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Kanatsiohareke Mohawk Community
Reestablished September 1993
Skennenhatie
Take Peace with You
Akenhnhà:ke! Happy Summer!
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Our annual Strawberry Festival (June 29 - 30, 2019) was a very successful and celebratory event. Niawen'kó:wa to all who volunteered and participated!
​
The Strawberry Festival is Kanatsiohareke's largest annual fundraiser, and is vital in supporting our many community and cultural programs. Our annual gathering was attended by hundreds of friends from near and far and we handily met our revenue goal.
Strawberry Festival 2019 took a group of dedicated, tireless volunteers many months to organize and pull off. Many, many people made this year's festival possible. We whole heartedly thank them all.
We also give special thanks to a few folks who led some of the major efforts:
-
Bonnie Jane Maracle, our overall event and volunteer organizer;
-
Bear Fox, for lining up the many performers who entertained and educated our visitors;
-
Kay Olin for organizing the silent auction, and for her traditional storytelling;
-
Kevin Deer who delivered traditional opening and closing messages each day;
-
Tony Moonhawk Langhorn who organized the vendors;
-
Ed Maracle who led the fry shack cooking crew;
-
Tom Porter for everything, from haying the parking fields to the beef from his herd, and for running the craft store both days;
-
the Kanatsiohareke Board of Directors who made the site ready for everyone;
-
and for anyone we may have forgotten, please accept our apologies and fill their name in here...
We'd like to invite you all to please consider joining us as we plan for next year, to make the 2020 Strawberry Festival even bigger and even better!
​
Here are a few photos of the festival, showing some of our volunteers, attendees, and performers who so generously donated their efforts on our behalf.
Niawen'kó:wa for a successful Strawberry Festival!
​
Our annual Strawberry Festival (June 29 - 30, 2019) was a very successful and celebratory event. Niawen'kó:wa to all who volunteered and participated!
​
The Strawberry Festival is Kanatsiohareke's largest annual fundraiser, and is vital in supporting our many community and cultural programs. Our annual gathering was attended by hundreds of friends from near and far and we handily met our revenue goal.
Strawberry Festival 2019 took a group of dedicated, tireless volunteers many months to organize and pull off. Many, many people made this year's festival possible. We whole heartedly thank them all.
We also give special thanks to a few folks who led some of the major efforts:
-
Bonnie Jane Maracle, our overall event and volunteer organizer;
-
Bear Fox, for lining up the many performers who entertained and educated our visitors;
-
Kay Olin for organizing the silent auction, and for her traditional storytelling;
-
Kevin Deer who delivered traditional opening and closing messages each day;
-
Tony Moonhawk Langhorn who organized the vendors;
-
Ed Maracle who led the fry shack cooking crew;
-
Tom Porter for everything, from haying the parking fields to the beef from his herd, and for running the craft store both days;
-
the Kanatsiohareke Board of Directors who made the site ready for everyone;
-
and for anyone we may have forgotten, please accept our apologies and fill their name in here...
We'd like to invite you all to please consider joining us as we plan for next year, to make the 2020 Strawberry Festival even bigger and even better!
​
Here are a few photos of the festival, showing some of our volunteers, attendees, and performers who so generously donated their efforts on our behalf.
Our annual Strawberry Festival (June 29 - 30, 2019) was a very successful and celebratory event. Niawen'kó:wa to all who volunteered and participated!
​
The Strawberry Festival is Kanatsiohareke's largest annual fundraiser, and is vital in supporting our many community and cultural programs. Our annual gathering was attended by hundreds of friends from near and far and we handily met our revenue goal.
Strawberry Festival 2019 took a group of dedicated, tireless volunteers many months to organize and pull off. Many, many people made this year's festival possible. We whole heartedly thank them all.
We also give special thanks to a few folks who led some of the major efforts:
-
Bonnie Jane Maracle, our overall event and volunteer organizer;
-
Bear Fox, for lining up the many performers who entertained and educated our visitors;
-
Kay Olin for organizing the silent auction, and for her traditional storytelling;
-
Kevin Deer who delivered traditional opening and closing messages each day;
-
Tony Moonhawk Langhorn who organized the vendors;
-
Ed Maracle who led the fry shack cooking crew;
-
Tom Porter for everything, from haying the parking fields to the beef from his herd, and for running the craft store both days;
-
the Kanatsiohareke Board of Directors who made the site ready for everyone;
-
and for anyone we may have forgotten, please accept our apologies and fill their name in here...
We'd like to invite you all to please consider joining us as we plan for next year, to make the 2020 Strawberry Festival even bigger and even better!
​
Here are a few photos of the festival, showing some of our volunteers, attendees, and performers who so generously donated their efforts on our behalf.
Introduction to Mohawk
An intensive Beginners class for those who have had no prior, or very minimal, exposure to the Mohawk language – working with a team of experienced language speakers/instructors.
Basic Mohawk
A language session for those who have completed Session 1 or those who have had some prior language-learning experience with the Mohawk language – working with a Mohawk speaker.
Conversational Mohawk
A Mohawk immersion session for those seeking an opportunity to work on developing their proficiency in the language – working with a fluent Mohawk speaker.
Tsi Iakwateweiénhsta Kanien'kéha Kana'tsioharè:ke Nòn:we
Mohawk Language at Kanatsiohareke
Tetitewaha ne Onkwawen:na! Let's bring our language back!
Onerahtókha 9, 2019
April 9, 2019
Summer 2019 Dates Announced!
Tsiothorkó:wa 28, 2019
January 28, 2019
Over 20 Years of Mohawk Language at Kanatsiohareke
Akenhnha'kè:ne 2018 (Summer 2018) was special at Kanatsiohareke. It was a celebration of 20 years of language. For three weeks, students and teachers gathered their minds together and spoke Kanien'kéha. In general, Kanien'kéha speakers are growing across the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and amongst the diaspora. This is especially true with the younger generations. Established programs are growing, and new programs are being established across the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the USA, and Canada.
It was not always this way. At the 1997 Haudenosaunee Language Conference held at Kanatsiohareke, it was estimated that only 4.86% of Haudenosaunee spoke their respective languages. Kanien'kéha was the highest, estimated at 9.8%. The language program at Kanatsiohareke started one year later in 1998. It was a direct and urgent response to these numbers. 20 years later, the positivity and dedication of students and teachers is infectious, even if challenges remain.
Students and teachers who gathered in 2018 came from various places that included Ahkwesáhsne, Kahnawà:ke, Ohswé:ken (Grand River Territory), Kenhtè:ke (Tyendinaga), Ohròn:wakon (Hamilton, ON), Skahnéhtati (Albany, NY), Ka'skonhtsherá:kon (Rochester, NY), Tetiohoseró:ken (Buffalo, NY), Ramaytush (San Francisco, CA), and Chochenyo (Oakland, CA). Attendees included teachers in their respective reserves and cities, community members who understand the importance of indigenous language revitalization, and parents raising first generation Kanien'kéha speakers.
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Language teachers, facilitators, and assistants in 2018 included Tehahenteh Frank Miller, Kahsto'serakwathe Paulette Moore, Kawennakaratats Terry Waltz, Kahontiyoha Denise McQueen, Karonhyawake Jeff Doreen, Tehahswathetha Jacob Doreen, Kaweienonni Cook Peters, and Tekahiónhake Teddy Peters.
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Language learning in 2018 consisted of three classes over the span of three weeks. The first week was an introductory course in Kanien'kéha, the second week was intermediate, and the third conversational. Speakers of all levels attended all three weeks, though. The program each week adapts to the needs of the students attending with the goal of getting them speaking.​ In 2018, Introduction to Mohawk students filmed before and after videos where they responded to simple questions to showcase their growth as speakers. Intermediate Mohawk had students writing and presenting stories by week's end. Conversational Mohawk students sang "Kahnawà:ke wà:ke" along with a choreographed dance in addition to practicing the Three Bare Words of the Condolence.
In addition to language learning, students visited the local swimming pot holes in Canajoharie (Kanatsiohareke's namesake), the Iroquois Indian Museum, the Johnson Hall State Historic Site, Howe's Caverns, Kahon:ios (Cahoes Falls), and the Turtle Village Site (Caughnawaga Indian Village Site). Some also welcomed and hosted the final landing for the 2018 Haudenosaunee Canoe Journeys.
A heartfelt Niawen'kówa (and Yakokih) goes to Iehnhotonkwas Bonnie Jane, Shana, Alice, Ida Mae, Kanastatsi, Te:, Tsio, Louie, and Shakokwenionkwas Tom Porter for hosting the students each week.
Niawen'kówa also goes to Ionataiewas Kay Olan, who graced each week's students with her presence and traditional story telling.
Introduction to Mohawk (Registration Closed)
July 8 - 12, 2019
An intensive Beginners class for those who have had no prior, or very minimal, exposure to the Mohawk language – working with a team of experienced language speakers/instructors.
Basic Mohawk
July 15 - 19, 2019
A language session for those who have completed Session 1 or those who have had some prior language-learning experience with the Mohawk language – working with a Mohawk speaker.
Conversational Mohawk
July 22 - 26, 2019
A Mohawk immersion session for those seeking an opportunity to work on developing their proficiency in the language – working with a fluent Mohawk speaker.
