On Friday, August 30, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) hosted a “Celebration of Mohawk Creation” at the Saunders Hydro Dam Visitor Centre. The event highlighted Mohawk culture and featured local artisans and demonstrations. It was an opportunity for the community to engage with Akwesasne artisans and celebrate Indigenous traditions.
Special guest Ariana Roundpoint, a local Mohawk children’s book author, read from her new books, “My Totas New Car” and “Bean and Grandma’s Weekend.” Roundpoint’s stories focus on languagerevitalization and cultural preservation, reflecting her dedication to bringing Mohawk traditions to younger generations.
“I have two books that came out around the same time,” Roundpoint explained. “Both are looking at language revitalization, but one looks at electric vehicles and the introduction of these to get a more green feel to our community. The other is focused onbridging the gap between one generation and the next, bringing that language back to the forefront for future generations. It goes on a little bit of an adventure, but a mundane one, yet one that I think everybody can relate to.”
The event was organized by Angelina Roundpoint, a returningdevelopmental summer student at OPG, and Ariana’s sister. She shared the inspiration behind the event, saying, “I knew my sister had not done an official book launch here in Akwesasne. I thought that with the interpretive gardens and all the Indigenous features we have at OPG, it was the perfect place to do it. This led to more ideas of wanting to celebrate our culture and share with people from the Cornwall community, Akwesasne, and surrounding area,showcasing who we are, what we do, and because we’re proud of who we are, our culture, and our traditions.”
The event saw visitors from Akwesasne, Cornwall, and SDG.Angelina was delighted with the response, stating, “I’m very happy with the turnout. It’s awesome to see all the little ones come and be fully engaged, running around the gardens. I’m so happy with how it’s going.”
