Dancing softly
Joe’s paternal grandmother, Konwanen’tá:wi Marquis, poses in the traditional garments that she made for herself. (Courtesy: Joe Jacobs)
Story told by Joe Jacobs
My grandmother and her sister performed at the Indian Village together and they did a dance called “Harvesting the Corn.” They would line up, one would go to the left, one would go to the right. They would make two or three circles. Then, they would both bow their heads.
When they were dancing, they had their arms out and they were doing the motion of harvesting corn and piling it in their arms.
When the two sisters danced, they shuffled their feet on Mother Earth in a way that showed a lot of respect for her. It’s like they didn’t want to put a scratch on her back, the way they softly danced. Nice and soft.
My sister also did some dancing with my grandmother and her sister up at the Indian Village when she was a little girl.
Iekèn:’ak teiotinonniáhkwen
Warisose Marquis, Joe Jacobs’ great aunt and Konwanen’tá:wi’s sister. (Courtesy: Joe Jacobs)
Joe Jacobs roká:raton
Akhsótha’ tánon’ ontate’kèn:’a wa’ttiatierónnionhwe’ ne Indian Village tánon’ skátne wa’tkeninónnihakwe’ ne “Kanenhstaienthókwas” konwá:iats ne kanónnia’. Enkeninenhrahserón:ni’, tseià:ta tsenekwá:ti nienhén:ien’, ok ne tseià:ta tseweientehkwáhkwen ne nienhén:ien’. Tékeni tóka’ ni’ áhsen nienká:ienhte’ tentiahkwatá:se’. Sok tekenitsá:ron entiatenontsístenhte’. Tsi teiotinonniáhkwen, ohén:ton ia’tekeninéntshote’ tsi ní:ioht tóka’ shí:ken ne keninenhstaienthókwas.
Nó:nen tenkeninónniahkwe’ ne tekeniiáhse tiatate’kèn:’a, ionarahsi’takaránie’ ne ionkhi’nisténha onhontsà:ke. Tho ki’ ní:ioht tsi é:so enkonwakwénienhste’. Tsi ki’ ní:ioht ne iah tekenéhrhahkwe’ takonwaronhkwè:nakete’, tsi ní:ioht tsi iekèn:’ak teiotinonniáhkwen.
Akhtsì:’a ò:ni’ skátne ia’tkontinónniahkwe’ nakhsótha’ tánon’ ontate’kèn:’a ne Indian Village shiieksà:’a.
Translation by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette