"On behalf of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, we would like to share with you information about our efforts to reinvigorate the economy in upstate New York and create a more secure and prosperous future for the tribe and the people of Sullivan County. We would also like to take this opportunity to provide a more accurate picture of who the Mohawk people are, what we believe and what we stand for.

We are a tribe of about 12,000 people. We are found in northernmost New York state on the border with Canada, on the Akwesasne territory, but our members reside all over the United States and Canada. We are fair and decent, ordinary people, sharing many of the same values all New Yorkers share. We are soccer moms and lacrosse dads; we are SUNY students, choir members, Girl Scouts and Little Leaguers.

Our fathers and our grandfathers have a long history as tough-as-nails ironworkers. Many of our men made hard decisions to travel great distances to build the New York skyline to support families back home. Many of our Mohawk men went to Ground Zero to clear the wreckage of 9/11. We work hard and always have, doing dangerous work at great sacrifice.

We share the same family values you do, we are people of faith, and we hold strong our cultural traditions and practices. Since time immemorial, we have maintained profound respect for the natural world. Today, we have one of the strongest environmental programs in Indian Country. We employ Mohawk biologists, engineers and environmental specialists in tribal environmental programs and services that match state and federal government standards."

Get the Story:
James Ransom, Lorraine White and Barbara Lazore: Mohawk tribes share values and vision of New Yorkers (The Middleton Times Herald-Record 3/25)