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Tribal Council Observes Passing of Former-Sub-Chief Rita Swamp

AKWESASNE – It is with a heavy heart that the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council learned about the passing of Former-Tribal Sub-Chief Rita Swamp. In respecting her passing, the Tribe has lowered the tribal flag to half-staff at the Community Building until the time of her funeral at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, Kentenhkó:wa/November 10th at the St. Regis Catholic Church.

Rita served the Akwesasne community as a Police Commissioner for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police and worked as the Director of Human Services before being elected as a Sub-Chief for the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council. The tribal division has since expanded to become the Division of Community and Family Services, but the overwhelming compassion and responsibility toward ensuring the overall well-being of community members that Rita helped foster has remained.

Rita touched the hearts of many tribal employees during her time with the Tribe, with the Tribal Council offering the following words in her remembrance and sympathies for her family and friends:

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Rita’s loved ones during this sad time. She will always be remembered fondly, with many wonderful memories of her contagious laughter carrying throughout the hallways of the Community Building. She was an extraordinary woman liked by many due to her kind-heartedness and empathy she continually displayed towards her fellow community members, which contributed to her being elected as a tribal leader. Rita continues to serve as an example for the type of compassion and care that we must always show towards each other—she will be greatly missed."

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PHOTO CAPTION: Tom Jock lowers the tribal flag to half-staff at the Community Building as the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe observes the passing of Former-Tribal Sub-Chief Rita Swamp on Kentenhkó:wa/November 5, 2016.

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The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council is the duly elected and federally recognized government of the Saint Regis Mohawk People.