Community Service Spotlight

Katsitsiaione (Bringing the Flowers) (Neddie Thompson) is Onkwehonwe, Bear Clan and a descendant of Sky Woman. Her first teachings were of creation and of the Hauduwe. She is a basket maker, keeper of ceremonies, traditional medicine, songs, dances and teachings.

In the past, she helped begin and build the Freedom School and also taught pre-k there. She is a labor coach and midwife and supports natural delivery and home births.

She likes to help everyone, from the youth to the elders. She has helped with environmental awareness of the General Motors toxic PCB site in Akwesasne, The People’s Voice newspaper (free lance photography), MCA in the Traditional Medicine department, Akwesasne Mohawk school as a cultural language teacher, and ACT Now which is also located in Akwesasne. She is currently helping at the Chronic Care dept.(SRMT).

She has also helped with film, music and video, Mush-keg production (Kanien’keha’ka:Living the Language). “Alone Yet Not Alone” which is in production, will be hitting the big screen in April 2013, more recently, an outdoor drama “Drums along the Mohawk” Aug 4, 2012 produced by Kyle Jenkins. She has been involved the last two years with NAMA working behind the scenes and teaching youth about the theater/music arts field. Last year she brought youth to the NAMMYs and they danced on the stage during Keith Secola’s performance.

The last few years she has been visiting tribes and making friends in many areas. She has been helping develop a stickball team Akwesasne SKY WARRIORS, which is the first ever team in the northern areas. Also they have been teaching the youth the songs and medicines, which are teachings they all need. The youth are very intelligent and respectful, and Neddie is very proud of them all.