Jake Tekaronianeken Swamp Memorial Tree Planting Ceremony held at Salmon River

On the cloudy morning of Monday Nov. 21 at the Salmon River Central School, students, faculty and community members came together to honor the late Jake Tekaronianeken “Where Two Skies Come Together” Swamp of Akwesasne. Students from the school performed the opening and closing Thanksgiving Address for this event which was followed by a brief summary of the formation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy done by Bear Clan Sub-Chief,

Aronhiaies Herne. This story, which takes up to ten days for the complete version to be told, was about how there was a time of great bloodshed and war between the Nations. During this time, a child was born who from the beginning talked continuously about the need for peace. When this child grew to be a man, he set out to unite and bring peace to the five warring Nations; Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas. The Peacemaker, as this man was named, accomplished the near impossible task of uniting these people under the direst circumstances. The Peacemakers message was the same message that Jake Swamp spent his life promoting to the world. It also must be mentioned that as Aronhiaies told this story of the Peacemaker and the connection to Jake Swamp, the sun came out from behind the clouds.

Katsitsionni Fox, a teacher at Salmon River, noted this occurrence and remembered how one of the many teachings from Jake was that our men should be like the sun.

“When I think of the sun,” Katsitsionni recalls, “I think of Jake and his teachings about men. He said that our men should be like the sun; they should be that dependable that they get up every morning like the sun. Every morning, that sun is there to help keep us warm and to help sustain life. Jake encouraged all men to be that dependable to their families.”

Jake’s daughter, Angela Elijah, also spoke of the work her father did throughout his lifetime. Much of it she learned after his passing and was proud to see the extent of Jake’s work all over the world. Angela also spoke of the hardships that young Native people face in contemporary times. Bullying is an immediate issue that must be addressed and acknowledged. The ribbons that students tied around the Jake Swamp Memorial Tree branches are all symbols of individual commitment to promoting peace and to stopping the bullying that has become pandemic. By doing so, we remember the message of the Peacemaker and the message that Jake Swamp worked so hard to promote. Angela’s account was followed by Kontiwennahawi singing the Women’s Dance song, “Sken:nen” or peace.

Jake Tekaronianeken Swamp was a Wolf Clan Sub-Chief and was involved in numerous organizations that sought to promote and sustain both traditional Haudenosaunee culture and to protect the environment. He founded The Tree of Peace Society in 1984 which is a non-profit organization which focuses on four branches: Environmental Protection, Community Development, Historical Preservation, and Tree of Peace Ceremonies. He also had a hand in the creation of the Akwesasne Freedom School, a Mohawk immersion school which focuses on Mohawk Language and Haudenosaunee culture and traditions. He and his wife, Judy, had seven children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The mark he left on the world and the people he met can be found in countries like Israel, Japan, Switzerland, and Italy as well as right here in Akwesasne.