Aboriginal-Akwesasne Youth Camp at Landon Bay, Ontario

On Tuesday, September 1st twenty Akwesasronon youth from ages 11-18 attended a three-day youth camp hosted by the St. Lawrence Islands National Park. This was made possible with the collaboration of the Ronathahonni Cultural Center and Liaison and Camp Director St. Lawrence Islands’ national park patrol officer Curtis Lazore. Curtis was the key player in organizing the camp activities and recruiting adults and youth from Akwesasne to participate in the developments of this Aboriginal Youth Camp in its second year of operation.

Curtis teamed up with Ronathahonni Cultural Centre A/director JoAnn Swamp, cultural youth coordinator Kahnastatsi Jacobs and Akwesasne Freedom School teacher Maxine Caldwell to carry out the camp plan put together by Mr. Lazore. This plan included fun and interactive activities in the beautiful and fascinating Thousand Islands Region near Ganaoque.

The participants toured the St. Lawrence Islands National Park and learned traditional teachings. They also had the pleasure of listening to Jessica Yee an Aboriginal Role Model; participate in a theatre arts workshop with Stephanie Haines; netted some minnows with St. Regis Mohawk tribe employee Tony David in a water resources workshop; they learned how to soapstone carve with Cheyenne Doxtator; participants also did a casting contest with fishing poles & lessons provided by St. Lawrence Island park staff and Thousand Islands OPP outreach program Officer Cooper; they also went by boat to an island to hike and view a pine burn fire which is a cleansing of the ground so vegetation can grow. They participated each evening in fun games, swimming and cultural socials.

Akwesasronon developed a better understanding that the St. Lawrence Islands national park needed to be a protected area to promote sustainable recreation while protecting the land and wildlife that make this area a popular tourist destination. They also witnessed the rich biodiversity and many species at risk and some foreign species taking over. Their time at this camp was not only fun, but a learning experience as to how to work, live and enjoy a variety of economic and recreational activities based on respect for the environment.

A Niawenko:wa to all our sponsors and organizers who made this youth camp at the St. Lawrence Islands national park a reality for our youth. Your involvement and financial assistance delivered an important camp program to assist our youth in an understanding of and respect for the unique ecosystem of the park and why we need to participate in the preservation of our environment.