My name is Kyrie Tristary and I'm fundraising to help finish construction of a Mohawk language and culture school in the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory called Tsiakwawennatónhe’ts (Pronounced: Jaw-gua-juan-a-dew-hets) - "We are bringing the life fire back to our language".

I attended another Mohawk language immersion school in Akwesasne as a child and met my long-time friend Kawennahente.

Shortly after our high school graduation, Kawennahente followed in her parents footsteps and started teaching Mohawk language.

After 18-years teaching, Kawennahente was ready to create her own Mohawk language and culture program in Akwesasne. With the support of her husband, family, and friends, Tsiakwawennatónhe’ts began their first academic year in September 2022.

Tsiakwawennatónhe’ts originally operated out of the Kanien’kehaka Kaianereh’kowa Kanonsesneh Cookhouse. Tsiakwawennatónhe’ts operates year-round with curriculum designed around the seasons and Cycle of Ceremonies using a land-based pedagogy. After two years, this program has outgrown the space in the Cookhouse and needs a permanent building to expand.

Kawennahente asked her husband Ian Clute, owner of Two House Design-Crafters, to build a school for Tsiakwawennatónhe’ts. In October 2023, they broke ground and built the foundation for the new building, purchased and built a Quonset hut on it for the structure, and started to frame the interior. Currently, Tsiakwawennatónhe’ts is taking a year off for evaluation and planning while the school construction finishes.

After over a year of work and $150,000 invested by Two House Design-Crafters into the infrastructure and build of the school, the project has stalled due to lack of funds.

We need your help to complete the school for Tsiakwawennatónhe’ts.

Your donation will be used to help complete the interior of the school, purchase appliances, furniture, supplies, and complete the landscaping of the exterior grounds.

The mission of Tsiakwawennatónhe’ts is to re-ignite the life fire of our language by returning to the multi-generational and nurturing familial approach of language and culture acquisition thus, reversing the historical impacts of the residential school system.

Visit our website for building updates, school information, and a donor recognition for significant contributions made to get the building this far: www.rekindleculture.org