White Roots of Peace Baby Quilt Project

The Tree of Peace & the White Roots of Peace

The White Pine tree symbolizes the Tree of Peace. The Tree of Peace represents the founding of the Great Law of Peace amongst the original Five Nations and the end of war and strife. When the Five Nations agreed to accept the Peacemaker's message of the Great law of Peace, the Peacemaker pulled up a White Pine Tree and buried beneath the tree all of the articles of war. These articles were washed away by the streams beneath. Today the White Pine Tree represents peace and the founding of the Confederacy. The Tree Of Peace is symbolically planted at Onondaga, which is the center of the Confederacy.

The Tree of Peace is said to have Four White Roots of Peace. White represents purity and peace. The Four roots are reaching out toward the Four Directions north, south, east, and west. These four white roots of peace are reaching out to offer shelter to anyone who would like to live in unity and peace with the Haudenosaunee.

The purpose of this project is to reach out to Native American babies & elders across Turtle Island with loving thoughts and quilts. Our project is just budding. We are just a few people with one dedicated and good-minded seamstress, (Sunny Mohawk) who donates her time to make the beautiful quilts.

In the old days, the grandmothers or other women made quilts. Today, many have lost sight of the importance and spiritual bonding that takes place in the doing and sharing.

While most quilts go to the babies, some of the quilts also go to the elders who are an equally important part of the circle.

The making and giving away of these quilts enables us to join spiritually with the baby, an elder, and his or her family. The quilts allows the teachings of the Peacemaker, which are love, respect, and unity for our fellow human beings, to take root and blossom.

Sometimes we receive donations of materials such as, 100% cotton material, which is very helpful, and some people donated hand crafted items such as crocheted hats. Others donated new toys that are sent with the quilts. Some people raised money for materials and postage through auctions, and some have just made monetary donations.

Our White Roots of Peace Quilt Project has reached babies and elders from the following nations: Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Seneca, Tuscarora, Navajo, Hopi, Salt River Pima-Maricopa, and Gila River Pima.

If anyone would like to help us with our project please contact kanatiiosh@aol.com (Attn: quilt project)

Nia:wen Kowa (A Big THANK YOU) LIST:

A special Thank you to V. Hawes for all your generosity the quilts made this year's Harvest Ceremony, where naming takes place, that much more special! Thanks also to Sunny Mohawk and V. Hawes whose quilts were given out to the elders, for lap quilts, the week prior to Christmas. You really put a smile on their faces. See story from Indian Time Newspaper: (link will be active as soon as the issue is printed)

Thank you Ms. King for the donation of 2 log cabin quilts!

I also want to thank Ms. White's group of young people a (Kids Care group) who sent us 14 baby quilts. Using fabric crayons they colored panels. The youth not only shared their love and generosity, but they also learned about our Native American culture.

A special thank you to Julia for all her help and skill!

A special thank you to Dee too--you are one in a million :)

Thank you to those who have donated your time and fabric.

Efforts in 2006:

Many quilts given to babies

Thanks to Julia she helped to create quilted caddies for walkers these will be distributed to the Elderly home at the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation.

We are shooting to have enough quilts to hand out during Harvest Ceremony for the babies being named at the Mohawk Nation Longhouse.

click picture to go home

Webmaster Kanatiiosh

Website created July 15,2000:Updated March 2006