Akwesasne Winter Carnival 2009

Every February the Akwesasne community bundles up for cold weather and heads to the Akwesasne Winter Carnival where five-days of events offer something for every age. This year’s carnival was a great success as every event was looked-forward to and saw high participation, making organizers happy and bringing the spirit of the event to light.

“I’m just really glad that everything went well,” said Theresa Square, who stepped up to the plate this year to coordinate the event.

Every year, one of Akwesasne’s three recreation centers hosts the event in a revolving schedule. Last year, Snye Recreation hosted; this year was Cornwall Island’s turn. The Cornwall Island Recreation Committee was hesitant to host the carnival this year, as their previous turn three years ago didn’t go well. A blizzard and below zero temperatures kept people home and many of the carnival’s events that year were cancelled.

However, Square heard that someone was needed and she volunteered, recruiting friends and colleagues to help and even the students at Iohahi:io (where she works) were excited to help out.

As the carnival approached, a large and diverse committee formed and a number of great events were planned. Some of the favorites were the photo contest, which had many entries, the Families on Ice competition in which families worked together and competed against other families, and the elders dinner and dance, which was a packed house. Local law enforcement volunteers every year to serve the elders dinner.

Momentum for the carnival began Wednesday afternoon this year when a torch run was organized using a torch from the Special Olympics. Later this year, the actual Olympic Torch will be brought through Akwesasne (dates and runners unknown at this time), so to prepare for that event a number of community members were asked to help run a torch through Akwesasne to celebrate the beginning of the carnival. The run began at the Snye Recreation Centre, crossed into Hogansburg, over the Three Nations Bridge and ending at the Kawehno:ke (Cornwall Island) Recreation. The event brought people out of their houses or made them pull over on the side of the road to watch. A live CKON broadcast helped bring the event to the public’s attention.

Other events held throughout the carnival included a horseshoe competition, puzzle race, volleyball tournament, Ace to King tournament, chili cook-off, and many more activities. Children, adults and elders all had something to look forward to and the winter carnival committee was fortunate this year to have a number of community members willing to organize events.

Next year’s host is Kana:takon (St. Regis).