Sumith Prasad
The ninth episode of Starz’s period drama series ‘Outlander’ season 7 ends with a tribute to John Fadden, who was described as a “friend” and “colleague.” John Kahionhes Fadden was a Native American artist and scholar who served as a consultant for the series with his wife, Eva Karonhisake Fadden. His contributions were seemingly critical in authentically shaping the storylines of Young Ian, especially those concerning his life and relationships with the Mohawks. The collaboration between Fadden and the writers of the series ensured commendable Native American representation in the narrative of the show, which makes his passing a significant loss to the period drama.
John Fadden Was a Significant Figure in the World of Haudenosaunee Culture and Arts
John Kahionhes Fadden was born on December 26, 1938, in Massena, New York. After completing his school education, he attended the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. By then, he was an integral presence in the cultural scene of the Six Nations, the largest First Nations reserve in Canada. He joined his parents to establish the Six Nations Indian Museum, which is presently known as the Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center, located in Onchiota, New York. In 1965, he married Elizabeth Eva Karonhisake Thompson. The couple lived in Onchiota and raised three children: Donald, David, and Daniel.
After his formal education, Fadden became a teacher affiliated with the Saranac Central School District in New York to teach arts in the 7th and 8th grades. He remained a teacher until he retired in 1994. During this period, he also became renowned as an exceptional artist, scholar, and author who presented and promoted the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois culture to the world. His illustrations and artworks were published in around ninety publications and exhibited in venues worldwide. Over the years, he has been regarded as the artist who gave a “visual sense to the resurgence of [the] Mohawk culture.”
Fadden’s remarkable contribution to the Mohawk arts and culture made him a reliable consultant and advisor. In addition to ‘Outlander,’ he collaborated with the creators of many media projects produced by Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and PBS. He was also involved in the initiatives of the New York State Museum and the New York State Education Department. Throughout his life, Fadden was an unignorable presence at the Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center, teaching arts and culture to students who visited every summer. He was a storyteller and lecturer well-versed in the history of the Mohawks, and he always found time to pass his knowledge to the people around him.
John Fadden Passed Away at the Age of 83
John Kahionhes Fadden passed away on August 12, 2022, at the age of eighty-three, following a brief illness. He is survived by his wife, three sons, two children-in-law, five grandchildren, and an extended family of nieces, nephews, and cousins. He lived his twilight years in Onchiota with his family. Even though he couldn’t roam around the woods due to the difficulties of old age, he remained connected with nature, spending time on his screened-in porch and watching raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, and a fox stop by. During this period, he was also surrounded by blue jays, gray jays, white-throated sparrows, and hummingbirds.
Following Fadden’s death, many have celebrated his legacy and memories in various ways. “I trust that the Mohawks who knew Kahionhes and those who follow will realize his importance to our history and the power of illustrative art,” Doug George-Kanentiio, a former member of the Board of Trustees for the National Museum of the American Indian and the editor of Akwesasne Notes, shared after the scholar’s demise. Catania, the executive director of Historic Saranac Lake, described Fadden as “absolutely kind [to] the core.” Curt Stager, a natural sciences professor at Paul Smith’s College, remembered him as a “person who helped us see with new eyes who we are as Adirondackers.”
Although Fadden passed to the spirit world, his legacy and works remain to inspire the current and upcoming generations of Native Americans. As ‘Outlander’ celebrates his life and contributions with a tribute, we wish to share our heartfelt condolences with his family and the Iroquois community.
Read More: Outlander: Do Rob Cameron and Jemmy Go to the Past? Is Rob a Time Traveler?
