When a niece or nephews completes their 4th year of fasting in Ohero:kon the uncles will honour them by paddling them down the river in a canoe into the heart of their community. As the canoe glides down the river, they will retrace the epic journey of the Peace Maker in his white stone canoe, renewing his ancient message of peace into the flow of the river. Every stroke of the paddle will echo our ancestral knowing, a testament to the enduring legacy of peace and unity that the Peacemakers message left behind. The white stone canoe becomes a vessel of transformation, carrying our niece and nephew toward a future grounded in tradition and fortified by the resilience of their ancestors.

The 4th year fasters, once stepping onto the shore, will carry with them the weight of their journey, not as a burden but as an honour. Their buckskin regalia, the original dress of their ancestors will radiate a tribute to their resilience and strength. Around them, their community will form a living circle, a physical manifestation of the unity the Peace Maker envisioned so long ago. In this moment, the niece and nephew are no longer just individuals; they are vessels of their people’s enduring spirit, symbols of the vibrant legacy handed down from our ancestors to the living seventh generation standing before them.

Following the ceremony around the fire, the community will feast, where the traditional foods of their ancestors are lovingly prepared and shared. Each dish, steeped in history, carries its own story, its own connection to the land and the spirit of our people.

For the 4th year niece and nephew, this day marks not just an ending but a profound beginning stepping into their roles as cultural torchbearers, in their eyes, one can see the flicker of profound transformation—an understanding of their role not just within their families or community, but as part of a much larger narrative that spans generations. They carry forward not just the weight of their personal journey but the collective hopes and dreams of their people. It is a living, breathing testament to the resilience of a culture that has endured, adapted, and thrived despite the passage of time and colonial imposition. It renews the spirit of the community and reinforces the principles that have always bound them together: peace, unity, and the unwavering belief in the strength of their shared identity.

The seventh generation stands resilient, their hearts steadfast in their shared mission to uphold the values of their culture. Together, they embody the enduring heartbeat of a culture that refuses to fade, carrying forward its message of peace and unity into the ever-unfolding future. Nia:wen to Brandon David and Land based learning for loaning us their canoe.

Wakerakatste Louise McDonald Herne, Condoled Bear Clan Mother of the Mohawk Nation, Visionary and Founder of Oherokon and Haudenosaunee Universe.

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