Photo: St. Bonaventure Athletics
BY KYLE MAIER, SPORTS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
St. Bonaventure University vowed to strengthen ties with The Seneca Nation in February when the institution formed a committee tasked further to rekindle its relationship with the neighboring Seneca people.
Alumni Klint Nephew of The Seneca Nation, a former SBU player and coach, serves as one of several Haudenosaunee members on the committee.
Nephew explained how the men’s lacrosse program has and will continue to play a role in these efforts.
“[Lacrosse] is the creator’s game. It’s our game. We feel we have an opportunity to share it with the world,” said Nephew. “We always want to push to make sure we have Native American players on the team. We have a support unit for native players.”
Redshirt sophomore Oneniotekowa Maracle of the Mohawk territory expressed how the lacrosse team serves as an outlet for him to spread awareness of his culture.
“The lacrosse team has probably been my biggest outlet in terms of educating people on my culture,” said Maracle, an attacker/midfielder. “My teammates know how lacrosse is a traditional Haudenosaunee game. I’m surrounded by 50 teammates who are fascinated by my culture and looking to gain knowledge on who I am and the history of my people.”
The committee, consisting of university faculty, staff and students, looks to “develop educational collaborations, services and curricula related to Seneca and indigenous communities,” according to the university’s website.
Maracle shared an instance when the lacrosse team honored the Haudenosaunee.
“One huge thing that was made possible by my head coach Randy Mearns, was the Every Child Matters game,” said Maracle. “We honored the children who were taken away from their families and thrown into residential schools where they were forced to assimilate to non-native ways. It was a big deal to have a game honoring those children who passed away, and those who survived the torture in those schools.”
Nephew conveyed what the lacrosse program hopes to achieve through this partnership.
“I always think the end goal is getting native kids to come to school and get that degree,” said Nephew. “Also [for the kids] to expand out and meet new people; getting out of their comfort zone. I think that that’s really a foundation for who we are as people, is that we need to stay connected and build those relationships with others.”
Bonaventure’s campus lies in the ancestral homeland of The Seneca Nation and stands only 20 miles from the Seneca Nation’s Allegany Territory.
Maracle elaborated on the importance of SBU having a working relationship with the Seneca Nation.
“The university lies on the ancestral lands of The Seneca Nation,” said Maracle. “We need to see more Haudenosaunee kids chasing a dream to become educated at a high level so we can return to our nations and benefit our people. With Bonaventure being down the road from a Seneca Reservation, there is a huge opportunity to help kids achieve the aspirations they might have.”
Along with Maracle, teammate Blayze Becker of the Mohawk Territory and women’s rugby player Jillian Rea of the Seneca Nation also serve on the committee.
Nephew praised the passion of all three students towards educating others about their culture.
“I am really proud of all three of them,” said Nephew. “I want everybody to realize the passion that they have for our people and their commitment to making sure we are recognized. But the biggest thing that I’m impressed with is they want to educate people about who we are.”
With the 2024 season winding down, Nephew shared what strides he hopes the Bonaventure lacrosse takes in the immediate future.
“I would love to see more First Nation players here, both men and women,” said Nephew. “The game has been instilled in all of us as First Nations people. I would love to see us become one of the universities where at least a quarter of the players are all First Nations players. That’d be incredible.”
maierkj22@bonaventure.edu
