Scope
Onkwehonwe’néha Learning Community Engagement and Networking
Please consider following our social media where the latest information and Kanien’kéha language learning activities, gatherings, projects, resources, presentations, training, and employment opportunities are posted. Below is a list of resources and
Public Facebook Page
Stay connected and informed by following our Facebook page. Here, we share updates on projects, events, and resources that support Kanien’kéha learning and preservation. Join our growing community to engage with our work and stay up to date on new recordings, workshops, and opportunities to immerse yourself in the language.
Private Facebook Group
Our private Facebook group is an exclusive space for those currently enrolled in or who have graduated from our programs. It provides a supportive environment to share resources, practice Kanien’kéha, and connect with fellow learners and speakers. This group fosters ongoing engagement and collaboration as you continue your language learning journey.
Follow us on Instagram @ionkwahronkhaonhatie for regular updates, visuals, and highlights from our language projects. Discover behind-the-scenes moments, resource announcements, and inspiring content that celebrates Kanien’kéha and the community working to preserve it.
Aóskon Onkwehonwe’néha Workshops
A variety of workshops are offered throughout the year for the speaking community to come together to learn new top-specific vocabulary through hands-on cultural activities and cultural knowledge acquisition, in the language. Activities are facilitated by first or second language speakers who are experts in their practice. First language speakers are hired to join the sessions to support language use around specific topic areas. Past activities have included moccasin making, beaded medallions, cooking, fileting, basket making, the Creation Story, grief teachings, paint night, clay pot making, pie making, medicine picking, and tree tapping. These activities are for language learners who have a higher proficiency level and have the capacity to fully converse and take instruction in an immersion environment. First language speakers are also welcome and encouraged to join our activities as participants as their language enhances the overall quality of the activities.
Community Outings
Ionkwahronkha’onhátie’ hosts outings in various Kanien’kehá:ka communities and within the local area around Akwesasne. The purpose of the community outings is to provide opportunities for speakers and learners of Kanien’kéha to come together in relaxed settings to speak and learn Kanien’kéha while having fun. Past activities have included BBQ potluck, board games, outdoor games, swimming, going out to eat, kayaking, boating, cooking breakfast together, going hiking, visiting, going to nature centers and museums, apple picking, and pumpkin picking.
Family Onkwehonwehnéha Learning
Iethiiehià:rons
This initiative supports parents raising first-language Kanien’kéha-speaking children by fostering communal and immersive environments. Rooted in traditional kinship practices, the program provides hands-on parenting support, fluency advancement opportunities, and wellness resources to ensure language transmission across generations. Participants engage in full-immersion activities and collaborative learning spaces to create a thriving community of fluent speakers.
Individual Onkwehonwe’néha Proficiency Development
Building Language Proficiency
This program supports individuals in advancing their Onkwehonwe’néha fluency through personalized learning plans, immersive summer intensives, weekly activity mapping, and collaborative study sessions. Participants are provided with practical tools and environments to deepen their language skills and strengthen their connection to the Kanien’kéha community.
First Language Speaker Connection & Language Documentation
Ionkwahronkha’onhátie’ prioritizes building connections and friendships with first language speakers.
Onkwehonwehnéha Ratiká:ratons
Ionkwahronkha’onhátie’ presents Onkwehonwehnéha Ratiká:ratons, a resource recording and interview series focused on preserving and documenting Onkwehonwehnéha (Kanien’kéha/the Mohawk language). This project supports second-language speakers by providing valuable recordings and insights shared by first-language speakers and elders.
Family Dialect Project
The Ionkwahronkha’onhátie Family Dialect Project’s goal is to work with first language speakers and their families to preserve the unique family dialects, stories, and knowledge of first language Kanien’kéha speakers to pass onto future generations.
Speakers are video and audio recorded speaking in Kanien’kéha at a location of their choosing. Speakers share the stories and topics they and their family choose. Each speaker and family are provided with a copy of the recording and a transcribed and translated transcript. Speakers receive an honorarium for their participation if they choose.
Ionkwahronkha’onhátie provides support to participants by working with each family to create a recording schedule; hosting an information meeting to prep participants; hires transcriptionists and translators, oversees the work and securely stores all recordings, transcriptions, and translations. Recordings, transcriptions, and translations may be shared for language learning purposes with permission of the speaker and/or family.
Tewakaratónnion ne Thotí:iens “Storytelling with Elders”
Tewakaratónnion ne Thotí:iens, meaning “Storytelling with Elders,” is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the Kanien’kéha language through the oral traditions of our elders. These in-person gatherings allow participants to hear stories entirely in Kanien’kéha, fostering natural language learning while preserving the wisdom and teachings passed down through generations. By listening to fluent speakers share their stories, learners gain exposure to authentic language use, rhythms, and expressions, creating a deeper connection to the language and culture.
All-Kanien’kéha Radio Show
The All-Kanien’kéha Radio Show, broadcast live on CKON FM, is a great way to hear Kanien’kéha spoken on a variety of topics. The show is conducted entirely in the language, making it a helpful resource for learners and fluent speakers alike. You can listen live or catch up on episodes anytime through YouTube or SoundCloud, making it easy to practice your listening skills and hear the language used in real conversations.
Knowledge Mobilization
Ionkwahronkha’onhátie hosts training, workshops and lectures providing opportunities for participants, mentors, and employees to build capacity to increase their Onkwehonwehnéha proficiency and support others with similar goals. Past training opportunities include:
Youtube Channel
Onkwehonwehnéha Ratiká:ratons (“They are Telling Stories in Our Original Language”) is an all Kanien’kéha interview series featuring native speakers. The goal of Onkwehonwehnéha Ratiká:ratons is to provide native speakers with the opportunity to document their language to be used to support second language learners of Kanien’kéha. One interview is conducted each month and is audio and video recorded.
Video-recordings can be accessed on Ionkwahronkha’onhátie’s YouTube site. Audio recordings can be accessed on Ionkwahronkha’onhátie’s Soundcloud at soundcloud.com/ionkwahronkhaonhatie
All Kanien’kéha Radio Talk Show
Ionkwahronkha’onhátie’ broadcasts and streams a live, weekly, all Kanien’kéha radio talk show on Akwesasne Communication Society’s CKON 97.3 FM at 2 pm on Thursdays. The radio talk show is hosted by two, local, first-language, native speaking elders. The show is audio-recorded and uploaded to Ionkwahronkha’onhátie’s Soundcloud platform for ease of access to listeners at soundcloud.com/ionkwahronkhaonhatie.
Our Quizlet
Explore Kanien’kéha with interactive flashcards and study sets on Quizlet. This resource lets you practice words, phrases, and pronunciation at your own pace, whether you’re refreshing your skills or starting to learn.