Six Nations Flag Ceremony (July 1, 2023)
The Six Nations flag was raised on Tracy Plaza for the first time in downtown Jamestown Saturday afternoon.
Jamestown Community College Artist in Residence Kaycee Colburn organized the event with the City of Jamestown that began with a land acknowledgement by Mayor Eddie Sundquist.
Seneca Nation Councilor Tina Abrams gave an overview of the Hiawatha flag, sharing that each of the symbols on the flag represents the original nations of the Haudenosaunee, “The symbol furthest to the left represents us, the Seneca Nation. We are the Keepers of the Western Door. Moving from the Seneca Nation to the east there’s the Cayuga Nation, the Onondaga Nation, the Oneida Nation, and furthest to the east, the Mohawk Nation. You will see that each symbol and each nation exists on its own. Our nations are all separate and independent of one another. However, you will see we are all connected and share a common bond.”
Abrams said that same spirit was being celebrated Saturday, “Our communities – the Seneca Nation, the City of Jamestown, Chautauqua County, and Western New York all stand independent and strong. And we are all connected. Our true strength and our greatest potential comes in standing together and being connected. The connection and the spirit of the community does not take away from our independence. Standing together, standing with one another, recognizing and learning from one another; and supporting one another makes us stronger.”
The event included a presentation of gifts between the City of Jamestown and Seneca Nation. Following the flag raising, the White Pine Singers and Dancers performed several traditional Iroquois social dances.
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