Mohawk Bible Becomes the New Union Bible

The United Church Mohawk Union Bible (left) and the former Union Bible (right).
Credit: Patrick-James Boyd/The United Church of Canada

~ from a post published on June 17, 2025 on the United Church of Canada’s website

It took Harvey Satewas Gabriel about 17 years to complete the translation of the Bible from English into Mohawk, with encouragement from his wife, Susan, and the support of Kanesatake United Church, the Canadian Bible Society, The United Church of Canada Foundation, and the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake.

On Sunday, June 8, 2025, his translation—known as “Ohiatonhseratokenti”—becomes the new Union Bible, replacing the original from 1925. The new Bible was dedicated during the special Centennial worship service at Gower Street United Church in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The original Union Bible, which was used for 100 years, has been repaired and mended and will now be placed in the archives. Used in the inaugural service of The United Church of Canada, held in the Toronto Arena on June 10, 1925, the Union Bible holds significant importance within The United Church of Canada as a symbol of unity and shared faith.

Every Moderator since the inception of the United Church has signed the Union Bible, symbolizing the continuity of leadership in the denomination. Their signatures on the Union Bible are a reminder of the church’s commitment to engage with scripture in every generation and to seek its wisdom for that time.

The inscription in the new Bible reads: “Under the Wesleyan Methodist Board of Foreign Missions, a church was begun among the Mohawks on the Grand River in Ontario in 1822.”

Gabriel’s devotion, knowledge, and artistry in the complete Mohawk translation he has produced was fostered by generations of women in his family and in the communities of Kanesatake and Kahnawake, who were devoted to the Mohawk language. A United Church member since 1954, Gabriel expanded the foundational translation of the Gospels into Mohawk completed by his great-grandfather, Sosé Onasakenrat (Rev. Joseph Swan, d. 1881), in the mid-1800s.

In 1999, a group was established to translate 2nd Corinthians, including three retired teachers from Kahnawake—Doris Montour, Josie Horn, and Charlotte Provencher—an Elder from Kanesatake, Madeline Montour, and chairperson Mavis Etienne. They additionally translated Esther, Ruth, and Proverbs. When this group dissolved, Gabriel began on his own to translate the remaining 58 books of the Bible. He completed the translation, and the Bible was published in fall 2023.

Preserving language enables future generations to engage in their rich culture in an essential way. Without understanding dialect-specific phrases and expressions, the vital wisdom of a culture can be lost. Language reclamation and preservation is also one of the most important ways to work towards Reconciliation. This translation of the Bible creates a bridge between Indigenous Christianity and the primary text of our faith.