About HARK

Nya:wëh sgë:nö'

Pictured (l-r): 

About

The HARK (Haudenosaunee Archive, Research, and Knowledge) Portal is a public facing digital platform officially launching this academic year. The HARK Portal is currently under development by a team from the Department of Indigenous Studies lead by faculty members Theresa McCarthy, Mia McKie and Mishuana Goeman, with Digital Archivist: Waylon Wilson. The HARK Portal will function as an aggregator of digital content featuring projects, websites, content management systems, cultural heritage materials, and archive and resource collections developed by and for Haudenosaunee people and communities. Foregrounding the work of authentic Indigenous experts, the HARK Portal is designed to facilitate accessibility to and engagement with a broad array of community-based digital projects that are meaningful to Haudenosaunee people.

Logo

Our logo is inspired by the star cluster known as the Pleiades, a suggestion made by Agnes Williams, a member of our Haudenosaunee advisory board for the project. The design was created by Waylon Wilson, our digital archivist.

The depiction of the Pleiades in our logo is particularly significant for several reasons:

First, we have a story about the origin of the Pleiades, which our people refer to as the "Seven Dancers." This story speaks of a group of children who danced so beautifully and powerfully that they ascended into the sky, becoming the bright stars that make up the Pleiades. This, it holds a special place in our cosmology. Another important reason for choosing the Pleiades is that stars serve as our timekeepers. The first new moon after Pleiades reaches its zenith position is when we hold our Midwinter ceremonies, giving thanks to Creation for the beginning of a new seasonal cycle. Additionally, when the Pleiades is on the horizon, we celebrate the start of our planting season. Therefore, the Pleiades is fitting due to its associations with renewal and regeneration, as well as for how this project promotes understanding our knowledge withing a constellation of connections and relationships.