Life on the farm
A young Andrew Montour works in the field as part of his daily chores. (Courtesy: Andrew Montour)
Story told by Andrew Montour
Growing up on the farm, we had many chores to do. Our farm was near Bedard Quarry.
We grew food that would be used for our survival. In the mornings we would go out and clean the barn, get eggs and those types of things, then head back to the house for breakfast. We were not rich, but we were never hungry. In our crawl space, we had everything we needed like potatoes, carrots, and turnips.
We would have a young bull or a hog to slaughter around Christmas. This would allow us to have meat all winter. They would hang it in the barn to freeze.
My parents baked bread every morning and they only bought a little from the store after church on Sunday.
It was a quiet life with no worries. We sold the extra production to make money. In the end, because of the new highway and the seaway, they had to leave as our landlords were forced to sell their land.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Tsi iakwaienthóhtha'
A look at the livestock on the Montour family farm near Bedard Quarry. (Courtesy: Andrew Montour)
Andrew Montour ROKÁ:RATON
É:so ionkwaio'tenhseraién:tahkwe' tsi ieienthóhtha' shontaionkwatehiahróntie'. Ákta Bedard ienenio'kwátstha' iakwaienthóhthahkwe'. Wa'akwaiéntho' ne atennà:tshera' aiationhnhéhkwen.
Ohrhon'kè:ne ieniakwaiá:ken'ne' tánon' rakerèn:sne teniakwatohtáhrho', eniakwa'nhonhsakóha', tho ki' nikaio'tenhserò:ten's. Sok tsi tionkwanónhsote' ientsákwe' ne ohrhon'kè:ne taiakwatskà:hon'. Iah ki' teionkwakwátshe' nek tsi iah nonwén:ton teionkwatonhkarià:khon. Ontionhontsó:kon, ionkwaién:tahkwe' akwé:kon tsi nahò:ten' teionkwatonhontsó:ni, tsi ní:ioht ohnennà:ta', rakarót, tánon' otsihkwa'kó:wa.
Ken' nithoién:ha té:ro tóka' ni' ne kwéskwes enionkwanahskwaién:take' ne ahshakwário' ákta Ratonnià:ne'. Né: kí: enióntion' ne ohserakwé:kon aionkwa'wahraién:take'. Rakerèn:sne enthatiniión:ten' akanenniò:kwanohste'.
Thia'teiohrhon'kehtsherá:ke enhiatena'tarón:ten' ne iontièn:'a tánon' kwah nek ostón:ha enhnina'tarahní:non' nó:nen eniakwaterennaientá:ko' ne Awentatokenhtì:ke.
Shah thí:ken tsi iatiónhnhe' tánon' kwah iah thé:nen tha'teionkwa'nikónhrhare'.
Wa'akwatenhní:non' ne iowénhte' ionkwaienthókwen ne aiakwathwistón:ni'. Kháre ó:nen, ó:nen'k tsi é:ren wà:nehte'. Ónen'k tsi ionkhiionhontsaníhas wahontenhní:non' ne raononhóntsa'. Nè:'e tsi kakoráhsera tahonnónhton' asé'stsi wahatihahón:ni nok wahatina'tsherón:ni'
Translated by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette