Six Nations community celebrates the new year with ‘No:lah’ tradition

The Six Nations community celebrated the new year Wednesday with door-to-door festivities, treats and a lively wake-up call.

Their “No:lah” – pronounced like “new yaw” – tradition stretches back about 400 years, marking the beginning of the first day of the new year, by waking up neighbours with their voice.

Local Six Nations resident Joe Martin says the custom has similarities to Halloween.

He says families go from house to house, greeting friends and family, exchanging homemade doughnuts and other baked treats.

Martin says the term “No:lah” comes from “our relatives – the Dutch – about 400 years ago,” adapting how they pronounced “new year” into their own language.

The tradition stretches beyond the borders of the Six Nations.

Martin says he and his kids drove to family members “all over the place” to share the well wishes.

He says he’s been participating in the No:lah tradition since he was just a child and now happily brings his daughters along with him.

A tradition his daughter says she holds close to her heart.

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