Where this site is coming from

The "Two Row Wampum" or Kahswenhtha depicted above, records an understanding between the Kanyen’kehaka, Mohawk people, and Europeans with whom the Kanyen’kehaka made contact.

The understanding was recorded with a belt of wampum beads made from the shells of the Quahaug clam. The background of white beads represents a river and two parallel rows of purple beads represent two vessels traveling the river.

Each vessel carries the laws, traditions, customs, languages and spiritual beliefs of each nation-all that which makes a people who they are.

As long as there are no attempts to force the ways of one people on the other, neither path becomes blurred or useless and each path remains viable, according to an article in FNTI’s Communications Link.

The newspaper you are reading is produced by learners in First Nations Technical Institute’s Aboriginal Media Program, with funding from the Primates World Development and Relief Fund.

The Aboriginal Media Program, Canada’s only diploma program for Native people, began in July 1997 at Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, near Belleville, Ont.

During the two-year program, learners spend a total of 16 weeks on-site, do distance assignments and work at media internships. The next intake is scheduled for July 1999. Contact program developer Monique Manatch at 1-800-267-0637 or moniquem@fnti.tyendinaga.net for more information.