SNIEDC: Native American Heritage Month Spotlight – Burrainfreeze
In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, we’re honored to spotlight some of the incredible Native entrepreneurs we have the privilege of supporting.
One of the coolest businesses SNIEDC supports is Burrainfreeze. A custom “Thirst Aid Unit” serving up boba, iced coffee, ice cream, and pure childhood nostalgia. As they wrap up for the season, we’re already counting down the days until they’re back! Be sure to give them a follow and keep an eye out for upcoming events.
Interested in starting or growing your own Native-owned business? Visit sniedc.org to learn more about how we can help.
Kerriann Spruce Shares Indian Cookie Recipe in Honor of Native American Heritage Month
Learn something new this Native American Heritage Month! Kerriann Spruce (Seneca, Bear Clan) and Seneca Nation Cattaraugus Language department team member shares an Indian Cookie recipe she learned from her childhood. Baking is her favorite way to relieve stress and believes it is a form of healing. Sharing the traditions to the next generation is vital to keep the culture alive.
Check out the following YouTube link – How to Make Indian Cookies:
Native American Heritage Month Dinner Social!
Earlier this month, the community gathered for the annual Native American Heritage Month Community Dinner & Social. Guests were treated to a Thanksgiving buffet, frybread & corn soup, and of course, dessert! Family and friends social danced with special guests, the Lil’ Miss Fall Fest Ladies!
Each year, a community member is honored with the Community Leader Award presented by Leadership Seneca. This year’s honoree is the late Tyler Heron, whose family accepted the award on his behalf. Heron was a beloved pinnacle of the community. His commitment to the Seneca people was admirable, and his impact and legacy are singular and vast.
Nya:wëh to the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino, with a special thank you to the hospitality team, who always go above and beyond. Nya:wëh to the Gaëni:yo’s Singers and Dancers, Leadership Seneca, Seneca Nation Executives & Council, and all those who make this annual favorite a success!
In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, we’re highlighting some Native and Indigenous artists in the collection of our friends at the Burchfield Penney Art Center!
G. Peter Jemison (Seneca, Heron Clan) is a multi-media artist and recently retired site manager of Ganondagan, a New York State Historic Park in Victor, New York. Reflecting his heritage, Jemison creates art that embodies orenda, defined as “the traditional Hodínöhšö:ni:h belief that every living thing and every part of creation contains a spiritual force.” Jemison was featured in an exhibition at the Burchfield Penney titled “Shared Light: G. Peter Jemison and Charles E. Burchfield.” You can explore the exhibit at the link: https://burchfieldpenney.org.
Image ID: G. Peter Jemison (born 1945, Seneca Nation, Heron Clan),Ganondagan Autumn, 2022; acrylic on canvas, 48 x 72in.; Collection of the Burchfield Penney Art Center, Purchased with funds from the Collectors Club anddonations by Odie and Rob Porter, Deb Abgott, Dave and Kathy Fedak, Peter Heffley, Carol Kociela, Cindy Letro,Gina O’Neill, and Nancy Weekly.
Sabres Unveil Logo For Native American Heritage Night, Designed By Legendary Seneca Artist G. Peter Jemison
Article reprinted from https://www.nhl.com/sabres/
The logo is the first of three collaborations with the Buffalo AKG Art Museum as part of the “Community Artist Series.” G. Peter Jemison’s art education began on the grounds of Buffalo State University and brought him to Siena, Italy, where he spent a semester abroad crafting sculptures, painting frescos and breathing in the architecture of a medieval city.
Yet for all his travels, Jemison – a member of the Heron Clan of the Seneca Nation, born and raised on Cattaraugus Territory – found one aspect of his education lacking.
“I never saw a single image of Native American art,” Jemison said. “I had to educate myself on the original art of this country, and I’m still in that process of introducing the general public to the original art of this country.”
Jemison had that mission in mind as he crafted his take on the Buffalo Sabres logo, which has been unveiled as the first of three “Community Artist Series” designs in partnership with the Buffalo AKG Art Museum.
The Community Artist Series will commission three renowned artists to create unique designs in conjunction with community-based theme nights during the 2025-26 season.
Jemison’s design was showcased on a set of practice jerseys at KeyBank Center when the Sabres played the Oilers on Native American Heritage Night presented by Seneca Resorts and Casinos on Monday, November 17.
The practice jerseys were auctioned off with proceeds benefiting Western Door Hockey at the Cattaraugus Community Center. Merchandise featuring Jemison’s logo was also available on the night of the game.
Jemison, now five decades into a legendary career, has had his work collected by museums throughout the country, including the Museum of Modern Art and Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. Later this month, he will travel to Paris to showcase his work at The Musée du Quai Branly.
Aaron Ott, the AKG’s curator of public art, said the partnership with Jemison sets a high bar for future collaborations between the Sabres and the AKG. “Bringing in somebody who is so deeply respected in the Seneca community and the Indigenous community like Peter Jemison to be the first collaboration between these institutions shows that these organizations can bring together the very best that our region has to offer,” Ott said.
Jemison’s design features a tumpline draped over the Sabres crest. Jemison describes the tumpline – a strap used to carry heavy loads – as an advanced art form stemming from Seneca culture.
A functional item by nature, tumplines were given artistic quality through a painstaking, meticulous weaving process that utilized dyed moose hair to form a colored pattern on the item’s exterior. Jemison described the process as weaving with dental floss, but without the aid of modern lightning.
“The tumpline signifies a high degree of artistic ability and imagination that has been carried out with materials that are not common materials,” Jemison said. “I just see it as a very highly evolved art form.”
The tumpline on Jemison’s design includes the black, red, gray, and white from the Sabres’ alternate logo. The pattern is intentionally asymmetrical.
“In the history of art, it’s as though the idea of abstraction came from Europe,” Jemison. “But in fact, abstract design was here, is a native design from the very beginning. I want to stress that – that our people have always worked with both geometry and natural forms in the art that we’ve created.”
Once confined mostly to private collections, multiple centuries-old tumplines are now on display at the Seneca Art & Culture Center at Ganondagan State Historic Site, for which Jemison worked as historic site manager. Find out more about Ganondagan HERE.
3rd Annual Haudenosaunee Flag Raising in Niagara Square
Repost from Samantha Nephew, Linkedin
It was cold outside, but the fire was strong within! The third annual Haudenosaunee Flag Raising happened last week on 11/7 at Niagara Square in Buffalo, NY. We had many local dignitaries in attendance and this year included Supreme Court Justice Mark Montour (Mohawk) and the President of the Seneca Nation of Indians J.C Seneca.
Best of all? Two students from the Native American Magnet School kicked everything off with a brief history of the Haudenosaunee and what this event means to our young Native students. I’m still in awe of their bravery!
Happy Native American Heritage Month (this month and every month)! Sponsored by Buffalo Center for Health Equity and organized by the Indigenous Women’s Initiative.
How The Buffalo Bills Are Celebrating Native American Heritage Month
On Sunday, November 16th, the Buffalo Bills celebrated Native American Heritage Month during the Bills vs. Buccaneers game. During pregame, the Bills welcomed flag football players and coaches from the Seneca Nation Community Centers to the field to be recognized for their participation in the first ever Seneca Nation flag football program and receive a grant for $20,000 in support of this initiative from the Buffalo Bills and Nike.
Members from the Allegany and Cattaraugus Seneca Girls Lacrosse Teams, the Ohiyo’ Storm and Seneca Heat, alongside community members from Native American Community Services held the player introduction banners prior to gameplay. During the National Anthem, the colors were presented by the American Legion Iroquois Post 1587 from the Seneca Nation Territory lead by Post Commander Ron Cook Jr. During halftime, gëjóhgwa’ performed their Native American social dance.
As the final element of the NAHM Celebration, the Bills honored Sergeant Joshua Howard on field during the 3rd quarter break. He began his United States Army career in 2005. During this time, Josh was deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom from August 2006 to November 2007. He served as a Military Intelligence All-Source Analyst for the Multi-National Corps Iraq, Command, and Control Element in Baghdad.
Today, Josh resides in South Dayton, NY and is the Director of Talent Development for Seneca Resorts & Casinos; the Vice President of the Board of Education for Pine Valley Central School; and the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Seneca Nation of Indians Economic Development Company.
Buffalo Native American Heritage Month
Seneca youth were invited to One Bills Drive for a flag football clinic, facility tour, and dinner! Our young athletes had such a great time at this event! Nya:wëh to the Seneca Gaming Corporation, Buffalo Bills, Allegany Community Center, Cattaraugus Community-Center, and all who made this an amazing and unforgettable experience for our youth!
Check out the Buffalo Bills photos of the clinic HERE.
