| About Amos Key Jr. |
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Who is Amos Key Jr.?
He attended school at Six Nations of Grand River, and then attended Caledonia High School to Grade 13. Leaving this high school he attended Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology in Hamilton, for three years, graduating from their Department of Communications in, ‘Radio and Television Arts’. He then continued his education by attending Ryerson Polytechnic University, in Toronto, to study and hopefully attain a BA in ‘Photographic Arts’. After two years of study there, a major stumbling block was placed before him, when Ryerson Polytechnic University announced the cancellation of his 3rd and 4th year major in ‘Instructional Media’ due to a lack of registrations. Undeterred, Amos picked himself up and transferred to the University of Western Ontario in London, for Sociology, where he finished his formal education.
His early experiences and early career started with: seasonal stints working on a local beef cattle farm; slinging hamburgers for the big ‘M’; as staff within the Urban Aboriginal Friendship Centers movement in Hamilton, a singer with the Six Nations Men’s Singing Society, a stint as an Elected Band Councilor at Six Nations; and as a Native Studies Teacher and Guidance Counselor with the London Board of Education
For the next almost three decades to now, his career has been in championing, First Nations linguistic and human rights and research in stabilizing their Languages, as the Director of First Nations Languages Program, at the Woodland Cultural Centre, in Brantford, Ontario. He attributes his longevity in this position to the strengths of Grand Parents, Parents, Siblings, Uncles, Aunts, extended family, colleagues and the numerous Bilingual Elders he had the pleasure to get to know, work along side and cherish for their unconditional generosity.
The latitude within this position also allowed him to hone his competencies in: quiet diplomacy, social, emotional and intellectual intelligences so that he could lead and volunteer in community efforts where First Nations languages may find safety and have a home. A short list of Amos’ work and leadership in developing First Nations capacity and infrastructure includes: founding an Immersion/Bilingual School Board; co-founding a community radio station, CKRZ 100.3 FM; incorporating a regional First Nations Language Council~ The Sweetgrass First Nations Language Council; co founding the Grand River ‘Champion of Champions ‘Pow wow; incorporating a provincial First Nations Language Commission; resurrecting and stabilizing the Niagara Peninsula Aboriginal Area Management Board where he currently serves as President (and whose mandate targets Urban Aboriginal Youth); co founding the Canadian Aboriginal Festival (CANAB) and Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards ( CAMA’s), and now providing the leadership in founding: ‘Gai hon nya ni: the Amos Key Jr. E learning Institute’ in Ontario, with the guidance, support and partnership with the Sun Child E~Learning Community of Sun Child, Alberta.
His leadership and public service has been recognized in many areas with invitations and appointment with strategic partners. A current short list includes: The Mohawk College Alumni Council, The Mohawk College Aboriginal Council, The Board of Governors for Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology, York University Faculty of Education’s ‘York Centre for Education and Community’: a recent Legislative Appointment to the multi million dollar Ontario Trillium Foundation and the naming after him, the E~ learning private secondary school by the Niagara Peninsula Aboriginal Area Management Board.
He has been awarded a number of service awards by his community and province for his work with a major award and investment from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council in Ottawa, to co investigate and lead research in stabilizing the Cayuga language of his Onkwehonweh Civilization and community. He and his colleague, Dr. Carrie Dyck, where just awarded a one million dollar grant to lead work and research with strategic community partners and stakeholders at Six Nations of Grand River.
To bring balance to this busy career, Amos is an avid champion Men’s Traditional POW wow dancer: a student of the Tenor Sax, and a serious live-concert and theatre goer. He remains a life long lover of all types of world music including: Classic Ol’ School Rock, Pow wow, Blues, Classic Rhythm n Blues and Motown. He counts among his many muses: Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Etta James, BB King, Mick Jagger, the late Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross and Muddy Waters, the Northern Cree Singers, the Bear Creek Singers, the Ol’ Mush Singers, Robbie Robertson and Buffy St. Marie.
For moments and opportunities for ‘self reflection’ and to relieve stress, Amos finds time to take-in the beaches and oceans of south Florida and the American Virgin Islands, which he blames on his ‘Piscean’ Astrological sign for ‘The Fish’ and enjoys with the one-on-one guidance of his Creator~Shogwayadihs’oh !
October 8, 2010 AKJR.
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Amos Key Jr. was born into the Onkwehonweh Civilization of Ontario and hails from the Six Nations of the Grand River community, in southern Ontario. He is of Mohawk descent born into the Turtle Clan. Spiritually, he serves his Creator as one of the His Faith Keepers. He was initiated into this sacred circle of Faith Keepers within the sanctity of the Longhouse Faith, a responsibility that keeps him grounded, provides strength and tempers his many thoughts and decisions.