AKWESASNE RONTATEWENION TSIIONTEWEIONSTAKWA

The mission of the Friends of the Akwesasne Freedom School (FOAFS) is "to ensure a prosperous future to the Akwesasne Freedom School (AFS)." FOAFS supports the AFS through raising funds to operate and assisting with programs and project development. 

The mission of the AFS is “through our language the Akwesasne Freedom School will support and encourage a process for each child to learn their roles and responsibilities as Rotinonhsón:ni through an understanding of the Ohén:ton Karihwatékwen as the core of their learning experience.  Skén:nen (Peace), Ka’satsténhsera  (Power,) Ka’nikonri:io (Good Mind) will thrive and be heard in the voices of our children for the next 7 generations” 

Our AFS was founded 46 years ago by traditional Mohawks who wanted to take back control of their child/ren’s education. The vision of our founders is that we would not ask permission from state or federal agencies for permission to teach our own children who needed to learn and gain their own identities as Kanienkehaka (Mohawks).  

Our school is dedicated to: 

• Immersing our students in the Mohawk language,

• Continuing Mohawk ceremonies, songs, dances and traditional, land-based cultural practices,

• Promoting the principles of good mind, peace and strength given to us by the Creator through the Peacemaker,

• Preparing students to be active participants in both our traditional community and Western society,

• Encouraging students to have pride in, understanding of and sufficient knowledge to participate in traditional, land-based practices and customs thereby promoting cultural values,

• Teaching students to be responsible, independent and hold a positive self-concept at the same time they display respect for others, especially Elders and the knowledge they possess,

• Preparing students to be teachers of future generations, 

Finally, after existing for 46 years, our dream for a new environmentally friendly building was recently completed and our students and staff who are continuing their learning in their new school beginning on January 5, 2026! Everyone is loving the new location and settling into new routines. But for the FOAFS the work never stops! We continue pulling double fundraising duty, raising money to pay for a new school while keeping our amazing teachers paid and the school running smoothly. With generous donations and support from our community, we raised almost all the funds needed to complete our school. However towards the end of the construction period we ran out of funds,. We were fortunate in that a local bank approved a loan to us to complete our building. Now we need to begin paying that loan, so we are still doing double duty.

thane to! thank you!