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384:, often as part of a tag team with Johnny War Eagle. The following year, he returned to the United Kingdom, where he stayed to wrestle until late in 1974. At that point, he wrestled several matches in Germany before returning to Canada. He returned because his family asked him to spend more time at home. In the
442:, planned to expand onto land claimed by the Mohawk as traditional land. The Mohawk people objected to the plan to cut down a sacred grove of pines and build on their burial ground. During the dispute, the First Nations group blockaded a bridge, and a member of the
551:, in July, claiming they did not seek permission to use his likeness. On August 4, his lawyer announced the parties had agreed in principle to settle out of court, and were negotiating details toward dismissing the now-suspended suit.
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235:-based American Wrestling Association. When he, also from Kahnawake, returned to the reservation on a break from wrestling, he met 16-year-old Two Rivers, became his guardian and took him to
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during some of his matches. He has stated that he was a "journeyman" wrestler rather than a major star, and that people wanted to see him because he was "an attraction". In the UK,
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Duncan, Royal; Gary Will (2006). "(United States: 19th
Century & widely defended titles – NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA) AWA American Wrestling Association World Title ".
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He began wrestling professionally in 1953 and retired in 1977, having worked in the United States, United
Kingdom, Japan and Canada. In 1978, he become leader of the
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Two Rivers made his professional debut in
February 1953 in Detroit, facing Rose Martino of Italy. He spent the next several years in the United States, first in
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530:'s poem "My Father and I and Billy Two Rivers". The poem discusses watching him in a wrestling match and compares the predetermined outcome to the
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Two Rivers returned to the United States in
September 1965 and resumed wrestling in North Carolina. After six months, which included teaming with
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He served as the curator of the
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum section for First Nations wrestlers, "War Chiefs of the Mat".
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392:(GPW), he held the GPW Tag Team Championship while teaming with Jean War Eagle in 1974. He remained in Canada, facing such wrestlers as
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1283:"Shams and Cover-ups: The Spectacle of History in Paul Muldoon's "Meeting the British" and "My Father and I and Billy Two Rivers""
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368:), he left for Japan until at least May 13, 1966, after which point there is no record of him wrestling again until 1971.
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After retiring from wrestling, Two Rivers became involved in the governance of the
Kahnawake reservation, serving as an
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With George Becker, Two Rivers held his first championship belt. On April 6, 1959, they won the
Southern version of the
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404:, for the rest of his career. His final title victory came on August 3, 1976, when he defeated Serge Dumont to win the
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805:"37th Parliament, 2nd Session Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, Northern Development and Natural Resources"
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Two Rivers' name has entered popular culture in many forms. A British racing horse shared it. The
British band
408:. He retired in 1977, and has stated that one of the best parts of his career was "ending my career healthy".
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Austin, Luanne (November 15, 2007). "American Indian Quilt
Exhibit Reflects Heritage, History".
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317:. Ray Napolitano, a wrestler from the United Kingdom, told him to consider moving overseas. He
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with Don Eagle from 1956 to 1959. As a team, they faced a wide variety of opponents, including
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Duncan, Royal; Gary Will (2006). "(Carolinas) Charlotte: NWA Southern Tag Team Title ".
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at home and learned
English in school, which was only available until eighth grade.
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1311:"Billy Two Rivers, former pro wrestler, to settle lawsuit against Van Morrison"
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to decide and it chose the UK, where he began working in October 1959.
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After learning a photograph of him was to be featured on the cover of
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Two Rivers died in Kahnawake on February 12, 2023, at the age of 87.
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Wrestling in England and Scotland, Two Rivers gained fame due to his
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In 1990, Two Rivers helped lead the Mohawk nation during the
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First Nations reserve, played a major role in blockading the
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NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)
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Two Rivers was the father of British fashion designer
1313:. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. August 4, 2017.
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In 1971 and 1972, Two Rivers had several matches in
627:(1991) - Ougebmat (also Mohawk-language translator)
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168:professional wrestler, actor, and a leader of the
164:, May 5, 1935 – February 12, 2023) was a Canadian
1235:"Billy Two Rivers Dead at 87 ... a personal take"
1374:
1257:"Dynamite Jet Saloon/Graveyard [Import]"
454:Two Rivers appeared in several films, including
121:220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
1062:Spoken Here: Travels Among Threatened Languages
884:
856:
580:Canadian International Heavyweight Championship
406:Canadian International Heavyweight Championship
210:, Quebec. He grew up in Kahnawake speaking the
297:. They held the title for three months before
274:. From 1957 to 1959, he wrestled primarily in
1368:Billy Two Rivers at Online World of Wrestling
231:, a former World Heavyweight Champion in the
547:, Two Rivers sued the singer and his label,
1029:"Film captures the intensity of Oka Crisis"
555:Wrestling championships and accomplishments
1360:
959:"Complaints lodged against radio stations"
861:. Archeus Communications. pp. 10–11.
76:Kahnawake Mohawk Territory, Quebec, Canada
29:
780:"Canadian Hall of Fame: Billy Two Rivers"
1398:20th-century male professional wrestlers
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938:. Parliament of Canada. October 23, 1996
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832:"Chiefs and Champions: Billy Two Rivers"
522:album in 1988. He plays a large role in
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889:. Archeus Communications. p. 114.
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250:. He worked against such wrestlers as
195:Two Rivers was born on May 5, 1935 in
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1120:. Universal Wrestling. Archived from
1066:. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p.
1057:
914:"Wrestler Profiles: Billy Two Rivers"
908:
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476:, and the made-for-television movies
1413:First Nations professional wrestlers
1403:Canadian male professional wrestlers
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754:
1237:. Slam Wrestling. February 12, 2023
1211:. November 23, 2004. Archived from
1205:"Red Indian's Son in Style Pow-Wow"
1094:. Blockbuster Video. Archived from
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593:Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
217:
13:
1423:Professional wrestlers from Quebec
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567:GPW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
438:. A golf course in the village of
349:said he was "treated like a god".
291:NWA Southern Tag Team Championship
14:
1434:
1346:
1092:"Filmography of Billy Two Rivers"
957:Lockyer, Debora (March 1, 1996).
414:
113:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
988:. McGill-Queen's Press. p.
641:(1995, direct-to-video) - Indian
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472:. He is in the 1973 documentary
1324:Hogan, Marc (August 26, 2021).
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686:(1994, 1 episode) - Broken Foot
647:(1998, direct-to-video) - Elder
1035:. June 7, 2006. Archived from
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694:(2015, 1 episode) - Male Elder
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516:named a song after him on its
333:heritage. He wore a feathered
1:
1393:20th-century Native Americans
984:My Life at the Bar and Beyond
698:
670:(1989, TV movie) - 2nd Indian
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92:Professional wrestling career
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16:Canadian wrestler (1935–2023)
1418:Mohawks of Kahnawá:ke people
838:. Moving Images Distribution
7:
916:. Online World of Wrestling
10:
1439:
980:Paterson, Alex K. (2005).
936:"Evidence: Transport (27)"
836:Moving Images Distribution
519:In the Dynamite Jet Saloon
227:Two Rivers was trained by
60:Kahnawake Mohawk Territory
1408:Canadian Mohawk sportsmen
887:Wrestling Title Histories
859:Wrestling Title Histories
678:(1992, 1 episode) - Chief
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293:by defeating Alberto and
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1146:. Movies & TV Dept.
541:'s September 2017 album
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246:and then throughout the
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1292:(2): 89. Archived from
1281:Lesman, Robert (2007).
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313:, Alberta, to work for
1152:. 2012. Archived from
667:Red Earth, White Earth
632:Pocahontas: The Legend
478:Red Earth, White Earth
457:Pocahontas: The Legend
1118:"Wrestling Queen DVD"
1015:The Daily News Record
655:(2004) - Car Salesman
549:Universal Music Group
544:Roll with the Punches
206:reserve located near
181:Honoré Mercier Bridge
170:Mohawks of KahnawĂ :ke
1058:Abley, Mark (2005).
1039:on September 6, 2009
1033:The Edmonton Journal
683:Tales of the Willows
574:Lutte Internationale
562:Grand Prix Wrestling
390:Grand Prix Wrestling
301:them to the team of
278:, also teaming with
1290:Estudios Irlandeses
1209:The Cumberland News
1156:on October 22, 2012
474:The Wrestling Queen
258:. He also formed a
1179:"Tattenham Corner"
1149:The New York Times
1144:"Billy Two Rivers"
740:"Billy Two Rivers"
645:Musketeers Forever
508:In popular culture
341:, and performed a
315:Stampede Wrestling
1299:on July 18, 2010.
782:. SLAM! Wrestling
742:. SLAM! Wrestling
635:(1995) - Mochiqua
252:"Wild Bull" Curry
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70:February 12, 2023
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339:Mohawk hairstyle
218:Wrestling career
183:during the 1990
154:Billy Two Rivers
105:Billy Two Rivers
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1264:. Retrieved
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1239:. Retrieved
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1183:The Observer
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784:. Retrieved
744:. Retrieved
691:Mohawk Girls
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652:Taking Lives
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366:Swede Hanson
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307:Duke Keomuka
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100:Ring name(s)
72:(2023-02-12)
35:Two Rivers,
18:
1388:2023 deaths
1383:1935 births
1335:December 8,
842:November 1,
612:Filmography
440:Oka, Quebec
284:Red Bastien
264:Ray Stevens
57:May 5, 1935
40: 1972
1377:Categories
699:References
660:Television
624:Black Robe
463:Black Robe
436:Oka Crisis
429:councillor
354:Karl Gotch
347:Paul LeDuc
191:Early life
185:Oka Crisis
126:Trained by
53:1935-05-05
1330:Pitchfork
398:The Sheik
343:war dance
335:headdress
229:Don Eagle
197:Kahnawake
177:Kahnawake
130:Don Eagle
1266:July 24,
1219:July 26,
1189:July 24,
1160:July 26,
1128:July 26,
1102:July 26,
1043:July 26,
965:July 26,
942:July 26,
920:July 25,
811:July 26,
786:July 24,
746:July 24,
526:-winner
386:Montreal
362:Rip Hawk
337:, had a
303:Mr. Moto
299:dropping
260:tag team
208:Montreal
81:Children
388:-based
378:Ontario
311:Calgary
144:Retired
1359:
1261:Amazon
1074:
996:
893:
865:
603:1 time
584:1 time
466:, and
450:Acting
427:, and
400:, and
382:Quebec
270:, and
233:Boston
201:Mohawk
166:Mohawk
158:Mohawk
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500:Death
425:chief
421:elder
372:1970s
325:1960s
223:1950s
160:name
136:Debut
1357:IMDb
1337:2021
1268:2009
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1072:ISBN
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994:ISBN
967:2009
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891:ISBN
863:ISBN
844:2017
813:2009
788:2009
748:2009
639:Bolt
617:Film
480:and
380:and
364:and
305:and
282:and
254:and
244:Ohio
199:, a
147:1977
67:Died
47:Born
1355:at
1068:181
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