Who we are

Established in 2022, “Sharing Our Stories” is a collection of stories told by Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) elders and knowledge keepers rooted in the movement to replant the traditional language, culture, and history of the Indigenous community in Kahnawake and surrounding Kanien’kehá:ka communities. We translate each story into Kanien’kehá in order to help us with this project.

This project aims to create a teaching tool for generations to come. We have been collecting stories from residential and Indian day school survivors, Mohawk Warriors, medicine men and traditional healers, farmers and seed savers, educators, ironworkers, land defenders, artists, and more.

We are consulting storytellers throughout, taking time on our translations, and scoring archives to find information, records, maps, and photos that support the stories in our care.

View of the Bay Ridge - Shore Road and Parkway area - in New York City from the Verrazano-Narrows bridge. Kanien’kehá:ka helped build a lot of infrastructure in New York City through ironwork. (Courtesy: Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)

Mission statement

Our mission is to empower Kanien’kehá:ka communities by collecting and preserving their stories, language, culture, and history. Through the publication of stories in both English and Kanien'kéha, we aim to foster cross-cultural understanding, nurture cultural traditions, and encourage community connection. Our project serves as a teaching tool - promoting respect, appreciation, and conservation of Indigenous culture, language and history for future generations.

First Kahnawake powwow in 1991 (Courtesy: Martin Loft)

Objectives

  1. Preserve and promote the traditional language, culture, and history of the Kanien’kehá:ka community in Kahnawake and other Indigenous communities through the collection and sharing of their stories.

  2. Foster a sense of community and connection among Kanien’kehá:ka people by creating a shared resource of their stories and traditional knowledge.

  3. Address the legacy of colonization and residential schools by creating a space for Indigenous people to reclaim their stories and histories.

  4. Build bridges of understanding and empathy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities by promoting cross-cultural exchange and education about the traditional language, culture, and history of the Kanien’kehá:ka community.

  5. Develop a teaching tool that can be used in schools, community centers, and other educational settings to promote understanding and respect for Indigenous culture and history.

Saint-Lawrence train bridge (next to the Mercier bridge) built in 1886. This photo would have been taken not far from the current post office in Kahnawake and the man are by the current bank in town. (Courtesy: Sonny Joe Cross)

Story topics

Reconciliation
Indian day & residential school
Land claims & land defenders
Language
Agriculture
Medicine
Family
Ceremonies, dances and songs
Traditional ways of governance
Ironwork
Mohawk warriors
St. Lawrence Seaway
Communities before and after contact
Education
Longhouse traditions

In our interviewing process, we allow the elders and knowledge keepers to lead the conversation and share with us whatever they feel comfortable with. From this, we’ve collected a large range of story topics. These include:

Credit: Emma McLaughlin

What People Are Saying

“Sharing our Stories is so important for the younger generation to learn about life in Kahnawake, as told by the Elders - how simple life was and how hard they worked, planting and preserving their produce. With no phones, most entertained themselves outdoors.”

— Peggy Mayo-Standup

KAHNAWAKE ELDER

“ I feel that it’s important that us Elders tell our stories because we’re not going to be here forever. After we’re gone, our stories are going to live on for the younger generation. It’s been an exciting experience. I always look forward to going for my next interview.”

— Leonard Atonnion Bordeau

KAHNAWAKE ELDER

“We can envision their life just by their story being told. I love hearing about how they grew up. Stories were always told in Kanien‘kéha by our grandparents, parents just like today. I cut out and keep every story to help me learn.”

— Queenie Mccomber

KAHNAWAKE COMMUNITY MEMBER

I really enjoy Sharing Our Stories. As a second language speaker, I am always on the hunt for Kanien’kéha reading material that I can use to practice my comprehension, and refresh my memory for spelling. Often times the resources available in the community are geared toward beginners, and are not challenging enough for my son and I. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw entire stories were being translated into Kanien’kéha with Sharing Our Stories.

What I like to do is read the Kanien’kéha first, and then read the English after to see how well my understanding matched up with the text. If I encountered any words I did not recognize, I look for them in the English text to see what they were. And vice versa.

I also like that the stories come from our elders, who are so precious to us and have memories that need to be shared. It is important to learn our history, our values, and understand what life was like in Kahnawà:ke. The topics shared are always interesting, educational, or humorous to read. I like looking at the old pictures as well.

While I enjoy reading at length, it can be hard to find time during the busy day to do so, so it comes in handy that the stories are short. It doesn’t take long or too much effort to read them, and it’s great for littles ones with shorter attention spans. My son is 5-years-old and a first language speaker, so I like to collect the stories and read them to him. The stories are short enough for him to sit through (given it is not a kids’ picture book) and he gets to learn new things and new words at the same time.

I hope to eventually put all the stories together in one book so that my son can read back on them when he’s older and at a higher reading level. This is a very valuable resource for learners and I hope it continues

— Karihwiióstha Callie Montour

KAHNAWAKE COMMUNITY MEMBER

Meet the Team

  • ONAWA JACOBS (she/her)

    DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

    Onawa joined The Eastern Door and Sharing Our Stories/Ionkwaká:raton team in November 2023 as the Director of Operations. She brings with her a diverse background in education, career counselling, and management. Onawa’s primary roles are to oversee the general operations of TED and SOS, manage human resources, monitor operational budgets, and direct public relations.

  • SAHAWISÓ:KO' ARQUETTE (he/him)

    TRANSLATION OFFICER

    Sahawisó:ko’ has been translating for the Eastern Door and Ionkwaká:raton since 2021. He began his Kanien’kéha’ language career after graduating the Kanien’kéha’ Ratiwennahní:rats Adult Immersion Program in 2020 where he continued on as a teaching assistant at Karonhianónhnha’ tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa’ for three years. In his spare time he continues to expand his knowledge through his relationships with fellow speakers and elders.

  • Karonhí:io Delaronde (He/him)

    KANIEN'KÉHA TRANSLATOR

    Karonhí:io grew up in Kanièn:ke and began learning the language at the age of 15 through guidance of elders from Ka'nehsatà:ke, Ahkwesásne, and Kahnawà:ke. They showed him the beauty, vastness, and strength of the language and he is forever grateful to them. He had the opportunity to teach the language to children and adults for over twelve years at Rontewennanónhnha, and has been translating on the side for just as long. He is all in for having the language being more out there in the world, and appreciates the heart-work that Sharing Our Stories is doing in respectfully-gathering stories and experiences from elders.

  • Jonathan Turenne (he/him)

    ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

    Jonathan is a Political Science graduate and has worked on numerous projects centered around indigenous student communities and the queer student community. Jonathan has been working for Ionkwaká:raton since 2021, helping with fundraising and administrative tasks. With a deep understanding for history and culture, he is working on expanding the project to Kanehsatà:ke elders, ensuring their voices and legacies continue to inspire and educate future generations.

  • AARON MCCOMBER (he/him)

    KAHNAWAKE STORY COLLECTOR

    Aaron grew up in Kahnawake and has always wanted a voice in his community. Although he attended both elementary and high school off the reservation, he has always wanted to know more about his culture and heritage. Aaron would find working with elders and engaging with community members gave him a sense of belonging. With a strong passion for writing, he has finally found the outlet his voice was looking for and is now working hard to learn about his roots here in Kahnawake.

  • Teyohá:te Brant (SHE/HER)

    KANEHSATÀ:KE STORY COLLECTOR

    Teyohá:te was born and raised in the community of Kenhtè:ke. After graduating from Ratiwennahní:rats in 2024, she began work as a story collector at Ionkwaká:raton. Teyohá:te has always enjoyed listening to elders’ stories. Their perspectives and insights provide her a deeper understanding of the world. Through her work, Teyohá:te continues to develop friendships with elders across Kanien’kehá:ka territory, documenting stories in both Kanien’kéha and English.

Meet the Board of directors

  • Alicia Ibarra

    BOARD PRESIDENT

    Alicia is bear clan and comes from a family of storytellers. She is a youth researcher focusing on the importance of preserving, telling and sharing traditional and familial knowledges and stories, which is inspired by her own totà and the stories and knowledges that she holds. She does this work through her Masters at Concordia University and will be continuing this in her PhD, that is beginning in the fall. She truly believes that stories are so powerful, as well as can be healing, and believes it is very important to create space for these stories to be passed on. She hopes to bring her own experiences and knowledges working with Elders, knowledge keepers and youth from around the world, as well as her experiences on other board of directors and within other committees that she is engaged in.

  • Peggy Mayo-Standup

    BOARD MEMBER

    Peggy Mayo-Standup is an active member of her community in Kahnawake. She grew up there and has always been engaged with community events and groups. Beginning at 10 years old, Peggy started working to help support her family and hasn't stopped since. She has been the president on several boards throughout her life including the Golden Age Club and the Kahnawake radio station, K103. Her studies in legal and secretarial studies led her to becoming the first female native court worker in the province of Quebec in 1980-1986. She was also an elected official of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake from 1990-2012, covering many portfolios including fiscal, administration and justice.

  • Angelo Pino

    BOARD MEMBER

    As President, CEO and founder of Fuze HR Solutions, Angelo leads all strategic planning, corporate development, revenue generation, national and international growth. Angelo graduated from Bishop’s University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources, and having lived through many technological advancements, Angelo has developed a passion for technology that increases productivity in the workplace. He is a strong advocate for mental health and diversity and inclusion. Angelo supports local charities, that include sponsorship/donations of grass-roots soccer club AS Blainville, Autism Canada, Welcome Hall Mission/Mission Bon Accueil, and Drive for the Cure (Lymphoma Research Fund). Angelo has always been a firm believer in giving back and helping in the community and the world.

  • Leonard Atonnion Bordeau

    BOARD MEMBER

    Atonnion grew up speaking Kanien'kéha or Mohawk with his family in Kahnawake and has resided there for most of his life. The first years of his life were spent on the family farm before their land was taken from them for the construction of the St Lawrence Seaway. He has worked as an ironworker in many cities and towns across North America and has also taught Kanien'kéha at both Karonhianónhnha Tsi Ionterihwaienstáhkhwa School and Kahnawake Survival School.

  • ADITI CHANDRASEKHAR

    BOARD MEMBER

    Aditi is a sustainability scholar and doctoral student at McGill University. She is part of the teaching faculty at Vinieyoga Academy (Chennai, India) and has been leading practitioner sessions across borders since 2012. Among the founding editorial contributors at People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI) she worked with reporters and students on stories that foreground the everyday lives, celebrations, concerns and tribulations of marginalized peoples across India. She helped set up PARI Education, an initiative aimed at bridging the wide gap between between mandated classroom (typically Western) curricula and the reality of rural lives and livelihoods that are foundational to urban existence in India. As a settler in Tiohtià:ke, she is drawn to the work of Sharing Our Stories / Ionkwaká:raton. She hopes to contribute and amplify the work of Kanien’kehá:ka communities as she continues to respectfully learn and engage with this land and her peoples.