Coincidence
Story told by Joe Jacobs
When I was 70 years old, I went to Standing Rock for a week with my friend Ka'nahsóhon. We were welcomed by everyone there - all our brothers and sisters from north, east, west, and south. While we were there we did some ceremonies on the side of the mountain with Arvol Looking Horse who is the keeper of the white buffalo calf pipe.
While this was all happening, a herd of buffalo came running down the mountain and a golden eagle came down and sat on a fence post, letting people touch it. There were messages all over. Energy coming from all the other native people there. To be there with everyone, doing the ceremonies with Looking Horse, was a spiritual experience. It’s too bad because even with all the ceremonies and manpower we had, that almighty dollar could not be stopped.
I remember when we left Standing Rock, we were just taking a stroll and there were two bald eagles sitting in the tree very low. As we drove back home, we hit the state of Michigan, and I looked up at the sunroof in the car and there was a bald eagle circling the car making sure we got back safely. When I noticed it, I acknowledged the eagle and said a few words. I used to use the word coincidence but one time I was talking about these things that happen and an elderly woman from town stopped me.
She said, “Don’t you ever use that word again.” She gave me a little tobacco and continued, “In our way of life, everything happens for a reason. So never use the word coincidence.”
Since then, I try not to use that word anymore. Being a native person everything has a meaning, it’s not random. The only word we are allowed to use is respect. Respect for Mother Earth and everything on it. That word is the word I like to use.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Ok Thiwatatón:nis
Joe Jacobs ROKÁ:RATON
Ákta sha'té:kon sha'tewakohseriià:kon, Kanawaki Golf Club iahà:ke' iahà:kko' tsi niwakathiá:ton ne ki' ne ie'nhiatáhkwas aká:ton'. Ó:ia' na'tekanenhrò:ten's rotinenhraién:tahkwe' - tóka' A kanèn:rakon tsà:tare', thotí:ien's enhshe'nhiatáhkwa'se'. C kanèn:ra' wa'tié:na' nì:'i, nek tsi tiótkon karihwí:io's wa'onkwathrória'te' ase'kénh takherihwaié:ritshe ki' ne tehatihsonwatokénhtha' tánon' tiótkon eh ítke'skwe'. Kháre' ó:nen wa'onkhará:tate' B kanèn:ra' ionsá:ke', sénha é:so ki' wáhi onkwaterihwaién:hahse'.
Tsi iontenna'tsherahninòn:tha' shos ontió'ten' ne tsi nikóhseres. Iakoia'takarénie's enkatíta' Skaniatará:ti ién:ke', iahià:khaton tsi iohá:te' ienkatitáhko' tánon' ehta'kéhshon én:ke' tohkára na'tekanató:ken tsi niió:re tiohtónhaton tsi iohá:te' tsi nón:we nikanónhsote' ne tsi iontenna'tsherahninòn:tha'. Wískhaton o'karáhsha tánon' iotiahia'khsero'ktà:'on enwatió'ten', kwah kaiarakónhshon enketárion' tánon' ón:kwe tsi iakote'seréhtaien' ienkhehawíhten'. Iah é:so teionkkaria'kíhahkwe', ká:ron 90 sén:ts. Sok nakenhnhà:ke eh nenskátiere' enkhe'nhiatáhkwa'se'.
Shontontienta'onhátie', takatáhsawen' okwirakónhshon ontió'ten'. Eniakwaráthen' shos tánon' teiehswen'karià:kstha' eniákwatste' tsi eniakwa'nhahtià:khon', eniakwen'tonió:ten' thí:ken sok wahkaronnì:ke ienionkwatiéhseron'. Kè:iahre' tsi ketshà:nis shontontié:renhte' ase'kénh tó:k niiosnó:re' tkarontatihénthoskwe' ne thí:ken wahkarón:ni, wà:kehre' tsi kenentshakwé:kon entewatihéntho'.
Tsahià:khsera ohén:ton 18 sha'tié:rite' rake'níha wahakhró:ri', "Éntene' tsi tewatio'ténhstha'." Wa'onkhiia'títa' ki' Kanón:no nia'ákene' tánon' eh wa'kátien' tsi nón:we ronwanonhsaníhen néne Spar Bar tetianonhsané:ken ne Brooklyn nonkwá:ti.
Nè:'e tontié:renhte' nothé:nen ontió'ten' né: ki' ne JFK tsi tekonta'senhtáhkhwa' nonkwá:ti. Kwah iah othé:nen tekerihwaienteríhne' shontakatáhsawen' tánon' onktó:kenhse' tsi nek teka'nístake ó:ia' na'té:ioht ká:ien', io'nhétska tánon' tiótte' ka'shátste'. Ì:'i katsterísthahkwe' nakate'nién:tenhste' ne o'nista'shòn:'a tánon' ne iakhehawíhten' tsi nihá:ti ratihwánerenks ne karístatsi.
Kháre' ó:nen, takatáhsawen' akonhahstsíhon ontio'ténhsera' tánon' ki' sénha shontontién:ta'ne' takatáhsawen' ki' ó:ia' nikaio'tenhserò:ten's wa'tié:na'. Khé:re' káti' ken rarista'kehró:non wa'ká:ton'.
Translated by Karonhí:io Delaronde