OHNEKA HEALING PROJECT

Indigenous Arts Collective Launches The Ohné:ka Healing Project on World Water Day - Akwesasne / Tyendinaga / Kingston - 2025-03-22

In celebration of World Water Day, the Indigenous Arts Collective (IACC) is proud to announce the launch of its latest initiative: The Ohné:ka Healing Project.

Developed in collaboration with Haudenosaunee educators, artists, and environmental knowledge holders, the project brings forward a Haudenosaunee Water and Environment Curriculum designed to reconnect youth and communities with traditional teachings and the sacred responsibility to Water. The Ohné:ka Healing Project includes the launch of a new digital platform featuring educational resources, environmental tools, and a space for sharing Indigenous knowledge about environmental stewardship. Over the past couple of months, IACC has delivered workshops, educational activities, and on-the-Water experiences to local schools and communities across Tyendinaga, Kingston, and Akwesasne, all led from a Haudenosaunee perspective.

This summer, the Collective invites the community to join the creation of our paddle board murals and public exhibits at the National Indigenous Peoples Day in Kingston, ON on June 21st, the Akwesasne Art Market on July 26th in Akwesasne, ON, and the Pumphouse Museum in Kingston, ON (rotating exhibit). We are also invited to share our project at the National Truth and Reconciliation Day in Akwesasne, ON on September 30th, and at the Indigenous Women’s Arts Conference on November 8-9. 

“We are honoured to share this project with our communities,” said a spokesperson from the IACC. “With the wisdom of educators like Abraham Francis and Dr. Sarah Konwahahawi Rourke, we are weaving together traditional knowledge, environmental science, and art to inspire the next generation to act as stewards of our precious Waters.” 

Rooted in the Haudenosaunee Creation Story, where Water was the first element of Earth, the Ohné:ka Healing Project emphasizes the sacred relationship between humans and Water. By combining ancestral knowledge with contemporary environmental education, the project encourages youth to think critically, act mindfully, and advocate for the protection of the natural world.

The Indigenous Arts Collective gratefully acknowledges the support of Heritage Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts, whose funding has made the Ohné:ka Healing Project possible.

For more information about the Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada and the Ohné:ka Healing Project, please visit: Ohneka Healing Project – She is Water