What Is The Akweks Confederacy?
The Akweks Confederacy (TAC) is our exclusive, invitation only group for leatherworkers and leather industry businesses which are or are aspiring to be among the best of the best best in their segment of the industry.
TAC plans start at €49. Information about the plans will be included in the materials we send to you.
Our Inspiration : The Iroquois Confederacy
Like our company’s name, Akweks, which is the Mohawk word for “eagle,” The Akweks Confederacy’s name is inspired by the Mohawks and other tribes which formed the Iroquois Confederacy or Haudenosaunee sometime between 1142 and 1450.
The original five tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy, or Five Nations as they were known to the English colonists of the time, were the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca. Around 1722, they accepted the Tuscarora people, who were fleeing violence in the American Southeast, into their confederacy and became known as the Six Nations.
By uniting the strongest tribes of their time – the “best of the best,” if you will – the Iroquois Confederacy brought peace and prosperity to the warring tribes of the region for several centuries after its founding.
At its peak, Iroquois’ power extended from the southern part of present-day Canada, westward along the Great Lakes, down both sides of the Allegheny mountains in both present-day Virginia and Kentucky, and on into the Ohio Valley.
More important than this, however, is how inspirational the Confederacy was. Their model of government by elected representatives who wielded local power and spoke for their tribe to the Great Council was so successful it was one of the models used by the Founding Fathers when they founded the United States of America.
Akweks’ Personal Connection to the Iroquois Confederacy
Depending on whom one talks to, our founder, LJ Stevens, is rumored to be part Mohawk through his maternal grandmother.
If so, like many Native Americans of her generation, she was shamed into denying her cultural heritage. Consequently, despite growing up a few miles from the Akwesasne Reservation in northern New York State, he never had any contact with that part of his own heritage.
Nonetheless, he has always admired the Mohawks and other Iroquois tribes for their contribution to democracy in America via their founding of the Iroquois Confederacy.
The Reason for the Name
The Akweks Confederacy’s name was chosen both to honor this cultural and personal heritage, and serve as a reminder that the “best of the best” are role models others naturally look to for inspiration and guidance in how to become better themselves.
Like the original Iroquois Confederacy which inspired its name, TAC (The Akweks Confederacy) is an exclusive, invitation only group whose purpose is to lead by example.
Which is why prospective members are vetted before being accepted, and only the best of the best allowed to join.
How to Join TAC
If you believe you have what it takes to inspire others and lead by example, and wish to be considered for TAC membership, please, complete the Request for an Invitation to Join form below.
We carefully handpick TAC’s artisans and vendors based on the quality of their work as verified by independent industry references, not by the number of years they have been in business. Consequently, relative newcomers and startups are encouraged to request an invitation to join us. Just make sure your work and references are top-notch!
One of the most important parts of your request to join is the quality of your references. In fact, requests without references aren’t considered at all. And those whose references aren’t good won’t be accepted. Therefore, it is important to choose your references carefully, and ask their permission before submitting them to us.
Another way to support your request is to provide information about any awards and honors you/your firm have received for your work in the leather industry. While it is not necessary to have awards to be accepted, having them will make your request stand out from that of prospective members who have not yet been given an award/honor.
If you have any questions or would like feedback on your application, please, include them in the space provided.
Thanks!!
PS : Reminder : Membership packages start at €49.95. And plan details will be in the information we send you.