Jan Kahehti:io Longboat

Jan Kahehti:io Longboat

Culture, Heritage and Spirituality (2016)

Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario

Jan Kahehti:io Longboat, Turtle Clan of the Mohawk Nation, is an Elder, educator, writer, herbalist, cultural advocate, and visionary, having dedicated her life to the dissemination and learning of Indigenous language and culture.

Longboat ran a ten-year program called Idawadadi, which won the Aboriginal Healing Foundation’s best practices award and an outgrowth project entitled Dotah’s House to assist Indigenous women survivors to heal from the abuse of Residential Schools while strengthening their communities through cultural knowledge.

Frequently called on as a counselor, committee, and board member, Kahehti:io has served on the Centre for Indian Scholars and Association of American Indian Physicians, Chiefswood National Historic Societies Board, Six Nations Elders Council, Kanatsiohare:ke Mohawk Community, the Children’s Aid Society of Brant, among others. Longboat continues to serve as a board member at the St. Michael’s Hospital Well Living House project in Toronto as well as the on the Elders’ councils at the University of Toronto, Enaahtig Healing Lodge and Learning Centre, and the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto.

Jan Longboat is currently an Elder Advisor to the Ministry of Justice: Indigenous Peoples’ Court in Brantford. She taught at Mohawk College, McMaster University, and the University of Toronto and has worked with several Indigenous health centres including Wabano, Desdwadadesnye, and SOHAK.

Kahehti:io received her degree as a Natural Health Practitioner from the Canadian College of Natural Medicine and received a degree in counseling from Laurentian University. She continues to live, teach, write, and garden on the Six Nations of the Grand River, where she was born and raised.