My Biography

Shekon Sewakwekon (Greetings, everyone),

 

My name is Theresa “Bear” Fox, and my Mohawk name is Kenkiohkoktha, which means “I’m at the back of a crowd of people.” I was named after my grandmother. I am Wolf Clan.

 

I am the mother of five children—one girl and four boys—and a grandmother of fourteen. I have lived in Akwesasne all my life. I grew up in a family of fourteen: eight boys and six girls.

 

I have always loved to sing and to listen to music. My mother played the harmonica and piano, and two of my brothers and one of my sisters played guitar. I began writing songs for our traditional women’s group, Kontiwennenhawi (Carriers of the Words). I was fortunate to have friends and family who helped me put our language into the songs.

 

I believe our language is very important, and I will continue to learn and write songs in our language. I began writing songs in English around the year 2000. I feel it is important to share good messages through music. Songs are very healing—they bring a calmness to the soul.