Native Earth Environmental Youth Camp 2011

Well, it was another successful year for the Native Earth Environmental Youth Camp sponsored by SUNY Environment Science and Forestry, Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force, and Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Environment. The two week long excursion was funded by the National Science Foundation and directed by Dr. Robin Kimmerer, a Native American of the Citizen Band Potawatomi assisted by SUNY-ESF intern, Meredith Kane, MCA’s Bob Stevenson, and HETF’s Dave Arquette and Noah Point.

The Youth Camp is a program partnered by all of the listed environmental programs and is developed to teach students traditional relations to our earth while integrating tradition and scientific knowledge. It’s also established, to enhance our youth’s traditional ecological knowledge and teach them about environmental science and field ecology. Each student took with them, new knowledge of how the Haudenosaunee once lived as well as ways to help sustain the environment for generations to come.

A total of eleven students from across the Haudenosaunee Confederacy travelled to Adam’s Marina in Akwesasne on Sunday August 7^th, 2011 to be transported by boat to Thompson Island for their first week of indigenous learning and living. Some travelled further than others but at the end of the day; they all came together for the same purpose. Four of the students that participated with the Environmental Youth Camp in previous years, returned again this year. There were three students from Tuscarora Nation, two from Cayuga Nation, one from Tonawanda Seneca Nation, one from Onondaga Nation, two from Oneida Nation and two from Mohawk Nation.

The two weeks consisted of activities and presentations from various educators’, environmental specialists, and traditional leaders. One week was spent on Thompson Island and the second week was spent at the Cranberry Lake Biological Station in Cranberry Lake, NY.

Day 1 officially began on Monday August 8^th, 2011. Dave Arquette opened the trip with the students with a social gathering for the Ohenten Kariwatekwen, Thanksgiving. This was the official start to the activities on Thompson Island. Throughout the day they students, staff and chaperones enjoyed a leisurely day of activities with Dr. Robin Kimmerer, and SUNY-ESF intern, Meredith Kane followed by a hike down the trail to the river while Dean George explained some of our Native trees and traditional uses. The afternoon was spent with Bob Stevenson showing the group how to start a fire using what’s called a bow-drill.

On day 2, Thompson Island was visited by some special guests from the Akwesasne Community. Eddie Grey, of the Mohawk Nation Turtle Clan, took the students on a medicine walk and displayed samples of various plants, flowers, roots, and trees which can be used for medicinal purposes. Later on another special guest, Louise Ingle from Health and Wellness conducted a Plantain Suave workshop to show the students the use of plantain and how to make it into a sauve. Each student was able to take with them a small jar of their own sauve after the presentation. After a delightful lunch, everyone settled down into a little presentation about cattails and cattail making during the wetlands ecology presentation by Dr. Robin Kimmerer.

On day 3, Lionel LaCroix, a Metis trapper from Quebec did a presentation on trapping and various traditional and non-traditional uses for the different furs he displayed to the group, later taking the group on a small walk to show how traps are setup and proper use of the traps. He explained a little bit about the laws that are involved with Trapping and even a little bit of the history of trapping. After lunch the students had a little bit of free time before their next visitor came, Darryl Thompson, a traditional Faithkeeper and an amazing story teller. The story he brought to the group was that of the origin of the Peach Stone game. By the end of the presentation, everyone wrapped up the day with an exciting game of Peach Stone. The loud voices of the students yelling “Kahanta”, or “Shaaa” was evidence of the traditional knowledge that was passed on that day.

Day 4 was a busy day with Les Benedict from SRMT tribe and log pounding followed by a local basket maker, Judy Cole. Each of the students took turns swinging at the water soaked black ash log while Judy taught them how to make baskets. While some of the interest was strictly working the log to create splints for the baskets, most of the students, chaperones, and even the Thompson Island staff were able to get a good start on their baskets which they finished later on that week.

Later on that evening, Kontiwennenha:wi (Mohawk Women Singers), put on another yet great performance while everyone danced. The students had been practicing all week long by having their own little social every night. Dean George, Mohawk student Joe Smoke and Onieda student Alex Steeprock sang with the traditional water drum and set of rattles while everyone else danced throughout the night. It was so refreshing to see so many students from so many different communities coming together and all have the same enthusiasm in joining in to the social. Needless to say, they were ready for Kontiwennenha:wi, when they arrived to sing.

One more surprise of the day was a special guest. Singer, Actor, Song Writer, Joanne Shenandoah, made a surprise appearance to the newly constructed stage on Thompson Island to perform, singing some of her songs and talking with the young adults about opportunities in the music industry.

Friday brought more guests to Thompson Island for more presentation, and more fun. One of SRMT’s employees Amber-Kay Lafrance brought along with her a life size board game which was played using traditional knowledge of plants and some of the benefits and uses of each plant. After the game, Rick White from Traditional Health brought everyone into the screened in classroom and began teaching breathing techniques to heal the body and mind and how to defend ourselves using martial arts.

Saturday evening, the group set off on a voyage across the St. Lawrence to a place where they were able to observe some live eagles and a little bit of their habitat.

On Sunday August 14^th, 2011 the entire group packed up camp, and began their journey to the Cranberry Lake Biological station (CLBS), but not before stopping in St. Regis Falls, NY for some Sweet grass picking, led by Dean George. As the night went on, everyone got settled in to their new home for the rest of the week. Although the night brought nothing but clouds and rain, it didn’t stop the group from their first presentation which was held at the cafeteria of the CLBS.

Each day of the week brought a new subject which was based on some of the primary gifts with give thanks for in our traditional teachings, The People, Mother Earth, The Waters, Plant Life, and The Animals. Each day at the CLBS focused on each of these subjects bringing more guest speakers and more activity.

On Monday August 15^th, 2011 Dr. Robin Kimmerer spoke of the relationship between Western Science and our tradition today and throughout history leading everyone down one of the area’s trails to a Wigwam made of bark and cattails. There, she taught how to use a compass and even a little activity practicing to use the compasses.

Tuesday’s adventure began with a presentation then later took the group fishing with Neil Patterson Jr. where the kids learned about aquatic ecology ending the day with a little fish fry outside on a little camp stove. Each of the student’s knowledge was tested and small prizes were given for each correct answer. Later that evening, it was time to wind down again with a little canoeing and swimming.

Bright and early Wednesday morning Dr. Robert Kimmerer, one of the university’s professors started the morning with a brief explanation about solar clocks. Using common materials such as a small tarp, a stake, and marker, plotting times throughout the day as the sun moved across the Adirondack sky. Once that solar clock was setup, the group set on their way with Robin to learn more about the different plant life and the habitat in which the life of the plants, trees, and moss thrive. During the hike, the students got the opportunity to once again stop and pick sweet grass along the trail. One group of students broke off to go and pick sorrel, an edible heart shaped clover used in different sauces, soups, and salads. The goal was to create a sorrel soup but the small group ultimately ended up using it as a topping for pizza.

Thursday was all about the Animals. Another SUNY-ESF student, Dave, and a visitor to the station, Catherine Landis gave an awesome presentation keeping the young minds intrigued until they were able to set out to trap some small salamanders, frogs, and even ended up with a cold, wet little mouse. Catherine presented different types of birds and bird songs which later the group’s knowledge was tested on with a game of Bird Jeopardy.  Meredith gladly watched over the mouse during the rest of the tour keeping the little mammal dry which was later on brought back to the area where it was found and retuned back to the wild. During the tour, Dave took the students on a trail which led to a beaver dam and pond filled with aquatic life and lots of bugs too.

Friday, everyone had to get up extra early to set out so that they could take a tour of SUNY-ESF in Syracuse, NY. As the group was transported by boat back to the main land, you could almost feel the sadness of the departure from the Biological Station. While everyone knew that they were going home to their own communities, it was apparent of the adventure and all the knowledge they were taking home with them. During the last two weeks, they were able to do and learn new things they never would have imaged ever learning. One girl from Tonawanda Seneca even overcame her fear of snakes and ended up catching one on the very last day at the CLBS. It was such an accomplishment that she received an ice cream cake once she arrived for lunch at the Campus in Syracuse. The cake was decorated with the Hiawatha Flag.

Overall, this experience has shown that even though the students were only teenagers, they brought so much with them to this experience and left with even more. In my experience, I have never come across such a great group of kids, well behaved, and involved in so much of their tradition as these kids. The entire program wishes all of them the best in their journeys through life and hope to see them again in the future.

A special thank you goes out to the rest of the people who were involved that made this experience as enjoyable as it was; Marie and Ernie Thompson on Thompson Island for the fine traditional dining and fresh food, transportation, and great company; Jessica Dolan who volunteered during her time away from McGill university to help with everything, and especially for being on our winning team during the plant game; the Staff of the Cranberry Lake Biological Station for keeping the group well fed and comfortable; and to all our guest speakers, leaders, chaperones, and teachers we send this big Niawen Kowa for making this trip a total success.