Best Man
A look at a wedding party in Kahnawà:ke. September 1950. (Courtesy: Alexander Phillips)
Story told by Sny Horn
I joined the ironwork union in Montreal and worked all over the place. The furthest I went was Pennsylvania, but once, I went as far as Cleveland.
Everywhere I worked, they didn’t want me to go because I showed up every day. If you just showed up to work every day, they liked you.
I met a guy from Six Nations in Cleveland once and he asked if I was Indian from Canada, I told him I was and he said, “Come meet with the boss, I’ll get you on the job.” That’s how things worked out back then.
So, I was working there in Cleveland and they liked me so much that I could be working there right now if I wanted to.
A buddy of mine from town called me up and ask me to be his best man at his wedding. I told my boss and at first he didn’t want me to go because he was worried I wouldn’t come back.
The wedding was in September so I came to Kahnawake and sure enough I got asked to do a job in New York.
So, the next week my friend from Six Nations called me up and said, “Hey Ronnie where you at? The boss is asking if you’re coming back.”
I told him, “Hey sorry, I’m doing a job now in New York. All my friends are here and I’m going to stay here.”
I felt bad for not going back, but this was closer to home.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
↓
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Raonkwe'tahkó:wa
Ironworkers pose for picture while on the job in New Jersey, early 2000s. (Courtesy: John Stacey)
Sny Horn ROKÁ:RATON
Wa'katià:taren' ne ratirista'kehró:non ronanitiohkón:ni Tiohtià:ke nonkwá:ti tánon' é:ren'k nón:we sontió'ten'. Pennsylvaniáhne nón:we né: naonhà:'a é:ren ítken iewakenónhne' nek tsi kí:ken énska ia'ká:ienhte', eh Clevelándne ia'keníhara'ne'.
Kwah tsik nón:we ontió'ten', iah tehonaskané:kon é:ren á:kehte' ase'kén thia'tewenhniserá:ke onkkè:tohte'. Tóka' thia'tewenhniserá:ke ensakè:tohte', orihwí:io tsi eniesanòn:we'ne'.
Clevelándne nón:we ia'tiatiatátken' shaià:ta Ohswekenhró:non tánon' wahakerihwanón:tonhse' tóka' konkwehón:we néne Koráhne nitewaké:non, wahihró:ri' tsi tó:kenske tánon' wahèn:ron', "Ká:ts tetsatatientéhrha'n nennékeri, enkoniónnien' aiesaió'ten' kén:tho." Kwah tho niiohtòn:ne' nothé:nen aonterihwahtén:ti' ne tho shitkahá:wi'.
Tho ki' nón:we Clevelándne iewatió'tehkwe' tánon' tho niió:re' wa'onkenòn:we'ne' kwah enwá:ton' òn:wa nikahá:wis eh aontió'ten' tóka' akaská:neke'.
Ontiatén:ro Kahnawa'kehró:non tahakwatewennátahse' wahakerihwanón:tonhse' tóka' í:kehre' raonkwe'tahkó:wa aká:ton' nó:nen enhóniake'. Wahihró:ri' akwennékeri tánon' iah óksa'k tehawè:ron eh iá:ke' ase'kén tehotate'nikonhrhá:rahkwe' tsi iah tha'taontá:ke'. Seskehkó:wa shiwenhni'tò:ten rotiniákhene' thò:ne ki' Kahnawà:ke tá:ke' tánon' orihwí:io eh na'á:wen' wa'onkerihwanón:tonhse' aontió'ten' Kanón:no nonkwá:ti.
Shontiahia'khseróhetste' tahakwatewennátahse' nontiatén:ro Ohswekenhró:non wahèn:ron', "Hátskwi Ráni ka' níhse's? Ennékeri rakerihwanontón:ni tóka' tontáhse'."
Wahihró:ri', "Skatathrewahtánions órie, ó:nen Kanón:no sewatió'te'. Akwé:kon nonkwatenro'shòn:'a kèn:tho rón:ne's tánon' kèn:tho enkatkón:tahkwe'.
Onke'nikonhráksen' ki' wáhi tsi iah thiesewaké:non nek tsi sénha ákta tsi nón:we nitewaké:non í:ken ne kèn:tho.
Edited by: Aaron McComber, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by Karonhí:io Delaronde