Fisherman
Courtesy: Kanien'kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center
Story told by June Mayo
My son Eric is in good condition. He says, “Ma, that’s because of the work I do.”
He catches fish that’s longer than my arm and puts it on his back.
He makes a very good living off of his fish, he fishes for sturgeon.
He’s on the river about seven days a week.
It doesn’t matter what kind of weather it is, even in the winter he’s still out there ice fishing.
Eric travels to Tyendinaga to go and fish or he barters for fish with other fishermen.
But he’s always doing his own things like catching sturgeon and smoking it or making caviar from the eggs. He also makes his own sausages from moose, deer, or whatever kind of wild game he has.
At the powwow his walleye nuggets are very very very popular, sometimes within two hours all his food is gone.
Eric ‘Dirt’ McComber shows off a fish he caught. Photo was taken in 1977. (Courtesy: Eric McComber)
Kanien'kéha version
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Kanien'kéha version ↓
Ranitsató:rats
Poster of the film Dirt McComber: Last of the Mohicans. The film follows Eric McComber who continues to support his family with a traditional Mohawk livelihood. (Courtesy: Dirt McComber: Last of the Mohicans)
June Mayo IAKOKÁ:RATON
Riièn:’a Eric rota’karí:te’. Rá:ton, “Istá:, ne tiorì:wa’ tsi niwatio’tenhserò:ten.”
Roná:wis ne kéntson sénha kahnén:ies tsi na’tekenéntshes tánon’ enhatkéhtate’.
Né: ronhnhéhkwen tsi ranitsató:rats, teiotièn:taron ranitsató:rats.
Thó:ha thia’tewenhniserá:ke kaniatarà:ke iehè:re’s.
Arenhátien oh niwenhniserò:ten ne átste, akwé:kon ne akohserà:ke shé:kon tho iehè:re’s owisà:ke thahriohkawí:nes.
Kenhtè:ke iehréhtha’ tánon’ enhanitsatorátha’ ne Eric tóka’ ni’ skátne ronnitsató:rats tenhontá:ton’ ne kentson’shòn:’a.
Nek tsi tiótkon raónha roió’te’ raio’ténhsera’ tsi ní:ioht ne ahó:nawe’ ne teiotièn:taron ahaien’kwará:rikte’ tóka’ ni’ ne katshè:takon ahateweièn:ton’ ne o’néhtara’.
Renhetshonnià:tha’ ò:ni’ ne ska’niónhsa, ohskenón:ton, tóka’ ni’ tsi ok na’kario’tò:ten’ raia’ténhawe’.
Powwow nón:we akwah í:ken tsi kahsennowá:nen ne skakahráksen rotsakerí:ten, sewatié:rens tékeni khok tenkahwistà:’eke’ sok nà:’a akwé:kon ieiotsha’áhton ne skakahráksen.
Translation by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette