Ice water in our veins
A warrior walking behind one of the barricades in Kanehsatà:ke, 1990. (Courtesy: Benoit Aquin / Library and Archives Canada / Benoit Aquin fonds / e011312038)
Story told by Joe Deom
During the Siege of Kanehsatà:ke in 1990, we began trying to negotiate with the government by telephone, or we would speak to the press in hopes that they would listen to our messages, but they didn’t want to talk, they had a completely warped idea of what was going on.
Our big negotiation was that we wanted food and medicine let in passed the barricades, as well as international observers. When we talked to news reporters about these demands and concerns, they took it as us saying we just wanted all of the land back. They totally misconstrued everything.
Eventually, both the provincial and federal governments, as well as the press cut off all contact. This is where James O’Reilly came in as a liaison. He would get information from Quebec and then call us to tell us what was going on. He was very cautious on our behalf about what he would tell people.
James began telling us that he had a feeling the SQ was going to make their way into the barricades. I said, “Well I guess it’s going to happen, but we aren't changing our position.”
He would always say that our people had ice water in our veins because no matter what, the government didn’t scare us.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Tetkawisáhere' onkwatsinonhiáhtakon
Joe Deom ROKÁ:RATON
Tsi nikarì:wes sha'tewa'nikonhrhá:ren' ne Kanehsatà:ke ne tióhton iawén:re tewen'niáwe tióhton niwáhsen shiiohserá:te', taiakwatáhsawen' wa'akwate'nién:ten' kakoráhsera' iaiakhiiatewennátahse' aiakwatsénhaien'. Tóka' ni' ne ratirihó'kwats teniakwahthá:ren' iakwahská:neks aionkhiiatahónhsatate' nahò:ten' iakwá:ton, nek tsi iah tehonè:ron tahatihthá:ren', kwah kakahrháthon tsi ní:ioht tsi wahoti'nikonhraién:ta'ne' tsi niiawen'hátiene'.
Tsorì:wa iorihowá:nen wa'akwatsénhaien' ne tsi teionkwatonhontsó:ni ahonthón:tate' ne atennà:tshera' tánon' onónhkwa' aontáweia'te' tsi waten'èn:rote', nok ò:ni' ahonwatiríhon' ne ákte nithoné:non tehatikà:nere' aontahontáweia'te' ò:ni'. Sha'tiakwahthá:ren' ne ratirihó'kwats tánon' wa'akwathró:ri' nahò:ten' ionkwatenhnhà:'on nok tsi nahò:ten' teionkwate'nikónhrhare', iahatíhewe' tsi ní:ioht tóka' kwah nek iakwá:ton teionkwatonhontsó:ni onhontsakwé:kon aonsaiakwaié:na'. Kwah orihwakwé:kon kakahrháthon tsi ní:tsi wahoti'nikonhraién:ta'ne'.
Kháre ó:nen, tetsá:ron O'serón:ni raotikoráhsera' tánon' Kakorahserakwe'ní:io, nok ò:ni' ne ratirihó'kwats kwah akwé: wa'thatí:ia'ke' tsi teionkwáhthere'. Ken' ki' nón:we James O'Reilly tahokè:tohte' ne ahsén:nen ahaia'tohrónhake'. Quebec nentharihwénhawe' eh thó:ne entehshonkwatewennátahse' enhshonkwahró:ri' oh niiawénhsere'. É:so tsi ra'nikòn:rare' tsi nahò:ten' enhshakohró:ri' nonkwehshòn:'a ne ì:'i onkwarihwà:ke.
Tahatáhsawen' ne James wahshonkwahró:ri' tsi ok thí:rehre' SQ enthontáweia'te' tsi wata'èn:rote'. Wa'kì:ron', "Khé:re káti' ken tho niiawénhsere', nek tsi iohní:ron ki' tsi iákwate'."
Tiótkon shes wahèn:ron' tetkawisáhere' onkwatsinonhiáhtakon nontionkwe'ta'shòn:'a ase'kénh arenhátien nahò:ten', iah ki' teiakhitshà:nis ne kakoráhsera'.
Translated by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette