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About

Louis Karoniaktajeh Hall

Louis Karoniaktajeh Hall (1918–1993) was a prolific Kanien'kehá:a painter and writer from Kahnawake, whose work continues to inspire generations of indigenous people today. A man of all trades, Karoniaktajeh worked as a butcher, a carpenter, and a mason. Initially groomed for a life in the priesthood, Karoniaktajeh (on the edge of the sky) began his life as a devout Christian before later turning against what he saw as the fallacies of European religion, and deciding to reintegrate himself into the traditional Longhouse and help revive “the old ways.” Appointed as a Roiá:ner (chief), he became a prominent defender of indigenous sovereignty, and was instrumental in the reconstitution of the Rotisken’rhakéhte (Mohawk Warrior Society). His distinctive artwork includes the iconic Unity Flag, which still symbolizes indigenous pride across Turtle Island (North America). His legacy as a reviver and innovator of traditional Mohawk culture includes his works The Warrior’s Handbook (1979) and Rebuilding the Iroquois Confederacy (1980). Both these texts, which served during their time as a political and cultural call to arms for indigeous communities across Turtle Island, were initially printed by hand and distributed in secret.

Books by Louis Karoniaktajeh Hall