Inhabiting the land
A look at the evolution of Kanesatà:ke land. (Courtesy: Wikki Commons)
Story told by Gordie Oke
When the Sulpicians came to Kanehsatà:ke, they claimed that there was nobody here. As time went by, people started moving away from the village of Kanehsatà:ke to the bay area, where most of our people are now.
The Sulpicians slowly started claiming pieces of land by putting stakes in the ground. We always had our own markers, such as a tree or a big rock, not fences like we see now. It was always a continuous fight with the law against the Sulpicians, but we had help from Hudson, Montreal, and those who saw the injustice of what they were doing.
This is just part of the long and complicated history of the conquering of the Mohawk people. Through the government, religion, and the justice system, this is still happening in Kanehsatà:ke and to many Native communities across Canada and the United States today who rob us of our land, resources, and freedom.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Onhontsà:ke ratinákere'
Gordie Oke ROKÁ:RATON
Shahón:newe' Roti'khá:res ne Kanehsatà:ke, wahatirihó:wanahte' tsi iah ónhka kèn:tho té:ien'skwe'. Shontenhniserohetstánion', tontáhsawen' ón:kwe é:ren wà:'enhte' ne Kanehsatà:ke kaná:taien' ákta kanetskè:rakon ionsá:ien', tsi nón:we nòn:wa nitsè:teron nón:kwe.
Skenen'shòn:'a wahonterá:ko' tsi ionkwatonhontsakwenhrá:ron tsi wahatinentsó:ten' onhontsà:ke. Tió:konte' wáhi shiionkwá:ien' nì:'i nonkwá:wen ienentsotáhkhwa', tsi ní:ioht ne iorón:tote' tóka' ni' ne kaneniowá:nen, iah naten'èn:ra' tsi ní:ioht òn:wa wenhniserá:te' tsitewatkáhthos. Kwah tió:konte' iotahsonterátie wa'tiakwarihotáhrhoke' ne Korahnéha raotiianerénhsera tsi nonkwá:ti ne Roti'khá:res, nek tsi wa'onkhiié:nawa'se' ne Hudson, Tiohtià:ke, tánon' ne tsi niká:ien' wahontkáhtho' tsi niió:re tsi iah tetkaié:ri ne tsi nihatiiéhrha'.
Kí:ken ne tsorì:wa karátie' ne kí:ken kaká:res tánon' iotkarakwatónhon ne Kanien'kehá:ka ronwati'shénnion tsi nihotikarò:ten. Né: kakorahserakónhson, karihwiiostonhtsherakónhson, tánon' ne kaia'torehtahtsherakónhson, shé:kon nòn:wa ioterihwahténtion kí:ken nahò:ten' ne tsi nonkwá:ti ne Kanehsatà:ke tánon' é:so rá:ti Onkwehón:we ronatenatakè:ron tsi niionhontsé:son's ne Koráhne tánon Wastonhronòn:ke ne ki' tsi ionkhinénskwas ontionhóntsa', onkwentstohkwahón:we, tánon' onkwatatewenniióhsera'.
Edited by: Jonathan Turenne, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by Karonhí:io Delaronde