwehonwe nations by centring and supporting the traditional (pre-contact) and

contemporary (post-contact) treaties" (Koleszar-Green 175). As a guest on this land, it is my

responsibility to comprehend and honour the treaties established here, much like how I

respect the rules of someone's home when I am their guest.

The two-row wampum is a reciprocal treaty, and as such, I recognize the benefits and

responsibilities that come with it. My responsibilities are primarily to acknowledge

indigenous wisdom passed through generations, to respect and protect the land, and to, above

all, uphold the principles of peace and respect in my interactions with indigenous

communities. I have benefited from this treaty and my place on this land in ways I can't fully

conceptualize. My education has been enriched by indigenous knowledge, introducing me to

practices like smudging and drumming during high school and delving into oral traditions

and medicinal wisdom during my university studies. I further recognize that I wouldn't be on

this land if not for the aid indigenous peoples offered to white settlers, providing sustenance,

medicine, and essential survival knowledge. Yet it is also important to acknowledge that I

benefit directly from racism and colonialism as well. White settlers have largely failed to

honour the two-row agreement and, instead of upholding friendship and mutual respect, have

created a hegemonic culture which seeks to control and assimilate indigenous peoples. As a

member of this dominant culture, I am given privileges over others, and the structures that are

in place to support and protect me will not support indigenous people. This privilege is not

my fault, but it is my responsibility (Decolonization is for Everyone). In her TED talk, blank

explains the critical distinction between indigenizing and decolonizing. She says that

protecting and reinstating indigenous ways of knowing and systems of governance is the

responsibility of indigenous folks, and settlers should not appropriate this work.

Decolonization, on the other hand, is a dismantling of racist colonial systems, and this work

is everyone's responsibility (Decolonization is for Everyone). Under the two-row wampum, it

is my responsibility to show respect and friendship to indigenous peoples, and in a modern

context, this means I must commit to decolonization.

 My place within the Two Row Wampum treaty model involves a commitment to

honouring the values, responsibilities, and relationships outlined in this agreement. It has

been over four centuries since this treaty was ratified, and it is a testament to the value of

these principles that the treaty feels so relevant today. For white settlers, it is not only a

responsibility to adhere to the principles of the two-row wampum but also a gift that can

show us a path to peace in these difficult times.

 Works Cited

"Decolonization Is for Everyone." YouTube, uploaded by TEDx Talks, 12 Mar. 2019,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP9x1NnCWNY&ab_channel=TEDxTalks.

Koleszar-Green, Ruth. "What Is a Guest? What Is a Settler?" SPIRIT AND HEART, vol. 10,

no. 2, 2018, pp. 166, 177, https://doi.org/10.18733/cpi29452. Accessed 31 Oct. 2023.

"The Use of Wampum Belts." YouTube, uploaded by Ganondagan, 19 Nov. 2020,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5efrLn6avEc&t=2s&ab_channel=Ganondagan.