Ohero: Kon - Under the Husk A Native American Rite of Passage
This documentary follows two Mohawk girls on their journey to become Mohawk women. Friends since childhood, Kaienkwinehtha and Kasennakohe are members of the traditional community of Akwesasne on the U.S./Canada border.
Together, they undertake a four-year rite of passage for adolescents, called Ohero:kon, or "under the husk." The ceremony had been nearly extinct, a casualty of colonialism and intergenerational trauma; revived in the past decade by two traditional leaders, it has since flourished. Filmmaker Katsitsionni Fox has served as a mentor, or "auntie," to many youth going through the passage rites.
UNDER THE HUSK is a personal story of a traditional practice challenging young girls spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically, shaping the women they become.
Running Time
28 mins
Year
2017
Kanopy ID
2896156
Filmmakers
Languages
Subjects
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Comments (3)
love love love
I knew early on that bringing back our rites of passage ceremony for our youth was profound and would change our community forever. I felt compelled to document and share this story, and I did so through the eyes of two Mohawk girls making their transition into women.
There are so few ...Read more
I knew early on that bringing back our rites of passage ceremony for our youth was profound and would change our community forever. I felt compelled to document and share this story, and I did so through the eyes of two Mohawk girls making their transition into women.
There are so few films that reflect the true strength and beauty of our young Native women. It is important for us to be in the driver seat of these stories of hope and empowerment that are unfolding in Native communities across Turtle Island.
Read lessSuch an interesting, touching film! I loved learning about this important, newly revived Mohawk tradition. The love that these young women and the filmmaker have for their culture and community is tangible.