Candy, soda and ice cream
At a year old, Mitch Deer plays in water in Central Park, two blocks from his residence. He is accompanied by his sister, Lily Deer (named after her mother), in 1956. (Courtesy: Mitch Deer)
Story told by Mitch Deer
We went to church in New York when we were kids. Every Sunday we used to go. After a while, our mother stopped going but she still used to make us go.
But you know what me and my sister used to do? We would get into our Sunday best - it wasn’t the greatest clothes we ever wore but it was clean clothes anyways.
Then we’d go play on another hill somewhere. We’d open up the offering she’d give us for the church and spend it on candy, soda and ice cream.
When my mother died in 2002 at 86, I had her laid out for a Longhouse funeral. She’s not Longhouse, she’s Christian. But I wanted her to have a Longhouse funeral, whether she likes it or not, because I’m Longhouse.
She knew that and she respected it but she didn’t participate. She didn’t join it or go to it or anything.
Otsikhè:ta’, wathnekatákwas tánon’ kanennio’kóhare’
Lily Deer, Mitch’s sister, is pictured outside their tenement house in the Bronx in 1956. Mitch sits in the stroller behind her. (Courtesy: Mitch Deer)
Mitch Deer roká:raton
Ononhsatokenhtì:ke ieiakwéhtha’ ne Kanón:no shiiakwaksa’okòn:’a. Tiótkon ne awentatokenhtì:ke ieiakwéhtha’. Kháre’ ó:nen, wa’ontoríshen’ ne ionkhi’nisténha tsi ieiakéhtha’ nek tsi shé:kon ionkhiionnién:ni ne tho niaiákene’.
Nek tsi saterièn:tare’ ken oh niiakeniéhrhahkwe’ nì:’i tánon’ khe’kèn:’a? Eniatiatsheronniánion’ nakwáh tiontiatahkwenní:io’s – iah ki’ eh tho tewatahkwenní:io’s nek tsi watahkwennióhare’ ki’ sha’té:ioht.
Sok eniatiakahri’tsheronnià:na’ ka’k nón: ó:ia’ onontoharà:ke. Eniakenihwistatáhko’ tsi nahò:ten’ taionkhí:ion’ aontaiakhiiatkà:wen’ nononhsatokénhti tánon’ ne eniatiathwistahní:non’ tánon’ eniakenihní:non’ notsikhè:ta’, wathnekatákwas tánon’ kanennio’kóhare’.
2002 shiiohserò:ten’ sha’íheie’ nake’nisténha 86 nitiakoién:tahkwe’. Wa’kerihwahserón:ni’ ne kanonhséshne aieia’tà:rake’. Iah teiakonónhses, teieiahsóntha’ nen’ nè:’e. Nek tsi kéhrhahkwe’ kanonhseshnéha aiontatia’táta’, aiakorihwanonhwè:’on khò:ni’ ne iah. Né: tsi wakenónhses ki’ nì:i.
Iakoterièn:tarahkwe’ nè:’e tánon’ wa’erihwakwénienhste’ nek tsi iah teiakotià:tare’. Iah ki’ tho thiekawé:non.
Translation by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette