20-03-2025
Mohawk leader to speak at SUNY Cobleskill commencement
SUNY Cobleskill has announced that Mohawk Elder Thomas Porter will be awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters and will deliver the keynote address at its 107th Commencement on Saturday, May 10.
Also known by his Mohawk name, Sakokwenionkwas, meaning 'The One Who Wins,' Porter is the founder of and the spiritual leader of the Mohawk community of Kanatsiohareke, in New York's Mohawk Valley. A member of the Bear Clan of the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne, "he has dedicated his life to revitalizing Mohawk language, culture, and traditions," according to a news release from the college.
"Thomas Porter's lifetime work has ensured the time-honored ways of the past are remembered, celebrated, and woven into our future. His teachings inspire us to seek new knowledge and reflect on how new ways intersect and find harmony with heritage and tradition," said SUNY Cobleskill President Marion Terenzio. "Now, his wisdom will inspire our graduates as they embark on their own journeys to create a meaningful and sustainable future. We are honored to welcome Mr. Porter as this year's commencement speaker."
Porter has been a nationally recognized figure since the 1960s when he co-founded the White Roots of Peace, a group of Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) representatives that traveled across North America, sharing native teachings and encouraging Indigenous communities to reconnect with their traditions, the release stated.
Recognizing that the Mohawk language was at risk of becoming extinct as a spoken language, he co-established the Akwesasne Freedom School, which offers a Mohawk language curriculum. His contributions to education include teaching Mohawk language, philosophy and history at the Akwesasne Freedom School and the Kahnawake Survival School, with a focus on blending modern education with a traditional worldview, according to the release.
Porter held the position of sub-chief for the Tehanakarine Chieftainship title, one of the nine chief titles of the Mohawk Nation, from 1971 to 1992, speaking at traditional ceremonies and guiding his community spiritually and politically, the release stated. In 1993, he founded the Kanatsiohareke community to create a haven for living according to traditional Mohawk values, emphasizing language revitalization as central to cultural preservation.
For ten years, Porter also served as a Native American consultant for the state Penal System, providing spiritual support and traditional teachings to Native inmates. "He has remained engaged with the SUNY Cobleskill campus community since his memorable address at President Terenzio's inauguration in April 2016," the release stated.
SUNY Cobleskill's 107th Commencement is on Saturday, May 10 in a ceremony scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., outdoors, adjacent to the Neal Robbins Field House.
