Mohawk Names Initiative
A SUNY Canton Presidential Internship project is helping preserve and celebrate the Mohawk language through educational resources that teach the meaning, pronunciation, and cultural significance of traditional Mohawk names, fostering greater understanding and inclusion across campus.
Recent SUNY Canton graduate Tsiawentonnih Elizabeth George '26 and current student Karenniiostha Sunny Thompson-Garrow developed this video-based resource to help the SUNY Canton community better understand, pronounce, and appreciate Mohawk names and language. Working with community experts from Akwesasne and faculty mentor Daniel McLane, George and Thompson-Garrow hope the initiative will help preserve a language at risk of being lost, foster greater cultural understanding, and create a more inclusive and welcoming campus environment.
The series of six videos, edited by student Sonia Delgado, explains Mohawk alphabet pronunciation and name origins. The work was funded through SUNY internships by the Office of the Governor and assisted by the SUNY Canton Ready Center.
The Mohawk Alphabet
| Letters | A | E | I | O | EN | ON |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H | ha | he | hi | ho | hen | hon |
| K | ka | ke | ki | ko | ken | kon |
| N | na | ne | ni | no | nen | non |
| R | ra | re | ri | ro | ren | ron |
| S | sa | se | si | so | sen | son |
| T | ta | te | ti | to | ten | ton |
| W | wa | we | wi | wen |