Post 1479 fights to honor those who served
Post 1479 fights to honor those who served
Everyone is welcome at American Legion Post 1479. Located in the heart of the Mohawk Nation territory of Akwesasne, the post is a community watering-hole, a place where friends and families on the territory can go for a quiet drink, and a symbol that honors the brave men and women who have served both the United States and Canadian militaries throughout the years.
Juxtaposed against the complex history of Native Americans and their treatment by Americans and Canadians of European origin, there is a real sense of pride in the warriors here, who served both their country and their Indian nation.
“Love your friend and never desert him,” reads an Iroquois inscription on a WWII memorial plaque inside the Legion. “If you see him surrounded by the enemy do not run away. Go to him, and if you cannot save him, be killed together, and let your bones lie side by side.”
This memorial outside of Post 1479 honors service members from the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory who were lost in combat.
A shadowbox sits in the middle of the American Legion with artifacts from Akwesasne veterans the post has collected over the years.
Post 1479 is not solely a place for veterans. It also serves as a community center where Mohawks go for a quiet drink with friends.
Akwesasne Mohawk Territory, April 7, 2019.
is a photojournalism senior and photographer for The NewsHouse. He has interned with The Wall Street Journal and Cortland Standard.
