PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release
February 18, 2000

Akwesasne to Host 8th North American Fur Trade Conference

(AKWESASNE) The Mohawk community of Akwesasne continues to "make history" by being the first native community to host the North American Fur Trade Conference. This event, scheduled for May 24 - 28, 2000, will bring together native and non-native scholars and historians who will explore the role aboriginal peoples played in the colonial fur trade. This conference, which is convened every five years, covers a broad range of topics and is an education opportunity that should not be missed.

It is only appropriate the Mohawks should host the first conference of the new millennium. The Mohawks were avid participants in the fur trade in colonial times, as were many aboriginal nations throughout North America. Not only did they bring furs to the trading posts at Albany and Montreal, but they led many of the explorers and fur traders deep into the continent. While the influences of the Europeans on the Mohawk have been a mix of good and bad, there is no discounting the critical role the fur trade played in the history and evolution of Mohawk society. At the same time, the Mohawk and other aboriginal nations have had just as big an influence on those they came in contact with. The colonial fur trade, by bringing about a convergence of ideas, technologies, cultures, and values, helped to shape the world we know today. 

The 8th North American Fur Trade Conference hopes to mirror that convergence by bringing together natives and non-natives from all over North America. It promises to be a fascinating mix of oral tradition, scholarship, cultural presentations, and entertainment.

The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and the Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs welcome everyone to come and participate in this historic event. It will be held at the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory at the A'nowarakowa Arena on Kahwennoke, or Cornwall Island, Ontario. For more information about this conference, contact the conference coordinator, Bernice Lazore at (613) 575-2377 or by E-Mail at 
Blazore@newsie.glen-net.ca. You may also want to visit our website at www.nafurtrade.8m.com.

The Akwesasne Mohawk Territory is located on the St. Lawrence River at the 45th parallel. The borders of Quebec, Ontario, and New York converge at Akwesasne. The nearest city is Cornwall, Ontario. The towns of Massena and Malone, New York are located to the west and east of the territory. Akwesasne is about an hour and a half from Ottawa, Montreal and Plattsburgh,

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