North Country Live: Fall Series! to begin Oct. 1

Sept. 22, 2020

SARANAC LAKE -- Following a successful series of summer sessions focused on wellness, personal finance and Adirondack history, North Country Community College will shine light this fall on the voices of Indigenous Peoples.

Through a trio of online programs in October, North Country Live: Fall Series! will focus on the history and traditions of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe at Akwesasne, as well as the challenges the tribe has faced amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Each program is free, although participants must register in advance at www.nccc.edu/live to receive an invitation to the session.

Oct. 1, 7 p.m., “Tribal History Part One: The Early History of Akwesasne,” with Darren Bonaparte, director of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s Historic Preservation Office. This program will focus on the new indigenous community established on the St. Lawrence River at the dawn of the Seven Years War and explore its history through the American Revolution and up to the War of 1812.

Oct. 15, 7 p.m., “Tribal History Part Two: Akwesasne in the Nineteenth Century,” with Darren Bonaparte, director of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s Historic Preservation Office. This program will focus on a time of tremendous change for the Akwesasne community, which led to a resurgence of old leadership traditions and a cultural revival that continues today.

Oct. 29, 7 p.m., “Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Akwesasne,” hosted by Bruce Kelly, coordinator of Campus and Student Life at NCCC’s Malone campus. Bruce will lead a guided discussion with panelists on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and Saint Regis Mohawk Health Services. Panelists will share their experiences and perspectives on responding to the pandemic.

Each presentation will be followed by an opportunity to interact with and ask questions of the host.

North Country Live: Fall Series! is sponsored by North Franklin Federal Credit Union.

In addition to these programs, the college is co-sponsoring a free screening of the award-winning short film Ohero:Kon (Under the Husk) by Katsitsiooni Fox on Thursday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m. This film follows the journey of two Mohawk girls as they take part in their traditional passage rites to become Mohawk women. Registration for this screening is separate but also can be found at www.nccc.edu/live.

For more information on North Country Live, or to view an archive of past programs, visit www.nccc.edu/live.