Nya:weh – A Deep Thank You from the American Indian Law Alliance
This past weekend was filled with joy, remembrance, and community as we gathered for the Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival, the Restore Our Sacred Lake 5K, and the Alfie Jacques Ambassador Award Dinner.
We thank every player, runner, dancer, singer, family, and supporter who came together to celebrate Haudenosaunee culture and to honor the responsibility we share to care for Onondaga Lake. From the Smoke Dance Competition and the Randy Hall Memorial Masters Tournament to youth lacrosse matches played with wooden sticks crafted in the spirit of Alfie Jacques, your presence brought these living traditions to life.
At the Alfie Jacques Ambassador Award Dinner, we were humbled to honor Faithkeeper Oren Lyons and Coach Roy Simmons, Jr., two visionaries whose lives reflect the values of lacrosse as a sacred gift. Their leadership, friendship, and teaching remind us that the game is more than sport—it is ceremony, community, and a way of life.
None of this would have been possible without our sponsors, volunteers, and partners. Your generosity ensured that we could honor our elders, provide space for competition and community, and continue the work of restoring our sacred waters.
Together, we lifted up the legacy of Alfie Jacques, celebrated the next generation, and reaffirmed our shared commitment to the land, the lake, and the traditions that sustain us.
From all of us at the American Indian Law Alliance—Nya:weh, thank you. May we all work to restore our sacred lake.
Thank you to the news for these wonderful articles about our events:
- Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival celebrates culture at Onondaga Lake Park
- Roy Simmons didn’t just teach lacrosse. He showed how to love it.
- Former SU men’s lacrosse player Mark “Red” Burnam dies at 64
- Oren Lyons’ endless quest to preserve Indigenous values
- Oren Lyons, Roy Simmons, Jr., and a Spiritual Connection Like None Other | Inside Lacrosse
- AILA prepares to host 10th Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival
