Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

The Residential School survivors of Akwesasne, Akwesasronon Sonatatoron, will have the official opening of their office at 344 Frogtown Road, Mohawk territory on May 1: Saiowisakeron "Jake Ice" Day.

The Sonatatoron consist of 21 community members currently living. Many others have passed into the spirit world. The survivors recognize the need to coordinate our goals, preserve our experiences, to secure justice, to assist in the recovery and repatriation of those whose remains are on the former residential school sites while providing adequate compensation for the suffering endured by those Akwesasronon kidnapped from their homes.

The Sonatatoron will oversee all programs, educational initiatives and proposals of any kind involving the residential school experience. As has been previously stated 'nothing for us without us".

The Sonatatoron office will provide a place to record our experiences, to heal, to share our common concerns and to make plans to educate the people. The members of the group are now working with the Survivors Secretariat at Ohsweken in locating the burial sites on the grounds of the Mohawk Institute.

The public is invited to attend, to meet the survivors and to assist in our communal healing beginning with a tobacco burning in the morning.

Food will be available on site.