On a recent flight from Toronto to Montreal, Rihanna received a special gift from a Kanienâkehá:ka (Mohawk) flight attendant, Lily Kahnerahtiio Dailleboust. Dailleboust, hailing from the Kanienâkehá:ka community of Kahnawà :ke, presented Rihanna with a beaded lanyard and taught her how to say “thank you” in Kanien’kéha, the Mohawk language.
Rihanna expressed her gratitude for the unique gift in a video shared on social media by Dailleboust. She thanked Dailleboust and inquired about her background and the meaning of the Kanien’kéha phrase. Dailleboust shared that Rihanna immediately attached the beaded lanyard to her purse and showed admiration for Indigenous people.
Dailleboust mentioned that Rihanna, upon learning the phrase “Niá:wen” in Kanien’kéha, was eager to create a video about it. She praised Rihanna’s pronunciation as “spot on” and highlighted the singer’s interest in interacting, offering to take photos and sign autographs during their conversation.
Dailleboust also noted that the flight, which lacked a business class section, hosted VIP passengers like Rihanna. However, she emphasized that passenger interactions are at their discretion, following airline policies that do not involve asking intrusive questions.
Since sharing the video online, Dailleboust has received positive feedback from the Kahnawà :ke community and sister communities within Haudenosaunee territories. Tekaronhiahkhwa Standup, owner of Traditions where the beaded lanyard was purchased, expressed delight at the recognition the store and community received due to the video.
Standup, a local artist who supports fellow artisans from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, appreciated Rihanna’s openness and respect during the interaction. She described the experience as “cool” and highlighted Rihanna’s willingness to learn a simple phrase as a positive and viral outcome of the encounter.
