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Kanatsiohareke |
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Kanatsiohareke (pronounced Ga na jo ha lay gay) was reestablished as a
Mohawk community in 1993.
It is located on the northern shore of the Mohawk River between Fonda
and Canajoharie, about one hour west of Albany, New York.
It is a working farm with cattle, horses and organic gardens. It
has a Craft Store, a Bed and Breakfast, a Conference Room, and
residential apartments. A
small population of people live there fulltime. A large group of family,
friends and volunteers visit regularly to help with maintaining the
buildings and grounds and providing cultural information to native and
non-native visitors at community events.
Kanatsiohareke offers Mohawk Language immersion classes.
It hosts classes, lectures, workshops and conferences relating to
Haudenosaunee culture and spirituality, the environment, health issues,
and a wide variety of other subjects. It also provides cultural exchange
programs for educational and community groups.
Visitors from all over the world come to learn about the
Haudenosaunee. Some stay for a few hours.
Some stay for days, weeks or even months. |
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Kanatsiohareke means “The Place of The Clean Pot,” “The Place of the Pot
That Washes Itself,” or “The Place of the Hanging Pot.”
It refers to a spot in Canajoharie Creek where the action of the
water has carved perfectly round holes into the stream bed.
Long ago, the Mohawks noticed that when the water ran downstream
and into those holes, the water swirled and churned around making it
look like the water was scrubbing the inside of the potholes. Due to its unique appearance, the Mohawks named the area
Kanatsiohareke. Currently,
locals call the town of Canajoharie “The Boiling Pot” even though the
water was and is not hot.
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The Community of
Kanatsiohareke was archeologically, layer upon layer, the site of many
Mohawk Bear Clan villages.
Prior to the Revolutionary War, George Washington promised the Mohawks
that they would keep their lands forever.
But after the war, he broke that promise and ordered the
destruction of their villages and food storage areas.
Most Mohawks left the Mohawk Valley but took with them a prophesy
that said that they would someday return to their ancestral homeland.
After the Mohawks left the valley, the area that is now known as
Kanatsiohareke was owned by a merchant named Jelles Fonda.
Various other families lived there in succeeding years until
Montgomery County purchased it and operated it as a home for the aged,
the poor, orphans, and others in need of assistance and housing.
It was referred to as “The County Farm” or “Montgomery Manor” and
existed as a working farm and residential facility for 100 years until
it was finally boarded up by the county. |
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In
1993, Montgomery Manor was purchased at auction and renamed Mohawk Manor
and then Kanatsiohareke. Mohawk
elder and spiritual leader, Tom Sakokwenionkwas Porter along with a
small group of family and friends moved from Akwesasne to Kanatsiohareke
and began the work of clearing the gardens and renovating the buildings. In 1998, the first of many Mohawk Language Immersion classes
were offered at Kanatsiohareke.
Kanatsiohareke is considered to be a place of cultural
revitalization and spiritual renewal. |