Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

Submitted by Sue Ellen Herne

In the summer of 2012, the Akwesasne Museum conducted a survey of traditional knowledge within Akwesasne. A total of 365 people agreed to answer all or part of the survey. Maps and charts showing survey results will be on display at the St. Regis Rec. on Saturday February 16th from 1:00 to 4:00. There will be maps showing how many people in each district participated in the survey, along with numbers on how many of the participants are fluent in Mohawk vs. how many have only basic Mohawk language knowledge. The maps were created by Amberdawn Lafrance of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Environment Division. Other results will be on charts and graphs, such as the topics that participants most want to learn more about.

Survey participants were asked if there were practices from the past that they would like to see revived. Most of the people who responded to this question mentioned “visiting one another around the community”, and second under that was “going house to house on New Years”. In Akwesasne, the practice of going house to house on New Years used to mean being sure to visit your godparents on that day.

While learning about other Mohawk communities was not as high on the list of topics to learn as is medicines and language, it is interesting to note the following New Year’s tradition.

Betts said, “In our community on New Year’s morning (until noon) children and adults go out into the community and go door to door and shout ‘Nu Yah!’  Someone comes to the door and hands out baked goods.  This year we handed out Indian cookies and donuts.  The dolls are ‘Nu Yah-ers!’ That’s how we start new years here and I hear they also ‘Nu Yah’ in Tuscarora and they ’Ho Yah’ in Oneida.”