Discredit the women
A group of Kahnawake women make their way to the Longhouse for a day of cooking. From left to right, Louise Marquis, Josie Montour, Grace Curotte, and Ida Delaronde. (Courtesy: Kanien’keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Story told by Mitch Deer
In Ganienkeh, they talked about women’s rights. Women are not treated equally around the world. Most cultures don’t treat women very well. They’re treated like cattle, like dogs, like camels, possessions. They’re not even humans. Sexual objects to stay quiet, cook, and raise the children. That’s all they do, like they don’t have the capacity to stand equally with a man to make decisions.
They treat the women like that.
There’s countries around the world that have women as leaders. Here, they don’t look at women as equals. There’s always a flaw they use to discredit the women.
Our women have been liberated for thousands of years. But today, everything is so f-ed up. The man is the home of his castle. Today, the rules have been reversed. So a lot of these men today treat women like dogs.
Teiakotiha ne iakon:kwe
Annie Montour's mother, Wariianen, stitches up moccasins. (Courtesy: Kanien’keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Mitch Deer roká:raton
Ganienkeh thotihtharahkwèn:ne ne konnón:kwe aotiianerénhsera’. Iah sha’tethonátte tsi niteshakotí:kens ne konnón:kwe’ tsi ionhontsá:te. Tho nitkonwatí:te tsi ní:ioht ne è:rhar, io’nowakwá:ronte, atenno’sera’shòn:’a. Iah se’ onkwe’ te:ken. Iotikarien’tón:ni oh naia:wen tha’taionató:take’, aiotikhonníhake’, tánon’ akonwanehiahrónhsheke’ ne ratiksa’okòn:’a. Thok thikontiiéhrha’ , tsi ne shí:ken iah teioti’shatstenhserá:ien sha’tahonátteke’ ne ronnón:kwe’ ia’tahotirihwaién:ta’se’ othé:nen nahò:ten.
Tho niteshakotí:te ne konnón:kwe.
Ótia’ks na’kentiohkò:ten’s ne tsi ionhontsá:te è:neken tionátte ne konnón:kwe’. Kèn:’en, iahk sha’tetkonwatí:te ne konnón:kwe’. Tiokontáhkwen
Iahk sha’tehonátte tehshakotí:kens ne konnón:kwe’
Iah sha’tethonátte ne ne konnón:kwe’ tánon’ ronnón:kwe, tsi ní:ioht tsi konwatika’én:ions ne konnón:kwe’. É:so ne khthihatí:te iah tekonwatikweniénhstha’.
Tetsottenion o:nen ne kaianerénhsera.
Tho nitkonwatí:te tsi ní:ioht ne è:rhar.
Translation by Katsenhaién:ton Lazare