Don’t fish in my net
Overhead view of the St. Lawrence river and the banks of Kahnawake before the Seaway. (Courtesy: Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Story told by Winston Standup
Stanley Myiow’s father lived on the other side of the tunnel. His name was also Stanley. He had a gas station and a teepee that he put up. The funny part about it, I never forgot and I’ll never forget, was that he had an antenna sticking out of the top of the teepee.
Where the bank is, a pipe went right underneath the tracks. There was a conduit through there. The old man put nets and used to catch fish in 45-gallon barrels. German carp. The Jewish people would come over on the bridge and he used to sell them fish. He would clean it for them too.
What he would do if the fish weren’t sold was, he’d throw them back in the water, then take them back out and resell them. This was way before the seaway.
We used to go fishing and pass right by his house along the tracks. He used to yell at us, “Don’t fish in my net!”.
Tóhsa akwa’á:rakon sewahrió'kawin
Courtesy: Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center
Winston Standup roká:raton
Isi’ na’ken’whá:rati’ then’terón:tahkwe’ ne Stanley Myiow ro’nihkénha. Stanley ni’ ò:ni’ ronwá:iatskwe’. Iontenienata’áhstha’ rononhsó:tahkwe tánon’ a’tóhsera’ tsi wahahnió:ten’. Iosteristòn:ne’ kí:, iah nowén:ton tesewake’nikonhrhèn:’en tánon’ iah nowén:ton thaonsonke’nikónhrhen’, tsi wa’tohserakèn:iate thoronwarohá:rahkwe’ ne waterennótha’ aorón:ware’.
Tsi nón: nikanónhsote ne tsi iehwistaientáhkhwa’, kwah nà:kon tsi karistatátie’ kahonro’táten. Tho nón: nitkahonro’táten ne wathnekatohetstáhkhwa’. Rata’á:roskwe ne rokstén:ha tánon’ 45 káren nika’náhkwa’ o’nahkwahkónhshon roná:wis shens ne kéntson. Skentstèn:ri nen nè:’e. Shita’ehró:non tenthonhskwí:ia’ke’ tánon’ enhshakotkehrón:hahse’ ne kéntson. Enshakotsahserónnien’ ò:ni’.
Tsi nenhátiere’ tóka’ iah tehonitsahní:non, awèn:ke iensehshakoia’tón:ti’, sok ensehshako’skó:ko’ tánon’ enshatkè:ron’. Ne ki’ kwah ohén:ton shiká:ien ne tsi kana’tsheratátie’.
Iakwahrio’kawinéhsere’skwe tánon’ kwah raononhsákta eniakwatóhetste’ naktóntie’ tsi karistatátie’. Shonkwatewennaién:tons shens “Tóhsa akwa’á:rakon sewahrió’kawin!”.
Translation by Katsenhaién:ton Lazare
Myiow’s Gas & Service Station opened in 1931 and was located on the right hand side after exiting the tunnel. The gas station was closed around 1958-1959 due to the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway. (Courtesy: Delly Dailleboust)