Iakionhnhéhkwen
"We Sustain Life"
Iakionhnhéhkwen brings together four grassroots community-based initiatives centered on community resilience, regeneration, and sustainability - Oheró:kon (Rites of Passage), Kahwatsiraién:ton (Supporting Families of Oheró:kon), Ionkhihsótha Enhnì:ta Karáhkwa (Moon Lodge Society), and Kanahón:we (Our Seeds are Ancient). We have united as one power of change called Iakionhnhéhkwen (We Sustain Life).
By coming together literally under one roof, we aim to remove any barriers that have kept us apart and re-invigorate our approaches to the ways the work is currently done.
We call ourselves Iakionhnhéhkwen (We Sustain Life) not only because of our life-giving power as women and mothers who created these existing initiatives, but also our innovative idea to strategically collaborate and align ourselves to further sustain our work for the next seven generations to come.
Oherokon | Rites of Passage
Oheró:kon reconstructs ancient cultural knowledge of "coming of age" as a preparatory process for youth as they transition to adulthood. We offer age-appropriate, culturally-based teachings and activities in safe, sacred spaces to nurture the emotional and physical well-being of Onkwehón:we (Indigenous) youth, families and communities.
Moon Lodge Society
The Moon Lodge Society (MLS) exists inside a sisterhood of spiritually grounded women practicing Ratinonhshón:ni lifeways. We bring women together under each full moon cycle to ceremonialize and restore knowledge about our original ways of being, natural cycles and innate connections.
The community of Akwesasne shares their knowledge, wisdom, experience, time, and talent in creating this downloadable Moon Time Zine. It is inclusive and open to all genders and sexualities; we are always supporting the way people identify themselves.
Matrilineal Order of the Haudenosaunee
In July 2023, in Geneva Switzerland, the United Nations held the 16th Session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. A small delegation of 10 Haudenosaunee women attended the 100-year commemoration of the League of Nations as the Bear Clan Cayuga Chief addresses the League.
Who Are We?
We call ourselves Iakionhnhéhkwen (We Sustain Life) not only because of our life-giving power as women and mothers who created these existing initiatives, but also our innovative idea to strategically collaborate and align ourselves to further sustain our work for the next seven generations to come.
a grassroots project, birthed from Oherò:kon "Under the Husk" rites of passage ceremony, designed specifically to support and pour love, knowledge, and language into our Onkwehón:we families.
