Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/14/19
From Press Release
After 6 years the Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival returns once again to Onondaga Lake Park (N.Y.). As in 2018, this event will feature traditional wooden stick crafters and other Haudenosaunee crafts; social dancing; presentations by the world renown Alf Jacques and others; and the Randy Hall Memorial Master’s Lacrosse Tournament, and for the first time the Spirit Twins Lacrosse Clinic.
“This year we will return to Onondaga Lake for another Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival in September,” said Philip Arnold, President of the Indigenous Values Initiative, the organization sponsoring the event, and Founding Director of the Skä·noñh—Great Law of Peace Center.
“We live in the heartland of Dehontsigwa’ehs (lacrosse)—homeland to the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois). Over 1,000 years ago the game was first played at Onondaga Lake to help bring 5 warring nations together in peace.
“CNY has benefitted from this rich legacy, and as a result this area is a hotbed for lacrosse. There are nearly 1 million lacrosse athletes in the US today and it continues to be the fastest growing game in the world. With Maryland, New York is recognized with the most percentage of lacrosse players in the country.
“Unlike other sports, lacrosse offers us a unique educational opportunity to teach these Haudenosaunee values to young athletes and enthusiasts.”
With the festival, also being held is the “Randy Hall Memorial Master’s Box Lacrosse Tournament.” Randy Hall, Akwesasne Mohawk Wolf Clan, passed away in January 2018. He loved lacrosse and was committed to the Onondaga Athletic Club where he coached and played.
In 2013 Hall asked Philip Arnold and Sandy Bigtree to help bring the game back to Onondaga Lake where over 1000 years ago the game was first played when the Peacemaker restored peace to five warring nations.
The Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival will honor Hall with this Masters Wooden Sticks Tournament. There will be referees, a tent for changing, a box sized field marked out on the grass with 4×4.5 nets. Players will be responsible for helmets, gloves, and sticks.
Wooden sticks are preferred but not required. Teams will be responsible for their jerseys. Ages 35+; 8-20 players per team.
The Spirit Twins Lacrosse clinic will help field lacrosse players, ages 9-13, to learn how box lacrosse skills can help transform the field lacrosse.
The Festival will be held in the ball fields at the southern end of Onondaga Lake Park. It is free and good event for the entire family. Learn more at indigenousvalues.org.
