Mohawk News
ATFE Maple Project 2012
Kakwitetstsi Nikahawi Enniskowa Tsiniwenh:nites nonen ronterontara;raks Tho:ne’ Onen Entitewahwe’non:ni ne Orontakeri, Tho:ne’ onen Tenhatihnekonkiehte Tsiniiore Enwaton Watha Oses. (In the spring time, in the month of March, they will drill holes in the trees, and then collect the sap, and then boil the sap until it becomes maple syrup.)
This was a slow year for making maple syrup. Sonkwaiatison was very generous to us this year. We must have done something right by burning tobacco for the trees called Enhatisestata(putting the sap in the trees) where we give thanks and acknowledgement to the trees, especially the leader of the trees, the maple tree and giving thanks for Sonkwaiatison for putting the sap in the maple tree for us to use as medicine and make maple syrup.
We had a lot of friendly faces visit Thatisetstonnia:tha(the place where they make maple syrup) both from the Akwesasne Freedom School and SRMT Head Start program. As soon as the kids get off the bus, we show them the sap in the buckets hanging on the trees. Then we let them taste the sap. Then we show them how to tap the trees. Then we show them our evaporator that boils the water out of the sap until it becomes maple syrup. Then we share a legend with them of how maple syrup came to our people. We also tell them that making maple syrup is an important part of our culture and why we have to keep doing it so we don’t lose it. Then the children leave with a small sample jar of maple syrup.
We also do this so we can bring fresh sap for the people to drink at the big maple ceremony at Kanonsesne and to have fresh syrup for a whole cycle of ceremonies the way Sonkwaiatison intended it to be. We also do it for putting it on our pancakes once the trees is dried up and all our equipment is put away. We would like to thank the students at the Akwesasne Freedom school for coming out and cutting wood when we needed it, Kiorenhiakwente, Karonies, Kentaratiron, Teiothanalli, Takanaqui, and Kanenishon. Niawenkowa to everyone else that helped out this year.
The Black Ash Project at Akwesasne
The Black Ash Project has been in existence for quite a few years now thanks to some partnerships that has formed over the years such as the Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment (ATFE), MCA Model Forest Program, SRMT Forestry Program, South Nation Conservation, The Ranger School, NYSDEC Forestry Department, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS).
Haudenosaunee Seed Exchange Workshop
Ohswekon, Haudenosaunee Territory
On March 30, 2011, different families across the confederacy attended the haudenosaunee Seed Exchange Workshop in Ohswekon (Six Nations) that was sponsored by Deyohaha:ge (two roads), Indigenous Knowledge Center, Joint Stewardship Board, Six Nations Farmers Market & Community Planning, Brantford Native Housing/Community Support Services, and Six nations Health Promotion & Nutrition Services.
ATFE Akwesasne Maple Project
Kakwitetstsi Nikahawi Enniskowa Tsiniwenh:nites nonen ronterontara;raks Tho:ne’ Onen Entitewahwe’non:ni ne Orontakeri, Tho:ne’ onen Tenhatihnekonkiehte Tsiniiore Enwaton Watha Oses. (In the spring time, in the month of March, they will drill holes in the trees, and then collect the sap, and then boil the sap until it becomes maple syrup.)
This was a record breaking year for making maple syrup. Sonkwaiatison was very generous to us this year. We must have done something right by burning tobacco for the trees called Enhatisestata(putting the sap in the trees) where we give thanks and acknowledgement to the trees, especially the leader of the trees, the maple tree and giving thanks for Sonkwaiatison for putting the sap in the maple tree for us to use as medicine and make maple syrup.
Ratisestonn:ni at Akwesasne
Kakwitestsi Ni Kahawi (Spring time) is my favorite time of year because that is when Sonkwaiatison (Our creator) pours sap in the maple tree for the people to make maple syrup.