Sken:nen Aonson:ton or “To Become Peaceful Again”
Written by Jeremy Zafran on 8 November 2022
The first component of the Kahnawà:ke Justice Act has been approved and has been brought into force today by the Kahnawà:ke Justice Commission. In the announcement, The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) stressed the importance of this initial step that allows for the transfer of criminal files from the Court of Kahnawà:ke to Skén:nen Aonsón:ton or “To Become Peaceful Again,” for resolution using restorative justice. Skén:nen Aonsón:ton has been in existence since 2000. In keeping with the principles of the Kahnawà:ke Justice Act of balance and harmony, the use of (“To Become Peaceful Again”) Skén:nen Aonsón:ton is the first option in resolving conflict.
Ietsénhaienhs Tonya Perron, who holds the lead on the Justice Portfolio saying that: “The Justice Act gives our community the formal means to build jurisdiction.” “This new protocol is the entry point and foundation of Kahnawà:ke’s justice system, promoting restorative justice as a more culturally appropriate means of resolving conflict in a peaceful, non-confrontational way.
