Day and night
Story told by Kevin Ka’nahsohon Deer
In order to comprehend the Longhouse creation story, you have to see the birth of the twins as sacred energies.
I love the Creator’s brother, the left-handed twin, just as much as I love the Creator, the right-handed twin, because they’re both my spiritual and extended family.
All I’ve got to know is to watch out for my left-handed grandfather because he’s a trickster and can cause grief if we’re not careful.
He’s always going to be a little devious, he’ll try to pull the wool over our eyes. But if you look at it from a humorous perspective, it changes how you think.
The Creator is of the day and his brother is of the night.
When it comes to who would have the responsibilities of day and night, there was a struggle between the two and the Creator overpowered his brother, becoming the day.
After the struggle, the twins placed Skywoman’s head into the night sky, becoming Grandmother moon and they agreed to stay in different realms. Grandmother moon would watch over the left-handed twin and every 28 days, she shines her face on the left-handed grandson she favoured. So what’s so devious and diabolical and wrong about that?
There’s nothing.
Kanien'kéha
↓
Kanien'kéha ↓
Entiehkè:ne tánon’ ahsonthèn:ne
Kevin Ka’nahsohon Deer roká:raton
Ensaia'takéhnha' ne aiesa’nikonhraién:ta’ne’ oh nahò:ten’ kén:ton ne tsi tiotonhontsatáhsawe’ aká:ra’ nó:nen tenhshekà:nerake' kí:ken tehníkhen tsi ronennakerá:ton tsi ní:ioht ne ka’shatstenhseranó:ron.
Rinorónhkhwa’ ne Shonkwaia’tíson’ iatate’kèn:’a, ne shanekwá:ti tehákhen, akwah tsi ní:ioht tsi rinorónhkhwa’ ne Shonkwaia’tíson’, ne shaweientehtáhkwen tehákhen. Né: tsi tehnitsá:ron khé:nonhkwe’ tsi nonkwá:ti ne atónhnhets tánon’ kahwá:tsire’.
Kwah nek ki’ teiotonhontsóhon ahiiaten’nikòn:raren’ ne shanekwá:ti rakhsótha’ ase’kén rateron’ónhtha’ nen’ nè:’e tánon’ enwá:ton’ enhshonkwakarón:ni’ tóka’ iah thaietewa’nikòn:rarake’.
Tiótkon ki’ nè:’e ostón:ha enhaterihwatasésheke’, enhate’nién:ten’ ahshonkwanowénhten’. Nek tsi tóka’ kasteritahtsherá:kon tenhsatkà:neren’, tenwatté:ni tsi ní:tsi sanonhtónnion.
Shonkwaia’tíson’ entiehkè:ne thaia’takwe’ní:io ok ne iatate’kèn:’a ahsonthèn:ne nen’ ne thaia’takwe’ní:io.
Tsi ia’káhewe’ ia’takarihwaientà:’on ónhka enhatia’takwe’ní:iohste’ nentiehkè:ne nok ahsonthèn:ne, wa’tkahnió:ta’ne’ tsi na’tehiátere’ tánon’ Shonkwaia’tíson’ waho’shén:ni’ ne iatate’kèn:’a. Raónha nè:’e wahatia’takwe’ní:iohste’ nentiehkè:ne.
Sha’tonsonthniotá:ko’, Ieronhia’kehró:non akonón:tsi ahsonthèn:ne karonhià:ke wahnira’nén:takte’ ne tehníkhen, ne ionkhihsótha’ ahsonthenhnékha’ karáhkwa’ aón:ton’. Tánon’ wahnirihwanòn:we’ne’ ne ákte na’tahnè:sheke’. Enhonwaten’nikòn:raren’ ne ionkhihsótha’ ahsonthenhnékha’ karáhkwa ne shanekwá:ti tehákhen tánon’ tsi ní:kon 28 niwenhniserá:ke enwatóhetste’, tenhonwahswathè:ten’ ne shanekwá:ti roterè:’a tsi niká:ien sénha tahonwanòn:we’ne’. Oh nahò:ten’ káti’ ne karihwahétken tánon’ iah tetkaié:ri?
Iah thé:nen ki’ wáhi.
Translation by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette