Young artists sought for new website

The Mohawk Council of Kanesatake (MCK) has issued a callout for young community artists - 35 and under - to contribute designs, patterns, illustrations, and photographs that could be used on a revamped MCK website.

“To bring a sense of belonging and pride to this website, it was absolutely crucial to have more cultural alignment and community involvement,” said MCK communications officer Justine Germain, who is the project manager for the new website.

Artists will be credited and paid up to $300 for contributions that are chosen. The submissions should reflect themes like Kanesatake’s land, identity, people, and culture, according to the MCK.

“By involving community artists in creating designs, not only can the website be a more accurate reflection of community values and culture, but also, the artists interested will be compensated for their art and offered a showcase on the website with their name and information if they wish,” said Germain.

The initiative is a collaboration, Germain emphasized, with the Kanesatake Education Center (KEC) and the Tsi Ronterihwanónhnha ne Kanien’kéha Language and Cultural Center playing key roles in ensuring the new website reflects the community.

“The best people who know Kanesatake are the people who live here,” said KEC education director Watsenniostha Nelson. “The students know so much, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we got a lot of different art, and students as well, because we have a lot of artistic students in our schools.”

The KEC has its own ties to the website as its information will be shared there, including a directory, but above all the education centre was approached to collaborate in the effort because of its familiarity with the community’s young artists. Nelson sees the initiative as an opportunity for youth to see a potential path to follow after graduation, especially since they’ll receive payment.

“As a young student, I feel that would help show them that if that’s the route they want to go after they graduate from high school, then it’s possible. I think just in general it gives that nice touch of having the community be involved in the website design itself by providing photos or art or whatever they’re giving.”

Kanehsata’kehró:non Shayla Etienne, a 21-year-old Concordia University art education student who has previously had her work exhibited in the community, is among the youth planning to make a submission to the callout.

“I will be participating, especially since it’s my own community hosting this,” Etienne said. “I would love to contribute and hopefully be picked for the design, fingers crossed. I think it’s a great opportunity for young artists to get their own work out there and in the community where we’ve grown up. It also promotes creating and research about our own community’s traditions and culture.”

The project for a new website is a few months underway, Germain said, with the goal of providing a site that better addresses the community’s and organization’s needs.

According to Germain, core features will include a new business directory, dedicated department pages, access to online services, forms for service and repair requests, calendars and appointment tools, summaries of band council resolutions, quarterly updates on projects and portfolios, and more.

“Access to useful information and tools will be increased for community members, and the direction being taken is to make the website less ‘MCK’ and for the benefit and convenience of all Kanehsata’kehró:non,” Germain said.

Community youth who are interested in submitting a contribution can participate by contacting Germain at [email protected] to receive a contest package with the full specifications, including suggested format and colours.

The deadline for submissions is October 17.

[email protected]

Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter