Education
Kaia’titáhkhe is pictured along with her fellow Kahnawake Education Center staff members in 1987. (Courtesy: Kaia’titáhkhe Jacobs)
Story told by Kaia’titáhkhe Jacobs
Prior to the 1970s, the school system was a federally-run Indian day school. Teachers and administrators were mostly priests and nuns with a few lay teachers. Along with the 3 Rs (reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic) we learned a lot of religion. There was nothing in the curriculum to reflect who we are. There were no positive images, stories, or history. We got the idea that our ways, traditions, and language were old fashioned and backwards.
Change was a process. In the 1970s, the school system began changing. When education went back into the hands of the community, the leadership changed.
We then had leadership that felt strongly about instilling pride in the children, about who they are and their language. I was lucky.
KSS students march down Highway 132 towards KSS to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1978 walk-out from Howard S. Billings Regional High School. (Credit: Lachlan Madill)
We had a great group of people that took on the leadership. Along with the existing Combined Schools Committee, I have to mention the school administrators Eddie Cross, Mike Diabo, and Esther Skye. They had the vision and the know-how. They’re the ones that led everything that went on in our education at the time.
The year 1972, when our son started school, I began to look around to see if I could find something to do. I was thinking I would go back to school and brush up on my secretarial skills. Then, I got a call from the principal of Karonhianónhnha School.
She said, “Do you think you could handle a class? I have many teachers that are off.”
I said, “What?! I don’t think so!”
She said, “You’d be doing me a big favour and my office is not far from the class.”
I said, “Well, okay.”
I went in and that was it. I never left.
Tsi Ionterihwaienstahkhwaniónhkhwa'
Kaia’titáhkhe and her grade two students at Karonhianónhnha School pose for a class picture in 1985. (Courtesy: Kaia’titáhkhe Jacobs)
Kaia’titáhkhe Jacobs iakoká:raton
Ohén:ton ne tióhton iawén:re tewen'niáwe tánon' tsá:ta niwáhsen shiiohserò:ten, Kakoráhsera' shes thotiniarotáhrhon ne Tsi Niwenhníseres Onkwehón:we Tsi Ionterihwaienstáhkhwa' (Indian day school). Thó:ha akwé:kon ratitsihénhstatsi tánon' iotiia'tatokénhti ne shakotirihonnién:ni tánon' ne awhíhsne rotiió'te', tohkára nikón:ti ò:ni' ne iakotirihonnién:ni áro'khe teiotihiatonhseraientà:'on ne aiakotirihónnien'. Iakwateweiénstha' shes ne áhsen ní:kon R, néne aiewennahnó:ton', aiehiá:ton' tánon' aontaiónhsete' (reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic ratina'tónhkhwa' ne tiohrhèn:sha), karihwiiohstónhtshera' ni' ò:ni' iakwateweiénsthahkwe'. Iah ki' káneka tekahiá:tonhkwe' tsi wateweienstáhkwen oh na'akwaia'tò:ten' (ne iationkwehón:we). Iah káneka tekaién:tahkwe' ne ioiánere' karáhston, okara'shòn:'a, tóka' ni' oh niionkwaia'tawénhseron (ne iationkwehón:we). Ne ki' wa'onkwa'nikonhráta' tsi iorihwakaiòn:'on tánon' kakahrháthon ne tsi nitewaweiennò:ten, tsi niionkwarihò:ten tánon' tsi nitewawennò:ten.
Ken' nikonhátie' ki' wa'tewatté:ni'. Tsi niiohseré:son's ne tsá:ta niwáhsen's, tontáhsawen' ne taontté:ni' tsi ionterihwaienstahkhwaniónhkhwa'. Shahatiié:na' ne kanatakonhró:non, tahatiniarotáhrhoke' tsi ionterihwaienstahkhwaniónhkhwa', tánon' wa'thatité:ni' ónhka ohén:ton í:iente'.
Thó:ner ki' wa'ontionkwe'taién:ta'ne' ne ohén:ton rón:nete' thonehtáhkwen ne ahshakoti'nikonhrahní:rate' ne ratiksa'okòn:'a, sahontená:iehste' oh nahatiia'tò:ten' tánon' tsi nihatiwennò:ten. Wakatera'swiióhne.
… Ionkwentiohkwiióhne kí:ken ohén:ton iakwá:tahkwe'. Skátne tionkwatenrohòn:ne ne Rati'nikonhrarátie' Tsi Ionterihwaienstahkhwaniónhkhwa' Otióhkwa' (Combined Schools Committee), ne ò:ni' ne tsi nihá:ti enkhenà:ton' ne Kahnawà:ke Ionterihwaienstahkhwaniónhkhwa' Kaia'takwe'niiò:ke ratihén:tehkwe', Eddie Cross, Mike Diabo, tánon' Esther Skye. Ronónha ki' ohén:ton ia'tehatikà:nerahkwe' tánon' ratiweientehtòn:ne. Tho shontakahá:wi' ronónha ratinenhrí:ne'skwe' tsi nahò:ten' ionkwarihwaio'tátiehkwe' tsi nonkwá:ti ne ionterihwaienstahkhwaniónhkhwa'.
Tióhton iawén:re tewen'niáwe tánon' tsá:ta niwáhsen tékeni shiiohserá:te' shakeniièn:'a tahatáhsawen' ne ahaterihwaienstà:na'. Eh thó:ner ki' ní: takatáhsawen' wa'kerihwisákha' oh nenkatiéhrhake'. Kéhrhahkwe' ne aonsonkwaterihwaienstà:non ne aonsakerèn:nha' tsi nikaio'tenhserò:ten tsi iehiatónhkhwa'. Sok ki' kí:ken tontewennáta' ne ohén:ton í:kate' ne Karonhianónhnha' Tsi Ionterihwaienstáhkhwa'.
Wa'kari'wanón:ton' wa'kèn:ron', "Hátskwi íhsehre' ken tóka' enhskwé:ni' ne aontahseniarotáhrhoke' tsi ionteweienstáhkhwa'? É:so kón:ti iakotirihonnién:ni ionatoríshen."
Wa'kì:ron', "Há:?! Iah í:kehre'!"
Tontakèn:ron', "Kwah í:ken tsi tenhskerihwa'serákwahse' tóka' enhsathón:tate' tánon' iah í:non thakénhake' tsi nón:we entekhiatónhkhwake'."
Wa'tkerihwa'será:ko' wa'kì:ron', "Háo' ki'."
Ia'katáweia'te' tánon' ia'tkarihwaién:ta'ne'. Iah se' nonwén:ton tewakatoríshen wáhi.
Translation by Akwiratékha Martin