Ratisestonn:ni at Akwesasne
It all started on March 7, 2009 when all the people gathered at the longhouse to perform Ratihsesta:tas (putting in the sap). We select a speaker to burn tobacco for the trees and small bushes and we gave thanks especially the maple trees for coming back from the deep sleep to give maple syrup to the people. The speaker also asked Sonkwaiatison to look after the young men tapping the trees and collecting the sap in the woods, so nothing unfortunate would happen to them. He asked that it not be so windy so the young men do not get hurt from falling debris. Once Ratisasta:tas was completed, the young men were able to go out and tap the maple trees and collect the sap to make Maple syrup.
Fearing that the skills and Mohawk language used in maple sugaring was being lost in the Community, Shakoiatiiostha (Dean George) began working hard to train the next generation of maple syrup makers. He has been boiling sap to make maple syrup at the Thatihsestonnia:tha (The Sugar Shack) at Tsionkwanati:io for about six years. He would have not have kept it going this long without the help from the community members and other organizations in the community like Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment (ATFE), American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and Kanenhi:io (heifer International). This effort has always been a community project for people to come together to share stories and teach our youth to work hard and learn about our culture. Our elders remembered when there were many sugar shacks in all parts of Akwesasane. We could not afford to lose this important part of our culture. After all, we were the ones that taught the Europeans how to make maple syrup when they came to turtle Island.
When we started this project, one of our goals is to educate the youth about maple sugaring. The teachers wanted to bring their students someplace close by so they could see how maple syrup is made. So the sugar shack went up at Tsionkwanati:io from volunteers in the community so the schools can bring the students to an accessible location.
The students from the Akwesasne Freedom School (AFS)and the SRMT Head Start have visited Thatsestonnia:tha every year since it opened. When we bring the AFS students in, the whole process is told them in Kanienkeha(Mohawk Language). Shokowanahawe(Darrell Thompson) tells them a legend about how the maple syrup came to the onkwehonwe(Native people). He explains Watha ceremony to them and teaches them how to give thanks when they drink the sap. When the Head start kids visit, we use English, and a shorter version of the legend because they can’t sit very long. After they are done listening, everyone leaves with a small jar of maple syrup. All in all, it is a good time had by all.
On Sunday, March21, 2010 the Chiefs Clanmothers and Faithkeepers sat down together and decided to have the Watha Ceremony, Sunday, March 28, 2010 at Kanonhsehsne. We will bring our sap and watha oses(syrup) to give our thanks and greetings to the maple trees.
Shakoiatiiostha would like to thank everyone that helped out this year. They are too numerous to mention, plus we don’t want to leave anyone out. If anyone would like to donate to the Ratiseston:ni Project, you can drop it off at the Mohawk Nation Office or visit Shakoiatiiostha at the Thatisestonnia:tha at Tsionkwanati:io. You can also show your support by attending the Pancake breakfast Sunday, April 22, 2010, from 8:00 to Noon at the Mohawk Nation Cookhouse. Proceeds will benefit the AFS and the Ratiseston:ni Project at Akwesasne.