Don't tell Brisebois
Charlotte Bush teaches students at Kateri School, circa 1952. (Courtesy: Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Storey told by Lorraine Montour
I went to Kateri School for first, second, and third grade. After that, my mother got married to a German and we moved to Montreal. I went to school in Montreal West. It was a nice experience because from there, you went to Montreal West High School. There was no high school in Kahnawà:ke after grade nine. You had to go elsewhere.
We were in Montreal for a number of years. I was maybe 14 when my mother got divorced and I came back to Kahnawà:ke. I continued school at Kateri.
I ended up getting a job in the city. It was either that or you had to go to a convent in Montreal and I thought, “Shit, I’m not gonna deal with nuns again.”
I said, “To hell with it,” and got a job at Dillard’s Clothing Store.
One day, I went by Sir George Williams College after work. I went inside and I asked somebody, “Are there classes?”
“Yes,” the woman said, “I’m finishing my high school classes. Go over there, you can sign up for all the night courses that you need to finish high school.”
The woman at the desk asked me, “What courses do you want to take?”
I said, “I just want to finish high school.”
She gave me the basic classes. Two nights a week and Saturday mornings. I’d go to work then I’d go to my classes after.
One day, I went home and my grandmother said, “The Indian agent, Brisebois, wants to see you.”
I said, “What for?”
She said, “Tó:ka”, meaning “I don’t know.”
I went to see him and he said, “You had no business signing up for courses at Sir George. We’re not paying your bill. You’re gonna pay for it yourself.”
When I signed up for my courses, the woman from Sir George Williams College took out this ledger and said, “You’re one of the first to sign up from Indian Affairs. Here’s a voucher. Go get all of the books you need and give me the voucher when you’re done.”
So, I did that. She must’ve sent the bill to Ottawa and they gave it to Brisebois. That was not the protocol for education. You had to go where the Indian agent said; I would’ve had to go to the convent.
I went back to school and every time I was in class, I was thinking that someone was going to tell me that I can’t be there.
When I got back home, my grandmother said, “You have to go see Laplante.” He was the assistant Indian Agent.
I went to see Laplante and he said, “Here’s a check for you. Don’t tell Brisebois. It’s for your bus fare to go to school.”
I continued my classes and then eventually left to go to New York. I went to train for blood bank work and figured I’d finish my education some other time.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Tóhsa tshró:ri Brisebois
Old Indian agent’s office and town hall in Kahnawake. The building was also used as a catholic boy's school until the eastern school (St. Isidore Road School) was built in 1911. (Courtesy: Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Lorraine Montour IAKOKÁ:RATON
Katerí: Tsi Ionterihwaienstáhkhwa' ia'katerì:waienste' ne tiotierénhton, tekeníhaton, tánon' ahsénhaton nikahiatónnion. Ohnà:ken thí:ken, Tehonontsistokerón:te' wahotíniake' ne ake'nisténha tánon' Tiohtià:ke ia'akwátien'. Montreal West ia'katerì:waienste'. Onkon'wéskwen' ki' wáhi ase'kénh thò:ne Montreal West High School ienséhse'. Iah tekanonhsó:tahkwe ne tiótte' tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa' ne Kahnawà:ke iotohétston ne tióhton nikahiá:ton. Ó:nen'k tsi ákte nón:we énhsehte'.
Kwah ken' niiohserá:ke Tiohtià:ke tiákwe'skwe'. Ákta kaié:ri iawén:re sha'tewakohseriià:kon wa'tiontekháhsi' nake'nisténha tánon' Kahnawà:ke' tontá:ke'. Kateríhne ionsakaterì:waienste'.
Ok thia'tio'tenhseratshén:ri' kanatowanèn:ne. Ó:nen'k tsi shos tho nénhsiere' tóka' ni' ó:nen'k tsi iotiia'tatokénhti tekontiiahsonthà:ke iénhse' Tiohtià:ke nonkwá:ti tánon' wà:kehre', "Ótkon, iah tha'tewakatonhontsó:ni á:re taontaiakwatén:rohwe' ne iotiia'tatokénhti."
Wa'kì:ron', "Iewatkon'será:ien'," tánon Dillard's Clothing Store wa'onkéhnha'ne'.
Sewenhnísera ki' thí:ken, Sir George William's College ia'kkwátho' sha'katoríshen tsi watió'te'. Ia'katáweia'te' tánon ónhka'k wa'kherihwanón:tonhse', "Othé:nen ken ionterihwaiénstha' kentióhkwaien'?"
"Hen," tontaia'ì:ron' ne iakón:kwe, "Íkhsa's tsi niwakitióhkwaien' ne tiótte' tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa'''. Tho iahà:se', enwá:ton' enhsatathsén:naren' thí:ken o'karahsnéha iehiatonhseraié:rits kentióhkwaien' tsi niká:ien' tesatonhontsó:ni náhtsha' ne tiótte' tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa' aorihwà:ke."
Thí:ken iakón:kwe wa'onkerihwanón:tonhse', "'Ka' niká:ien' iehiatonhseraié:rits kentióhkwaien' íhsehre' áhshawe'?"
Tontakì:ron', "Nek í:kehre' ákhsa' ne tiótte' tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa'."
Wa'ón:kon' ki' ne kaia'takwe'ní:io's ionterihwaiénstha' kentióhkwaien'. Tewahsontakehátie' thia'teiahia'khserá:ke tánon' Entákta ohrhon'kè:ne. Enwatio'ténhsera' sok enskaterihwaienstà:na' nohnà:ken.
Sewenhnísera ki' thí:ken, ionsá:kewe' tsi tkì:teron tánon' akhsótha' wa'ì:ron', "Thí:ken étien, Brisebois, ì:rehre' taietsatátken'."
Takì:ron', "Nahò:ten' tiorì:wa'?"
Tontaia'ì:ron', "Tó:ka."
Wahiiatken'sè:ra' tánon' wahèn:ron', "Iah othé:nen tesarihwaién:tahkwe' tsi wahsatatshén:naren' thí:ken iehiatonhseraié:rits kentióhkwaien' aorihwà:ke ne Sir George nonkwá:ti. Iah thaiakwakária'ke' thí:ken satká:rote'. Ó:nen'k tsi sonhà:'ak enhskarò:kten'."
Sha'katatshén:naren' ne thí:ken iehiatonhseraié:rits kentióhkwaien' aorihwà:ke, thí:ken iakón:kwe wa'ehiatonhserotáhsi' ierihwarohrókstha' tánon' wa'ì:ron', "Kwah ken'k nítson Indian Affairs wesewahiá:ton'. Koh tewatiesénstha' kahiatónhsera'. Iahà:sko akwé:kon tsi nikahiatonhserá:ke tesatonhontsó:ni tánon' tontáskon thí:ken kahiatónhsera' nó:nen énhtsha'."
Tho ki' nà:tiere'. Ki' ónhte iahonwatikaraién:hahse' Kanà:tso tánon' Brisebois wahón:ion'. Kwah iah eh teieiéhrhahkwe' tsi nonkwá:ti aterihwaienstáhtshera'. Ó:nen'k tsi eh iénhse' tsi nón:we ieniesató:ri'; iotiia'tatokénhti' tekontiiahsonthà:ke' iaionkwatórion nì:'i.
Ionsakatahsónteren' ki' tsi katerihwaiénstha' tánon' tiótkon tsi ní:kon eh ié:ke'skwe' tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa', wà:kehre' tsi ónhka'k ionkwahronka'tennì:re' tsi iah thaón:ton' tha'taontá:ke'.
Shionsá:kewe' ki' tsi tkì:teron, akhsótha' wa'ì:ron', "Ó:nen'k tsi entshatken'sè:ra' Laplante." Étien shos enhoié:nawa'se'.
Wahiiatken'sè:ra' ki' ne Laplante tánon' wahèn:ron', "Í:se' sá:wen ne ken' ká:ien' katséktshera'. Tóhsa tshró:ri Brisebois. Iakoia'takarénie's tsi niiohahanó:ron' enkakária'ke' ne ki' naón:ton' ahsaterihwaienstà:na'."
Ionsakatahsónteren' tsi niwakitióhkwaien' ionterihwaienstáhkhwa' tánon' ken'k nikarì:wes ohnà:ken sok Kanón:no nionsá:ke'. Wakateweienstahnónhne' oh ní:tsi aontió'ten' ne tsi ienekwenhsaientáhkhwa' tánon' wà:kehre' tsi iénkhsa' akwaterihwaienstáhtshera' ohna'kénhaton.
Translation by Karonhí:io Delaronde