A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
Kanawaien, along with AFS students at MIL.
AFS students check out the lacrosse sticks for themselves.
AFS students asking questions about the making of lacrosse sticks.
Kanawaien showing AFS students how each stick is made using carved using various tools. All photos by Kaientares.
Kanawaien talking to AFS students on how lacrosse sticks are made at the MIL factory.
The Akwesasne Freedom School students took a tour of Mohawk International Lacrosse (MIL) located on Kawehno:ke. Before the tour started, Kanawaien – Shane Francis explained how he was employed at MIL for several years. He also thanked MIL for giving them the opportunity to tour the MIL facility.
The tour began outside of the MIL factory where their fall harvest of trees piled were pile up. Kanawaien explained the type of tree used (hickory only), how they are split, the tools used, which way to start splitting the log and how the split pieces are stood up to dry. MIL had a few whole logs and split pieces standing up to dry for reference.
The second part of the tour was in the "wood shop". This is the building where all the cutting, steaming, carving, and sanding take place. Everyone present was able to see the band saw used, the steamer used to steam the sticks, the holds and molds used for bending the sticks into shape, horse bench and different carving knives used for different stages of the stick making process. For each tool or machine used, Kanawaien was able to show or re-enact the process. He explained the multiple stages/steps needed to make a lacrosse stick from a rough split piece of the tree. After each step there is a drying period needed so the sticks are placed outside to "cure" or dry out more. Everyone was showed a step-by-step process on what a rough-cut piece of split log goes thru while in the "wood shop" before it is ready to head to the "shop" next door for netting.
MIL had multiple examples of the different stages of the stick making process through the wood shop. The AFS students saw the different molds used for player sticks, goalie sticks and field lacrosse sticks.
The third and final part of the MIL tour ended in the "shop" where sticks are finished up and sent out for delivery. In here, Kanawaien gave a live demonstration on how the "sidewall" of the wooden stick was weaved and how to net a wooden stick as well as some of the different materials used. In here, the AFS students were able to see the finished product.
Besides talking about how lacrosse sticks are made, Shane talked about how lacrosse is a medicine game and how it's different from sanctioned lacrosse games.
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