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Vol. 20 No 3 • Novembre 8, 2017 Distributed by

Arts and Culture
Natasha Smoke-Santiago EN BREF

A PAINTER AND SO MUCH MORE
Al-Anon

Iris DELAGRANGE the traditional Long House values are essential Saint-Laurent RCM, the Mohawk Council of
Special Contribution to Natasha and her family. So she now lives on Akwasasne, the secretary of Indian Affairs and Anniversary
a disputed territory next to Akwasasne, from the Quebec ministry of Culture and
her art, but also from the culture and conser- Communications. The local artist chosen to
Natasha doesn’t just do arts. The young vation of traditional grains. represent the RCM was John Ryan. Are you troubled by someone’s drinking?
woman, who was born in Rochester, NY, and In 2014–2015, Natasha participated in the Al-Anon can help. There will be an
raised within a united family of Haudenosaunee cultural exchange “Sharing through the gener- To find out more about Natasha Smoke- Anniversary Meeting of the Huntingdon
tradition, has combined her multiple talents in ations,” which was organized as part of a cul- Santiago, please visit her website: http://story- Al-Anon Family Group on Monday,
order to touch the hearts of the Onkwehonwe tural development accord between the Haut- tellershouse.com. Nia:wen/Thank you! n November 13, at 7:30 pm.
(original inhabitants) in many artistic fields: Translation Mona Rochon
her paintings and potteries can be found in The evening will feature both an Al-Anon
thousands of homes throughout the vast North and an AA speaker. Admission is free, and
American native territory. everyone is welcome! Refreshments will be
served. St. John’s Anglican Church
Natasha’s grandparents were part of a large (basement), 18 King Street, Huntingdon.
Mohawk diaspora going back to the middle of
the 20th century, living in New York City as
well as many upper NY state cities such as
Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, following the
beginning of the intensive steel trade. What is
commonly referred to as the “traditional void”
was partly filled with local cultural activities, as
well as frequent exchanges with communities
such as Tonawanda and Onondaga, two neigh-
bouring Mohawk territories who were mem-
bers of the Confederation of Five Nations.

The many talents of Natasha became appar-
ent very early on, and her family encouraged
her, as many of them were teachers or artisans
themselves. When Natasha was a teenager, her November 8, 2017
family moved back to Akwasasne, the Mohawk
community next to the Haut-Saint-Laurent
RCM. Her talent exploded and continued to
develop afterwards. Today, her work is com-
prised of many disciplines, all based on the
Haudenosaunee traditions, modern life, the
miracle of birth as well as the beauty of the
natural world. She is able to live from her art, The Southwest News
which nurtures her spiritually as well. Thus,
each day, she constructs her future, as well as
her husband’s and her children’s future,
through Iroquois style pottery.
Independence and the right—without hav-
ing to ask for permission—to live according to - Page 29