The Daily Bulletin Archive

By Tony Astran

Buffalo State College is pleased to welcome Tom Porter, Mohawk chief and author, for a presentation and book signing beginning at 6:00 p.m. Monday, March 9, in Bulger Communication Center North. Porter’s visit is part of the 19th annual Native American Heritage Celebration Month, “Education and the Next 7 Generations,” presented by Buffalo State’s Native American Students Organization (NASO).

Porter (Sakokweniónkwas, “He Who Wins Them Over”) is a member of the Bear Clan of the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne, a Mohawk territory located on the St. Lawrence River. He has written several books, including Kanatsiohareke: Traditional Mohawk Indians Return to their Ancestral Homeland and his most recent, And Grandma Said…, which shares his grandmother’s traditional teachings about culture, discipline, and family life.

A champion for the revitalization of indigenous languages and traditions, Porter is a native Mohawk speaker who served as the official interpreter for the Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs from 1965 to 1976.

Porter also served as secretary of the council from 1968 to 1976, and from 1971 to 1992 as acting sub-chief for the Tehanakarine Chieftainship title, one of nine chief titles of the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne. Chiefs are considered political and spiritual leaders. Since 1993, he has served as the founder, director, and spiritual leader of the traditional Mohawk Community of Kanatsioharè:ke, located in Fonda, New York, the homeland of his ancestors.

A respected elder, he has devoted his life to educating both Native and non-Native people about the history, culture, and spirituality of the Iroquois, or Haudenosaunee. The Haudenosaunee—which means “people of the longhouse”—is also known as the Six Nations Confederacy, which comprises the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and Tuscarora people.

Lori Quigley, associate dean of the School of Education, considers Porter’s visit to Buffalo State a “blessing.”

“Tom is one of the most highly respected speakers in the Haudenosaunee community,” she said. “He is humble but humorous, and always delivers a powerful message.”

This is Porter’s second appearance on campus; Bulger Communication Center North was filled to capacity for his presentation when Buffalo State hosted the 13th annual Stabilizing Indigenous Language Conference in 2005.

“My presentation will offer a more in-depth understanding of the spirituality of Native Americans,” Porter said. “I hope listeners will gain a clearer understanding that the Haudenosaunee are a people who value ancient teaching.”

Quigley, a member of the Seneca Nation, said the Haudenosaunee are a diverse group of people and believes it is important to preserve their traditions.

“We’re not just a people of the past,” she said. “We’re still very vibrant today.”

Porter has also written a number of shorter works, all of which center on Mohawk traditions and spirituality. He holds many awards and honors for his work, including the Rothko Chapel Award, Earth Action’s Human Rights Award, and the Gamaliel Chair in Peace and Justice.

Lloyd Elm, associate professor of elementary education and reading and a member of the Onondaga Nation, kicked off Native American Heritage Celebration Month on March 3 with his presentation “Speaking to the 7th Generation.” He has twice received the National Education Association’s Leo Reano Memorial Award for Human and Civil Rights.

The following events will also be held at Buffalo State College in March during Native American Heritage Celebration Month.

Corn Husk Doll–Making Workshop
Mary Claus, Tuscarora
Thursday, March 5
Bacon Hall 115
7:15–10:00 p.m. (time pending)

Traditional Lacrosse Demonstration
Niagara Hawks and Iroquois Nationals, Onondaga
Wednesday, March 11
Houston Gym
7:00–9:00 p.m.

Iroquois Linguistics
Dr. Percy Abrams, Onondaga
Thursday, March 12
Bacon Hall 115
Bengal Pause (12:15–1:30 p.m.)

Sustaining Our Lands for the Next 7 Generations
Tony David, Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force
Tuesday, March 17
*Tentative*

Native Americans on the Big Screen
Wednesday, March 18
Bulger Communication Center South
7:00–9:00 p.m.

Joe Mahfoud in Concert: The Stevie Project
Thursday, March 19
Campbell Student Union Social Hall
7:00–9:00 p.m.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, call Christopher Pennuto, associate professor of biology and NASO adviser, at 878-4105, or George Ghosen Jr., NASO president, at 572-5677.

Events are co-sponsored by Residence Life, the School of Education, Student Life, Equity and Campus Diversity, Native American SUNY: Western Consortium, United Students Government, and the Nontraditional Students Organization.