Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

On behalf of the Akwesasne Freedom School Families I’d like to thank you all for coming out this past weekend for our Annual Dinner, Quilt Auction and Survival Race. It is such an honor to work at this school and watch our children learning our culture, language, songs, dances, and stories each day. We do this for all of us, whether or not your children attend this school or another school, the benefits are endless for this and future generations.

To all of the survival race participants for giving it your all, having true sportsmanship and donating back your winnings, Niawenhko:wa!

To all of the vendors from far and wide who donated items to our silent auction, endured the heat and embraced the rain, Niawenhko:wa!

To all of our Akwesasne Freedom School Alumni who come out each and every year to see the quilts, have some dinner, listen to music and just visit, Niawenhko:wa!

To all of the entertainers, who made us smile, dance and kept our spirits up throughout the day, Niawenhko:wa!

To those visitors who travelled from your home to ours to spend the weekend with us, Niawenhko:wa!

To our summer students, Karonhientha Thompson, Chris Lazore, Tewentene Fox and Aronhiaronnions Beauvais for your beautification of the school and grounds over the past 12 weeks, Niawenhko:wa!

To our Akwesasronon, we are so grateful for all that you do for our children each and every year, no matter how small or how big, we appreciate it, Niawenhko:wa!

This year we had 5 teams and 1 solo racer for our survival race:

• 1st place team was Helga’s Heroes with a time of 2 hrs. 59 min.

• 2nd place team was Kahstowa with a time of 3 hrs. 17 min.

• 3rd place team was Jeremiah Point’s team with a time of 3 hrs. 21 min.

• 4th place team came from Six Nations with a time of 3hrs. 41 min.

• 5th place team was Shark Bait with a time of 4 hrs. 1 min.

• Stewart Peters was a solo racer, had bike trouble and could not complete the race.

*****Next year we will be changing the course of the race to keep it fresh and exciting!!!

We would also like to acknowledge all of those that helped along the way:

Ganienkeh

Hogansburg Akwesasne Volunteer Fire Department

Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Ambulance Unit

Carey Terrance and Family

Midnight Confetti

Onkwe

The Piecemakers of New Paltz New York

Mohawk Plumbing

Community Health Program – Breastfeeding Tent

Everett Lazore

Ase Tsi Tewaton

Mary and Dave Arquette

Seymour Sisters

The Water Walkers Kayak Club

Becky Benedict

Sweets Jacobs

Konwanaktotha Sargent

Joyce King

Elizabeth Perkins

Iakonikonriiostha

Leona Barnes

Kaweienonni Cook-Peters

Kaia’tahente Cole

Dirty Blues Project

Nokwa & Raylynn Sunday

Jayohcee Tekatsihasese Jocko

Ion’awiienhawi

Tonemah

Jennifer Kreisburg

Karonhiawake Jeff Doreen

Teioswathe w/ Shoien’kwarowane, Konwawennarahkwa & Iewennatore (AFS Students)

Rob Saw

Will Stehlin