Centred around the garden
Courtesy: Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center
Story told by Stephen Silverbear McComber
I come from a traditional background in the Longhouse.
Food and the relationship to nature is one of the basic principle teachings.
Part of our ways, our customs, our traditions are related to the gardens and how the food grows. How does life continue? You need the food.
The ceremonial cycle all has to do with crops. All the different things that go on throughout the year are related to what and how we grow.
Like in the spring, there’s the Thunder dance. That’s to give honour to the Thunders. There’s tobacco burning to greet them on returning from the west. We ask that the rains would come when it's dry but at the same time not get too much rain so that it floods the garden.
A lot of our songs are also related to the garden. Everything is centred around there.
It’s about keeping that spiritual connection and imploring to keep a balance.
But of course, we are being really challenged worldwide now because of climate change. There’s a lack of pollinators. There’s hardly any birds. The weather is changing - the rain, the heat, everything. Everybody’s going to be affected.
It’s of the most importance to reestablish and maintain our cultural identity through the gardens. The garden doesn’t belong to me or to you, it’s communal and it’s worldwide.
Kanien'kéha
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Kanien'kéha ↓
Kahehtà:ke tekontì:neren
Stephen displays a Bishop’s Cap heirloom squash he grew in 2015. (Credit: Stephen Silverbear McComber)
Stephen Silverbear McComber roká:raton
Tsi niionkwarihò:ten kanonhsésne wakatehiahrónhkwen.
Iorihowá:nen tsi niionkwarihò:ten ne atennà:tshera’ tánon’ tsi ní:ioht tsi tekenì:neren ne sha’oié:ra. Tsi nì:’i tsi nitewaweiennò:ten’s nok tsi niionkwarihò:ten, tekenì:neren ne kahehtà:ke tánon’ tsi ní:ioht tsi watehià:rons ne iontionhnhéhkwen.
Oh ní:ioht tsi ienwatahsónteren’ tiónhnhe’? Teionkwatonhontsó:ni atennà:tshera’ wáhi.
Tekenì:neren ki’ tsi nikahá:wis tetewatenonhwerá:tons tánon’ tsi nahò:ten’ kaiénthon. Akwé:kon ki’ tsi nahò:ten’ tewaterihwahtentià:tha’ tsi niióhseres taietewatenonhwerá:ton’ tekontì:neren tsi nahò:ten’ tewaiénthos tánon’ tsi ní:ioht tsi tewaiénthos.
Courtesy: Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center
Tsi ki’ ní:ioht ne kakwitè:ne, Wahsá:se’ ká:ien’. Né: tió:wen taiethinonhwerá:ton’ ne ratiwè:ras. Entewaien’kóntho’ taiethinonhwerá:ton’ tsi ehnekèn:ke na’tontahonenonhátie’. Entewari’wanón:ton’ aiokén:nore’ nek tsi tóhsa ki’ só:tsi aiokén:nore’ ne akahéhto’ne’. É:so karén:nake nonkwarenna’shòn:’a kahehtà:ke tekontì:neren. Akwé:kon tsi nahò:ten’ tho nón:we na’tekontì:neren.
Né: tkarihwakwe’ní:io iaietewakón:tahkwe’ tsi nahò:ten’ tionkwehtáhkwen tánon’ iaietewà:reke’ ne sha’takakontsherihá:rake’.
Nek tsi orihwí:io ki’ nà:’a onhontsakwé:kon nòn:wa ionkwentorà:se’ ase’kénh ionhontsarihà:tha’.
Tionatià:to’kte’ tsi na’katsi’noniò:ten’s tekontethe’serarenià:tha’. Iah tetsethí:kens notsi’ten’okòn:’a. Tewatenhniseraténie’s ne átste – tsi iokennó:ron, tsi niio’taríhen, akwé:kon káti’ neh nahò:ten’ teiottenionhátie’. Akwé:kon ki’ nen’ nè:’e enionkwá:ra’ne’.
Akwáh í:ken tsi tiorihowá:nen aonsetewahténtia’te’ tánon’ iaietewakón:tahkwe’ tsi niionkwarihò:ten tsi tewaiénthos.
Iah ki’ í:se’ tesá:wen ne kahehtà:ke, iah ni’ nì:’i tewaká:wen, akwé:kon ki’ onkwá:wen tánon’ onhontsakwé:kon onkwá:wen.
Translation by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette