Living that dream
The First Methodist Church in Kahnawake, originally built in 1896, later becoming the United Church in 1925, as it remains today. (Courtesy: Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Story told by Robert Ronwahawata Patton
I went to Sunday school when I was young and I’ve been a part of the church since 1980. I then became involved nationally with Onkwehón:we in the United Church of Canada.
I met Onkwehón:we who didn’t even speak English all the way from Manitoba, BC, and other Western provinces. Many came to me and said, “I got no education. I never went to school. But I worked in my community for many years. I know my culture, I know my traditions, I know my history, and I know the church.”
They thought they were lesser because they never went to school, but they weren’t. They are some of the smartest people I know. They had so much wisdom and knowledge, they taught everyone. They were the ones who had dreams for the church and their people. I lived part of that dream with them.
They said, “We want our people to be trained for ministry and to work in our communities.”
I was on the first committee that helped set up a theological school for them, the National Native Ministry Training Committee. It was in operation for nearly 40 years.
I sat on the board and discussed with the people who came in to see if they were capable.
They came in, studied, graduated, were ordained, went home and practiced, and now many have retired.
I got to experience a part of that dream. I attended one of those schools they dreamed of and graduated this past year in June. Finally, in April 2024, I was ordained here in Kahnawà:ke’s United Church. And I will be the first Mohawk from Kahnawà:ke to be ordained by the United Church of Canada.
I am proud to live that dream and be a minister here in my own community. It has reawakened the language in me I thought I lost. I am proud that I can now say my prayers in my own language.
Dream it
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Dream it 〰️
Ronhnhétie' nahò:ten' ronahskanékon
Interior of Kahnawake’s United Church, circa 1928. (Courtesy: Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
ROBERT RONWAHAWATA PATTON ROKÁ:RATON
Awentatokenhtì:ke ionterihwaienstáhkhwa' wakaterihwaiensta'nónhne' ken' shikà:'a tánon' tsi náhe' tióhton iawén:re tewen'niáwe sha'té:kon niwáhsen shiiohserá:te' ononhsatokenhtì:ke shitià:tare'. Eh thó:ne nia'teiakonhóntsake Onkwehón:we wa'kheiatia'táhrhahse' ne United Church of Canada nón:we.
Teionkwatátken Onkwehón:we néne iah Tiohrhèn:sha tehontá:ti kwah í:non nithonenónhseron Manitoba, BC nón:we, nok ákte' nikanakerahserakehrón:ton ò:ni'.
É:so iá:kon tionkwatken'sè:ron ión:ton, "Iah nonwén:ton teionkerihonnién:ni. Iah ni' nón:wenton tewaterihwaienstà:non. Nek tsi é:so iohserá:ke akenakerahserá:kon watio'tèn:'en. Kerihwaienté:ri tsi niionkwarihò:ten tánon' tsi niiakwaweiennò:ten, kerihwaienté:ri tsi nitionkwaia'tawénhseron, tánon' kerihwaienté:ri tsi ionterennaientáhkhwa'."
Wahón:nehre' iah thiekaié:ri tehatiia'tò:ten nè:'e tsi iah nonwén:ton tehonaterihwaienstà:non nek tsi iah tó:kenske té:ken. Ótia'ke kheienté:ri naonhà:'a thonttókha'. É:so tsi roti'nikonhrowá:nen's, akwé:kon wahshakotirihónnien'. Ronónha ki' ronahskanekseraién:tahkwe' nononhsatokénhti aorihwà:ke tánon' ne raononkwe'ta'shòn:'a raotirihwà:ke. Wa'kheiatia'táhrhahse' tsi nahò:ten' ronahskanékon. Wahonnì:ron', "Teionkwatonhontsó:ni ontionkwe'ta'shòn:'a ahonwatirihónnien' ahonttsihenhstón:ni' tánon' onkwanakerahserakónhshon ahotiio'ténion'."
Tionitiohkwatierénhton tia'tá:rahkwe' wa'akwatahsnié:nen' wa'akwaterihwahserón:ni' karihwiiohstónhtshera' tsi thonterihwaienstáhkhwa', néne National Native Ministry Training Committee. Thó:ha kaié:ri niwáhsen niiohserá:ke niioterihwahténtion.
Kentiohkwà:ke tia'tá:rahkwe' tánon' onkwehshòn:'a wa'tiakwahthá:ren' taiakhiia'tó:rehte' tóka' ken enhatikwé:ni'.
Tahontáweia'te', wahontéweienste', wa'thontóhetste', wahonwatirihwahní:ratshe', sahonhtén:ti' sok wahonterihwahténtia'te' raotirihwa'shòn:'a. Ok nòn:wa é:so iá:kon iakotoríshen.
Ón:ton' wa'katià:taren' tsi nahò:ten' ronahskanékon. Wakaterihwaiensta'nónhne' skanónhsa thí:ken ronahskanékon sok wa'tkatóhetste' ken' ióhsere' Ohiarí:ha shiwenhni'tò:ten. Kháre ó:nen, Onerahtókha' tewáhsen tewen'niáwe tewáhsen kaié:ri, ionkerihwahnirá:ti ne kèn:'en Kahnawà:ke United Church. Tánon' entkatié:renhte' Kanien'kehá:ka na'tia'tò:ten' Kahnawà:ke nitewaké:non enionkerihwahní:ratshe' ne United Church of Canada.
Wakera'sè:se' tsi konhnhétie' nahò:ten' ronahskanékon nok tsi ktsihénhstatsi kèn:tho akanakerahserá:kon. Saiónhnhete' tsi nikewennò:ten tieròn:ke wà:kehre' wakatewennahtón:ni. Wakera'sè:se' tsi kkwénie's ó:nen akatewennón:tahkwe' tsi nikewennò:ten nakaterén:naien'.
Translated by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette