CALL FOR ARTISTS, HEALERS & CULTURAL CONTRIBUTORS: AKWESASNE ORANGE SHIRT DAY

Through conversations with local Residential School Survivors, a need has been identified to hold a meaningful Orange Shirt Day event within the community of Akwesasne. Survivors shared that commemoration should happen locally — where they feel rooted, seen, and supported.

 

This collaborative event between the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA) and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) will take place on September 30, 2025 at Generations Park. The gathering will support community healing, cultural pride, and intergenerational learning. It will provide a safe, respectful space for youth, families, and survivors to connect through education, ceremony, and cultural teachings.

 

📅 Tuesday, September 30, 2025
📍 Generations Park

 

We are currently seeking artists, healers, and cultural educators to participate in this important day for approximately 4 hours. We welcome proposals from individuals who can offer any of the following:

  • Creation Story Speaker
  • Traditional Food (for approx. 400 attendees)
  • Massage Healing Station
  • Reiki Healing Station
  • Crystal Healing Station

 

Interactive booths, including, but not limited to:

  • Corn Husk Doll making
  • Basket-making (either one large basket or small baskets)
  • Tea Making
  • Coloring Station (Preferably with Kanien’keha incorporated)
  • Sweetgrass Bookmarks
  • Beadwork Kits and Demo
  • Tobacco Pouches Creation and Demo
  • Mini Clay Pots
  • Orange Shirt Books
  • Loom Demonstrations

 

For interactive booths, we are seeking hands-on activities that are engaging for all ages and ideally include a small takeaway item for 150–200 participants although not all hands-on activities may require the takeaway (ie. If community members are making one larger collaborative piece).

 

If you are interested in contributing or would like more information, please email your proposal (and photos of your work, if applicable) to:
📧 ashley.tarbell@akwesasne.ca 

 

Submission deadline: Friday, August 1, 2025

Selected participants will be notified the following week.

 

Let’s come together to honour the past, uplift the present, and strengthen the future — through culture, connection, and community care.

 

Related Posts