about pass the feather
Isohetst ne ostó:sera
Iehstoseranón:nha (She Keeps/Protects the Feathers) Pronounced: Ya sto sah la nuhk hna
onkwehonwe | haudenosaunee | kanienkéha’ka | wakhskare:wake
This business is on the Kanienkéha’ka (Mohawk) territories of Akwesasne and Kenhtè:ke (Tyendinaga) and all work is created by Iehstoseranón:nha, wakhskare:wake (Bear Clan) of Akwesasne.
This is a unique and traditional Haudenosaunee led business specializing in bundling services of sacred feathers. Dawn is also a writer and creator of land and matrilineal inspired graphic design, photography and websites.
DAWN
born: mary francis
Iehstoseranón:nha
she keeps/protects the feathers
Iehstoseranón:nha (She Keeps/Protects the Feathers) Pronounced: Ya sto sah la nuhk hna. Named by Condoled Mohawk Bear Clan Mother of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Wakerakatste Louise McDonald Herne, Akwesasne Kahsennahon:we, Tehanakari:ne, Midwinter Ceremonies 2023 Mohawk Longhouse, Akwesasne.
English Birth Name (pre-adoption): Mary Francis and Post Adoption Renamed: Dawn Setford. Apprehended at birth (Henderson Hospital Indian Maternity Ward) and placed in foster care (Judge Kozaks), raised in a non Indigenous home in Vineland, Ontario. Reunited with birth mother and family in 1989 (18 years old).
Iehstoseranónnha is Akwesasronon, Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk), Wakhskare:wake (Bear Clan) and a Feather Keeper. A numbered Indian under the outdated Indian Act (status card carrying). Mother Susan kenha, Maternal Grandmother Madeline Francis kenha, Akwesasronon. Father Kahnawakeronon. Maternal Great Grandfather Kaneraktahere Alexander Francis kenha (Akwesasne, 1877-1961), Great Grandmother Susana Allard kenha (died 1922) was daughter of Margaret Mitchell kenha (Akwesasne Bear Clan). Living family both on and off Akwesasen reserve. Oldest living cousin resides in Akwesasne (unnamed for privacy) who is father to 4 and grandfather to many. A book, "Alexander Francis and Family" was written in 2009 by Clayton Drouillard kenha and contains interviews, newspaper articles, census' and the Francis genealogy from 17th century until 2009.
Dawn is the founder and president of the Indigenous Arts Collective (a Canada Not-for-profit Corporation & registered charity) and owner at Pass The Feather.
IAC is propelled by the Haudenosaunee Seventh Generation Principle that teaches us to understand that the decisions we make and the work we do today should result in a sustainable knowledge base that will benefit our people seven generations into the future. That is, we call on the knowledge of our ancestors to [re]connect us and deliver cultural wisdom to women, youth and children in order to rise and protect our innate connections to each other and the natural world to which we are family. Our work moves people forward in such a self sustaining way that we see a future where our children will no longer need to heal and where blood memory can be embraced as an empowering resource.
Dawn is a community-engaged visual and media artist who advocates for equality and facilitates the creation of informed opinions of Indigenous cultures.
Dawn's background in the arts, business marketing and management is combined with her graphic and web design skills to produce organic and Indigenous inspired branding for organizations and entrepreneurs.
Dawn has shared her skills with hundreds of Indigenous women since founding the Indigenous Arts Collective. She is a full time volunteer.
work and education
1st & 2nd National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
Along with the IAC board of directors, leadership from Condoled Bear Clan Mother Wakerakatste Louise MacDonald Herne and friends like Jonel Beavais, Theresa Bear Fox, Zainab Muse and Mme Michaëlle Jean (Michaëlle Jean Foundation) we facilitated Remember Me: A National Day of Remembrance for the 1st National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, Parliament Hill, Ottawa (2021 & 2022)
Indigenous Women's Arts Conference
Dawn is the organizer of the Indigenous Women's Arts and Entrepreneurship Conference. This event is held in Ottawa and offers free traditional Indigenous arts workshops to hundreds of Indigenous women and girls. The conference also boasts a diverse vendor membership; dozens of artists sell their products in the shopping centre during the IWAC.
Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada & IndigenARTSY
Dawn is the creator of IndigenARTSY.com. Under the umbrella of the Indigenous Arts Collective, Dawn has created the largest on line Indigenous artist collective and launched a new on line marketplace to advance Indigenous arts and artists.
Graphic Design
Dawn has been a graphic designer for 30 years. and spent 15 years serving the veterinary industry with her partner, Dr. Derek Zakaib.
Consulting
Dawn has contributed to many advisory groups and has consulted with many organizations that are exploring better relationships with Indigenous people. She was a roundtable collaborator for the Indigenous Arts Economic Study by Indigenous and Northern Affairs, National Art Gallery of Canada, a regular contributor to Aboriginal Women’s Economic Quarterly Indigenous, Spirit Magazine (Indigenous & Northern Affairs Canada), Mandala Project with the Ottawa Arts Council.
Education and Experiences
Dawn attended Niagara College, Brock University, George Eastman House (analog photography) and Dundas Valley School of Art. Major - visual arts, Minor - Aboriginal Studies.
Dawn spent 3 years living in Costa Rica studying Indigenous cultures, their language and arts.
Akwesasne Community Engagement
Dawn works alongside Condoled Bear Clan Mother Wakerakatste Louise Herne in grassroots community-based initiatives centered in community resilience, regeneration, and sustainability. Oheró:kon (Rites of Passage), Kahwatsiraién:ton (Supporting Families of Oheró:kon) and Ionkhihsótha Enhnì:ta Karáhkwa (Moon Lodge Society). We collectively remove barriers and live under our original instructions as life-givers, caretakers of Mother Earth and all the people. Dawn is also a contributor and student of Haudenosaunee University (website coming).
United Nations Delegate with Matrilineal Order of the Haudenosaunee
In 2023, Dawn was selected to join the Matrilineal Order of the Haudenosaunee as a delegate to the United Nations at the Swiss headquarters. The Matrilineal Order of the Haudenosaunee alongside of other upstanding Haudenosaunee delegates were honoured by the city and Mayor of Geneva, Switzerland. Together we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Deskaheh who appealed to the League of Nations for equality and recognition to the Haudenosaunee Confederacy as a soverign nation and rights to travel on a Haudenosaunee passport. For more information: https://www.geneve.ch/en/actualites/exhibition-deskaheh-march-indigenous-peoples & https://www.geneve.ch/en/themes/international-geneva/centenaire-venue-chef-iroquois-deskaheh
We were greeted with a spectacular art installation curated by Jolene Rickard, we led a march from the United Nations to Lake Geneva and joined Mayor Alphonso Gomez in a celebratory dinner representing the special friendship shared between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the City of Geneva.
2024 Haudenosaunee Women's Community Wampum Belt • 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
Hundreds of Haudenosaunee women contributed to this monumental 2024 Kononkwe (Women's) Wampum Mat/Belt.
This project was facilitated by the Indigenous Arts Collective’s mandate to uplift and generate sisterhood among onkwehonwe women with the sole purpose of keeping the fire hot for the comfort, success and advancement of the next seven generations. In creating the 2024 Women's Wampum Mat, Samantha Doxtator (Oneida of the Thames), Dawn Iehstoseranon:nha and beading artist Kelly Back of Fire Loom Creations (Akwesasne) were united with the communities of Oshweken/Woodland Cultural Centre, Kahnawake, Kanesatake, Akwesasne, and the rest of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy at Rematriation Sisterhood Gathering at Ganondagan (Seneca nation and home to Jikonsaseh). The belt was presented and acknowledged by Clan Mothers, Faithkeepers, Chiefs and Knowledge Keepers of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
Dawn has created a massive website dedicated to the Wampum Belt, Tsiokonsase that includes a huge resource library of links, websites and scholarly documents regarding the confederacy, Great Law of Peace and original ways of the Haudenosaunee peoples.
For more information go to Dawn's website at Peace-Mother.com
Get to know her
2024 Eclipse, Wampum Belt and Unity
EPISODE SUMMARY
A special Eclipse 2024 episode co-hosted with Rematriation and their Rekindling the Fire of Our Sisterhood gathering: a group of Onkwehónwe women who have been meeting for the past seven years in anticipation of this historic day for the Confederacy of Six Nations.
The Aunties Dandelion special #ECLIPSE edition with co-host Kaluhyanuwes Michelle Schenandoah of Rematriation and Haudenosaunee women who have been gathering for the past seven years to prepare for this historic day! With Aimee Stafford Carpenter, Kelly Back, Sayokla Kindness, Meredith Dodd, Dawn Iehstoseranónnha, Sheri Doxtator, Diane Schenandoah, Theresa Bear Fox Dinah Porter #listentoyouraunties #indigenouswomen #IndigenousAstronomy #indigenousknowledge Nyá:wen Indigenous Screen Office for supporting this podcast.
Listen to this episode of The Aunties Dandelion here: https://the-aunties-dandelion.simplecast.com/episodes/eclipse-2024-with-co-host-kaluhyanu-wes-michelle-schenandoah-rematriation?fbclid=IwY2xjawIJ0gtleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHd_mDlSVWoda8TQIoNLy41VE5FlgOUOoR6MTYqYk0kj_Nys17410wFtBnw_aem_J39nr9b-P-0ZZLwKMCseZA
60's Scoop, Feathers, Secrets and Admiration
EPISODE SUMMARY
to the full episode here! https://www.theauntiesdandelion.com/podcast.html
Bear Clan Auntie. 
Iehstoseranón:nha is a feather protector 
, community connector 
, and a gifted graphic artist 
. She’s a survivor of the Sixties Scoop – a parallel policy to residential schools - were Onkwehón:we children are forcibly removed from their families and communities.
Her journey of healing and reclamation is a powerful reminder of the strength in our identity, land, and communities. 
Tune in to hear her story, and don’t forget to check out her stunning creations, available for purchase and download on her website!
Startup Canada
Startup Canada Podcast, Entrepreneurship as Healing with Dawn Iehstoseranon:nha, March 2021
Dawn discusses her work helping to create artistic identities for Indigenous women, the importance of women in community healing, and entrepreneurship as a marriage of money and happiness.
1st and 2nd National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on Parliament Hill
Along with the IAC board of directors and friends like Zainab & Abdul Muse, Mme Michaëlle Jean (Michaëlle Jean Foundation) and HotShoe we facilitated Remember Me: A National Day of Remembrance for the 1st National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, Parliament Hill, Ottawa (2021 and 2022)
United Nations Delegate with Matrilineal Order of the Haudenosaunee
On March 22, 2022, International Women's Day, Dawn Iehstoseranón:nha and Marleen Murphy (Millside Ceramics) were honoured to be invited by Mme Michaëlle Jean to attend a private breakfast with her family, the Mayor of Ottawa, Jim Watson, Councillor Theresa Kavanagh, Council Liaison for Women and Gender Equity.
After breakfast the small group joined the public in a ceremony to present Mme Jean with the 'Key to the City of Ottawa' where she presented her Keynote Address to a national audience.
During her address, Mme Jean commended the work of the Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada and called out the organization, Dawn and Marleen for their work in Truth and Reconciliation at the fist ever National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on Parliament Hill, September 30, 2021.
It was an honour and here is a short clip of that meaningful moment. The full video of that day can be found on City of Ottawa YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/SOSWmOSS-kY
feathers and workshops
Dawn is a Feather-Keeper and artist. Her extensive collection of feathers are given to those who value bird medicines in the same way that she does.
Dawn is a survivor and infuses her workshops with important perspectives regarding intergenerational trauma and the 60's scoop - a program aimed at removing young children from their communities and placing them in non-Indigenous homes. She explores sharing circle customs, bird medicine and intergenerational trauma in each workshop.
Dawn’s workshops are held in safe spaces within public and private school systems, summer camps, workplaces, community groups, federal buildings and on-reserve educational facilities.
Some of her workshop and consulting work includes private and public school boards across Ontario, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, University of Ottawa, Ryerson University, Ottawa School of Art, Residential School Survivors Adjudication Secretariat, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Correctional Service of Canada, Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute, Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee. Ontario Court of Justice
Dawn spearheads a program that helps Ontario hunters recycle the wings and tails of their harvest and works closely with wildlife rehabilitation centres, zoos and aviaries. Her husband assists her with picking up the birds and Dawn walks out all birds through ceremony with her close group of Elders. The feathers are then used in workshops to teach equality, Indigenous bird medicines, sharing circles and restorative justice practices.
Update: Dawn will only facilitate workshops with Indigenous women on Indigenous territories. Email inquiries please.
