Last week, a Mohawk flight attendant taught Rihanna how to say thank you in Kanien’kéha, her native language, during a flight from Toronto to Montreal. Lily Kahnerahtiio Dailleboust, from Kahnawà:ke, a Mohawk community near Montreal, presented Rihanna with a beaded lanyard, leading to a video interaction where Rihanna expressed her gratitude for the gift and inquired about the language.
Rihanna immediately adorned her purse with the beaded lanyard and shared her admiration for Indigenous people with Dailleboust, who works for Air Canada. Dailleboust explained the word “Niá:wen” in her language to Rihanna, who was eager to learn and even recorded a video about it.
Dailleboust mentioned that Rihanna considered her the first Mohawk person she had met and praised Rihanna for her accurate pronunciation of Kanien’kéha. Rihanna also offered to take photos and sign autographs during their conversation.
The flight, on a Dash 8 Q400 without a business class section, accommodated VIP passengers like Rihanna. Dailleboust highlighted the airline’s policy of respecting passengers’ privacy without intrusive questioning.
Since sharing the video on social media, Dailleboust has received positive feedback from the Kahnawà:ke community and other Haudenosaunee territories, expressing appreciation for her representation. The beaded lanyard was purchased from Traditions, an art shop and studio owned by Tekaronhiahkhwa Standup in Kahnawà:ke, where local and Haudenosaunee Confederacy artists showcase their work for sale on consignment.
Standup, a beader and owner of Traditions, described the excitement in the shop and community following Dailleboust’s viral video with Rihanna, emphasizing Rihanna’s openness to learning a simple phrase in Kanien’kéha and her respectful demeanor throughout the interaction.