Opening Reception for 2025 Special Exhibitions Set for May 3

HOWES CAVE – The Iroquois Museum will have an opening reception for its two special exhibitions of the year on Saturday, May 3, from 1 to 4 p.m at 324 Caverns Road, Howes Cave. The public is invited to join staff and curators to explore “Once a Tree: Continuity, Creativity, and Connection” and “Separated but Unbroken: The Haudenosaunee Boarding School Experience.”

The reception will feature guest speakers, including Mohawk author Dawn Cheryl Hill, the daughter of two residential school survivors. Hill is a member of the Turtle Clan and grew up in the Tuscarora Territory in Lewiston, NY. She currently lives at the Six Nations Territory in Ohsweken, Ontario. Her first book, “Memory Keeper,” was nominated for the Indigenous Voices and the 2022 First Nations Communities Read awards. Hill will offer a book signing at the opening.

"Separated but Unbroken: The Haudenosaunee Boarding School Experience" explores the lasting impact of the Thomas Indian School, once located on the Cattaraugus Reservation south of Buffalo, NY, and the Mohawk Institute near Brantford, Ontario. These institutions, which enrolled a significant number of Haudenosaunee students, were part of a larger system that sought to erase Indigenous identities while deeply shaping the lives of those who endured them. Co-curated by Erin Keaton (Mohawk), the exhibition sheds light on Haudenosaunee resilience.

“Once a Tree: Continuity, Creativity, and Connection” explores the deep-rooted significance of trees in Haudenosaunee culture, tradition, and creative expression. Featuring the work of 42 artists and more than 100 objects—including decorative and utilitarian baskets, cradleboards, snowshoes, ladles, lacrosse sticks, toys, instruments, carvings, and sleds—this exhibition highlights the important relationship between nature and artistry. Selected from the Museum’s permanent collection, the exhibition was created with guidance from curatorial consultants Terry Chrisjohn III (Oneida), Preston Jacobs (Mohawk), and Sheila Ransom (Mohawk).

Complimentary refreshments will be provided. The opening reception is included in the Museum admission. For more information, visit iroquoismuseum.org.