Honoring Indigenous Ways of Being and Knowing
Five Akwesasne Mohawk Artists-in-Residence

“Bear Fox always heard melodies come to her, but she didn’t realize her gift of songwriting until she was 23. ‘This is when I began writing songs for our traditional women group, Kontiwennenhawi. Kontiwennenhawi means carriers of the words.’ ‘The first songs I wrote were in the Mohawk language. I did not start writing English songs until 2001. The very first song to become popular was Rich Girl. It’s a story about my life growing up in Akwesasne, Mohawk territory, growing up in a family rich with love.’ Although Bear Fox’s parents spoke the language, she did not grow up fluent. ‘I know our native language needs to carry on. So I feel that by putting the language into the songs, I’m helping to do that.’” For more, visit https://www.bearfoxsongs.com/. 

Funding provided by St. Lawrence University’s Arts Collaborative.