Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

AKWESASNE -- The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s Cultural Tourism Office is looking for community feedback on three information panels being developed for a tourism information kiosk in Akwesasne.

The proposed location for the kiosk will be alongside the St. Regis River in Hogansburg, which is the new green space the tribe created this past summer across from the former site of the Hogansburg Dam.

The Tribe had approached the Town of Massena inquiring if they could place a kiosk at the town’s Grasse River boat launch on state Route 37. Town officials declined to make a decision without knowing more details about what specific information would be distributed at the installation. The St. Regis River kiosk is a separate initiative, according to tribal spokesman Brendan White.

The Grasse River kiosk is an Akwesasne Cultural Restoration Project initiative. White said there has been no specific information developed that would be made available at that site.

“It all stems from an inquiry about the possibility of placing educational information at the launch. It’s very preliminary, but we’ll share whatever results from the discussion,” he said in an email.

“The (St. Regis River) information kiosk provides an opportunity for Akwesasne to share its rich and vibrant culture, history, language, and geography with visitors to the community,” Akwesasne Heritage Complex Developer Gail McDonald said in a news release. “It will speak about the Mohawk people’s connection with the environment and the importance to protect the many waterways that converge in the Akwesasne Territory; including the Raquette, St. Lawrence, St. Regis, Salmon and Grasse Rivers.”

The information kiosk is a project developed through funding derived under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund and is being managed through an agreement with the Village of Potsdam. The kiosk project will help promote tourism along the Raquette River Blueway Trail, which follows the river’s scenic and historic corridor north 174 miles from the Blue Mountain Lake into the St. Lawrence River at Akwesasne.

The Tribe’s Economic Development Cultural Tourism Office worked in collaboration with the Akwesasne Cultural Center Museum to develop a preliminary design of the information kiosk, with content and artwork provided by Akwesasne artisans. The sample panels are available to view at the Akwesasne Library and in the Community Building Lobby until Jan. 2 as well as on the Tribe’s Facebook page and website at http://www.srmt-nsn.gov.

The Cultural Tourism Office invites community members to review the sample panels and provide any comments, feedback or suggestions by email to tourism@srmt-nsn.gov.

For more information, contact the Akwesasne Heritage Complex developer at 518-358-4238 ext. 1507.