Our History
The Akwesasne Freedom School is a model for any Indigenous people who are concerned with losing their language, culture and identity. The school was formed to help the Mohawk Nation become strong again, by focusing on the young people. Our survival is dependent on the understanding of the old ways and preserving the knowledge that is passed down from grandparents to children. We want to help nurture strong, spiritually, physically, and emotionally healthy people who will eventually become the leaders in our community.
Through knowledge we can gain a better understanding of the traditions and values that our elders have preserved for generations; values such as self-respect, community, and kinship with the natural world. Our language is taught thematically, based/patterned on the Ohenton Karihwatekwen (Thanksgiving Address or Words Before All Else). The language is learned through speaking, singing, and eventually writing and reading.
The Akwesasne Freedom School is not like other schools in the community, whereas subjects are taught set to a specific time frame. Here the subjects are taught in a holistic manner with no time frame restrictions. The Akwesasne Freedom School strives to keep our traditions and culture alive by bringing them into the classroom as everyday activities. We are hoping that this will in turn be welcomed into the family and the home. Encouragement for the children to speak at home is a must in order to have the language gain a foothold. Reinforcement of the language is the most important part of the survival of the language.
The knowledge that our students learn is parallel to what the children are learning in the other schools in the community. With the Kahswentha (Two-Row wampum) in mind, our students are learning subjects that are relevant to our culture and traditions. For history, our students learn when the Onkwehonwe leaders of our nation, instead of the presidents and senators of the United States. In the social aspect of academics our children learn how our government runs, who our chiefs are past and present.
The Akwesasne Freedom School (AFS) was founded in 1979 by Mohawk parents concerned with the lack of cultural and linguistic services available in local public schools. As an independent nonprofit organization, AFS has existed over 45 years in revitalizing our culture starting with our children. In 1985, the parents who administer the school made a historic decision to adopt a total Mohawk immersion curriculum. It was a historic decision. AFS was the first to implement this curriculum and did so without approval or funding from state, federal or provincial governments. By focusing on our young people, we reverse the assimilation process and ensure that the Mohawk people do not lose their language, culture and identity.
The school continues to immerse its students in levels Pre-K to 8 in the Kanienkéha (Mohawk) language and culture. All instruction, as well as recess periods, outdoor activities, field trips, meals and extracurricular activities are conducted in the Mohawk language.