Preserving past secures natives' future
Preserving past secures natives' future
Katie May / Standard Freeholder
Local News - Tuesday, July 03, 2007 @ 08:00 http://www.standard-freeholder.com/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=595682&catname=Local%20News&classif=
Theresa Kenkiohkoktha Fox loves to sing. And she sings to keep her culture alive.
As one of the founding members of the Akwesasne Women's Singing Society, Fox said singing is her way of supporting the unity of First Nations people across Canada.
"It's part of our culture to sing," she said.
The women's musical group formed roughly 10 years ago. It now has approximately 13 members, six of which performed traditional songs during the National Day of Action festivities last week. Fox said the songs, mainly written about peace, are ways for all community members to learn the Mohawk language and experience aboriginal culture.
Elizabeth Kahontihson Nanticoke, a fellow member, agreed.
"When we hear the children singing the songs we know the language is going to survive," she said. "They don't just sing the words - they know the meaning behind the words."
Language is the key to preserving Mohawk culture for future generations, said Akwesasne's grand chief.
Tim Thompson spoke about the damaging effects of a November 2006 $160 million government-funding cut for aboriginal language programs on the First Nations community as part of the Day of Action ceremonies.
"If there's no language, there's no culture," he said.
Steevi King, 18, of St. Regis, Que., said students in the Akwesasne area need more opportunities for cultural education in school.
"A lot of it comes from our elders and our parents," said the recent Massena High School graduate.
"We have to go off the reserve to go to high school and that's where, I think, the tradition and language get lost."
Thompson pointed to a ban on aboriginal languages enforced in residential schools generations ago as a major reason why maintaining language classes is important for today's youth.
He said today's children are learning the Mohawk language Kanienkeha in school and re-teaching their parents.
"They are our future and they are learning the language to preserve it for the future," said Thompson. "That's a big success for the community."
The Assembly of First Nations organized the National Day of Action last Friday to provide First Nations people with a unified opportunity for peaceful protest and to raise awareness of aboriginal rights across the country.