Ratiristakehron: Mohawk Ironworkers
Ironworking has always been a great and proud tradition of the Mohawk people. Akwesasne is among the Mohawk communities that have long been home to the most skilled and fearless ironworkers in North America, and the tradition continues to be passed down to generations of Mohawks. Mohawk Ironworkers and those from Akwesasne have been responsible for erecting the skylines of North America and are the renowned builders of the former World Trade Center. Tragically, Akwesasne men, were among those ironworkers who witnessed the tragic terrorist acts perpetrated against the people of New York City, when the World Trade Center was attacked and so many lives were lost. Akwesasne ironworkers were among the first on the horrific scene to assist in the rescue operation and then recovery at ground zero. Akwesasne ironworkers assisted for several months, untangling the rubble of a once solid structure that stood in one of America’s greatest cities.
Mohawk Iron Workers work on New York City skyline.
Photo: Bill Sears
By Dave King of the Ranathaonni
Cultural Centre
Reprinted with permission
Since the late 1880s, the Rotinonshonni [meaning ‘The Men who build’ in the Mohawk language] have had an intimate relationship with steel and building steel structures in all major cities in North America and around the globe. Needless to say, Rotinonshonni ironworkers have made a reputation of being the best there is at what they do, the most courageous, the fastest and the strongest to ever climb iron.
Every family from Akwesasne has an uncle, brother, father or some relative who has, is or will be an ironworker. For those of you lucky enough to be closely related to an ironworker, you know what an exciting life it can be. Ironworking is a trade that has captured the very essence of the word Mohawk. When a young man gets a taste of the ironworking trade, he is totally consumed by it. His very soul is taken to new heights and he is no longer a boy. In this community, to be an ironworker is to be a man.
In the late 1900s to the early 1920s, Akwesasne experienced a surge of offreserve employment. After the initial contact with the iron working industry, most men packed their bags and joined forces with other Mohawk men who preceded them.
The first real contact for the men of Akwesasne came after the collapse of the Victoria Bridge in Quebec, which was to span the St. Lawrence River.
Thirty-three men from the Mohawk community of Kahnawake lost their lives on the job. After a second bridge collapse the men of Kahnawake shied away from that particular project and headed south to the city of New York. Men from Akwesasne eager for work took on the task of completing the job. From that point on it became a “tradition” to see the younger men from our community get involved in structural steel. Following their brothers before them the men eventually found their way to the bigger cities and claimed a spot in the annals of the Mohawk Ironworker.
Many people believe that the Mohawk men have a genetic immunity to heights. They believe that walking 30 stories above the city is something Mohawk men have no fear of. Talking to the men, they say, “it is more likely the rush of freedom they feel when climbing into the clouds that attracted them to this line of work.
The realm of the ironworker is interesting indeed. In 1996, 777,000 ironworkers held jobs. 6 out of 10 of these men were employed by contractors specializing in the construction of homes, schools, bridges, tunnels, water and sewage mains, communication and power lines. Ironworkers are employed in all parts of the country and most work in commercial or industrial jobs.
As for the men of Akwesasne, they too can be found all over Turtle Island doing what they do best. On any given day, a person from Akwesasne can say without hesitation that he has relatives all over the country working on iron.
