SRMT Summer Intern Spotlight – Kaeliana "Kay" Smoke, Cultural Tourism Intern

By Ethan Thomas, Communications Department Summer Intern.

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe is proud to provide employment opportunities for high school and college students through the Department of Education's Summer Youth and Career Internship Employment Program. To help report on this initiative, we are proud to share the following summer student spotlight, which reports on internships in areas specific to the student's chosen career path.

As college and university students make their way back to campus, we take pride in sharing the work they did as interns with the Education Division's Summer Youth and Career Internship Program. This week, we are delighted to spotlight Kaeliana "Kay" Smoke, daughter of Christine Lazore and Al Smoke.

Kaeliana graduated from the University of Toronto and is currently attending graduate school at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, where she is working towards her Master's Degree in Anthropology. This summer, she worked as one of ten (10) college interns, with her placement being within the Tribe's Office of Economic Development as a Cultural Tourism Intern.

As part of her summer internship, Kaeliana assisted the Akwesasne Tourism Team with coordinating community advertising, engaging vendors, encouraging community participation for events, and aiding with boat tours for Akwesasne Travels, among other tourism-related duties.

As an Anthropology Major, Kaeliana's favorite part about her internship this summer was assisting in the river tours. For her, telling and hearing stories about places in our community, as well as learning about our culture, has helped her gain a broader understanding on what is needed to help preserve and strengthen cultural teachings in Akwesasne.

Kaeliana also enjoyed working at the inaugural Akwesasne Art Market and Juried Show that was held in Generations Park's Travis Solomon Memorial Lacrosse Box on Ohiarihkó:wa/July 2nd. She enjoyed seeing and talking to artists at the event, which she feels was a great opportunity for artists to network and to share their unique experiences through the art that they produce.

In her free time, you can find Kaeliana playing softball and video games, relaxing on her boat, or listening to one of her favorite songs: "Dancing in The Moonlight" by King Harvest, "I Like It" by Cardi B & Bad Bunny, and also "Enemy" by Imagine Dragons.

On behalf of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, Niá:wen/Thank you Kaeliana for working with us this summer and we wish you the best in all your future aspirations!