A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
First place team, La Negra, donated all of their winnings back to the Freedom School. Photo: Ian Oakes.
Jimmy Burns finishes the race for Truckstop #9. Photo: Ian Oakes.
The green canoe overtook both the other canoes to claim the lead. Photo: Ian Oakes.
Alicia Francis singing following the race. Photo: Ian Oakes.
Team Truckstop #9. Photo: Ian Oakes.
TJ Jackson performing following the race. Photo: Ian Oakes.
People out supporting the Freedom School. Photo: Ian Oakes.
Kevin Big Boy Lazore served as MC for the entertainment portion for Akwesasne Freedom School’s Annual Dinner. Photo by Tekonwakwenni Nanticoke.
Bear Fox and the Bandee. Bear Fox and Terry Terrance perform some of her hit songs. Photo by Tekonwakwenni Nanticoke.
On Saturday, Akwesasne Freedom School held its annual Survival race. The race consisted of five events: swimming, canoeing, biking, backpacking, and running. Registration was held before the race from 7 am to 8 am. The race began Saturday Morning at the bridge near Wallace Thompson’s house. Swimmers swam to the second checkpoint located at Cheyenne Lazore’s Floating Dock. Swimmers had to tag off before their teammates could start the next portion of the race.
The canoe portion began at the second checkpoint and went all the way to Kings Marina in Tsi Snaihne, which was checkpoint 3. Once again, the paddlers had to tag off with the bikers before they could continue, but also had to carry the canoe with them to the road to make the tag.
The biking portion proceeded from checkpoint 3 in Tsi Snaihne, to the Helena Fire Station. According to the course map, “The Bikers will ride down River Road then take a left onto Phillips Road, and then another left onto Snye Road, and then a right onto Cook Road.” From Cook Road the bikers continued down to the fire station. As before, the bikers needed to tag off with the team mate doing the backpacking portion of the race.
The backpackers continued around 37C to turn onto North Road where the runners were waiting at the train tracks, at checkpoint 5. Once the tag was completed the runners took off down North Road to Solomon Road, around to Frogtown Road, making a left onto 37, and then a right onto Raquette Point Road, and ending at the Freedom School.
Once at the finish line, there was a celebration at the Freedom school with music acts, crafts, raffles, and food. A chicken dinner was being sold for $10, which benefited the school. Kevin Big Boy Lazore was MC for the event. Bear Fox, Terry Terrance, Goodshield Aguilar and Mignon Geli, TJ Jackson, The Little River Mohawks, Crosswinds Band, and a young woman named Alicia Francis who sang beautifully, and is also alumni of the freedom school, all performed at the event.
In all, ten teams competed and completed the race. The winners all donated their winnings back to the school.
The results of the race are as follows.
1. La Megra 3’ 11”
2. ResX 3’ 18”
3. Ducktales 3’ 26”
4. Banditos
5. Kanienke
6. Beynan Ransom’s Team
7. Tribal Police
8. Kanatakon
9. Truckstop #9
10. Saba’s Team
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