Fig.

1 Mary Early gives a speech, from: “Mary Two-Axe Earley” The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2017 March 23

Mary Early Campaigner For Indigenous

Women’s rights
“Two-Axe”
 Fig. 2 Mary Two-Axe Earley receiving the Governor General's Persons Case Award for
contributing to equality for women and girls in Canada, from: “Mary Two-Axe Earley”
The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2017 March 23

Born on October 4, 1911, Mary Two-Axe Early

was a Mohawk from Kahnawake, Quebec. When
she was 18 years old, she moved to New York,
then later married and Irish-American man. This
resulted in her loosing her Indigenous status,
under the provisions of the 1876 Indian Act. The
law reflected the Victorian notion that women were
the property of their husbands.

Losing her status meant that Mary could not live

on the reserve where she was born, own land, or
be buried on the reserve. At the time, Mary
reportedly thought nothing of this loss of status:
"Who thought about status? We were in love,"
Mary told The Gazette in a 1990 interview.

Unknown to her at the time, she would change the

lives of thousands of indigenous women and their
children.
 One Morning, in 1966, a close friend, who had also lost her status due to marrying a non-indigenous man, died in Mary's arms. Her
friend's official cause of death was a heart attack, but, Mary believed the stress of the discrimination her friend suffered was a
significant factor in causing it. Unfortunately, due to this woman's loss of status, she was not allowed to be buried on the
Kahnawake reserve.

Mary's anger surrounding these circumstances was likely the major reason she began to campaign for the rights of aboriginal
women.

In defiance of the band council, Mary and her friends dug a grave, and buried the woman on the reserve where she was born, and
held a 24-hour vigil over the gravesite to ensure it was not disturbed. Esmond Choueke, a freelance journalist who accompanied
the indigenous women, said that Mary told him to hide behind her when they were threatened by the men.

Fig. 3 Mary Two-Axe, Her Husband Edward Earley, and their two children, Rosemary and Edward II, from: “Mary Two-Axe Earley”
The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2017 March 23
Fig 4. Mary Two-Axe Early, from: “Mary Two-Axe Earley” The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2017
March 23

There started the campaign for the rights of indigenous women that would last
until her death in 1996. She faced opposition from male First Nations leaders,
fearing that the marriage of indigenous women to non-indigenous men would lead
to further assimilation and erosion of indigenous autonomy.

They also argued that the cost of extending indigenous status to the deregistered
First Nations women and children would be too expensive for the bands to
handle.

In 1975, Mary was in Mexico attending an international women's conference

when the band council sent her an eviction notice. She immediately told the
conference, and amid sudden backlash, the band council quickly rescinded the
order.

Two-Axe Earley became widely recognized for strength in the face of attempted
intimidation.
Fig 5. Mary Two-Axe Early, from: “Mary Two-Axe Earley” The Canadian Encyclopedia,
2017 March 23

Mary received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, as well as the Persons

Award for contributing to the improvement of the quality of life of women in
Canada.

She worked with the National Action Committee on the Status of Women in
hopes of ending discrimination under the Indian Act.

In 1981, she was presented with an honorary doctorate of law from York
University. In 1985, Mary was a recipient of the Order of Quebec, which is a
civilian honour for merit .

She also received the governor general's award and was nominated for the
lifetime achievement National Aboriginal Achievement Award.

Unfortunately, her ailing health curtailed her efforts in the final years of her life.
 Fig 6. Mary Two-Axe Early delivering a speech, from: “Mary Two-Axe Earley” The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2017
March 23

August of 1996, Mary Two-Axe

Early died of a Gall Blatter
infection, in Kahnawake - the same
place she was born.

Nearly 200 people attended her

funeral.
Citations
Mary Two-Axe Early
Source: Brown, Wayne. "Mary Two-Axe Earley: crusader fought for equal rights for Aboriginal women." Windspeaker, Dec. 2007, p. 34. Gale In Context:
Canada, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A173189815/GPS?u=bram55569&sid=GPS&xid=dc9a372b. Accessed 12 Sept. 2019.

FACTS & ARGUMENTS LIVES LIVED: MARY TWO-AXE EARLEY

Source: "FACTS & ARGUMENTS LIVES LIVED: MARY TWO-AXE EARLEY." Globe & Mail [Toronto, Canada], 26 Aug. 1996, p. A12. Gale OneFile: Business,
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A162939808/GPS?u=bram55569&sid=GPS&xid=7dc71e34. Accessed 13 Sept. 2019.

MARY TWO-AXE EARLEY

Source: "Mary Two-Axe Earley." Globe & Mail [Toronto, Canada], 3 Sept. 1996, p. A14. Gale OneFile: Business,
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A162930881/GPS?u=bram55569&sid=GPS&xid=d5c836cc. Accessed 19 Sept. 2019.

6(I)A ALL THE WAY! FIRST WORD

Source: Rebick, Judy. "6(I)A ALL THE WAY! FIRST WORD." Herizons, Spring 2019, p. 5. Gale OneFile: Business,
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A586903753/GPS?u=bram55569&sid=GPS&xid=2c7ba8b7. Accessed 19 Sept. 2019.

Woman of vision
Source: R. John Hayes. "Woman of vision." Windspeaker, Sept. 1996, p. 13 (sup). Gale In Context: Canada,
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A30091540/GPS?u=bram55569&sid=GPS&xid=ad1f570c. Accessed 19 Sept. 2019.