Mohawk language in the schools
Kaia’titáhkhe Jacobs and her grade two class poses for a school picture at Karonhianónhnha in 1984. (Courtesy: Kaia’titáhkhe Jacobs)
Story told by Kaia’titákhe Jacobs
The summer following my first year teaching in 1973, five of us enrolled in the Teacher Training Program offered by the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi.
That fall I got a job at Kateri School teaching grades 1, 2, and 3. I taught Mohawk as a second language for 15 minutes a day for each of six classes.
After a few years, there was a decision made. We had to do something a little more drastic. We were not getting speakers the way we hoped. So, in the year 1979, Kanien’kéha immersion started at the nursery/kindergarten level and would continue up to grade 4. When immersion reached grade two, I left the second language program and went into a total immersion grade two.
And along the way, I was still studying and still learning everything about teaching. It took me 10 years part-time to get my degree.
I had a blast at that grade two. I had a great bunch of kids, eager to learn. We had so much fun. We used to put on skits that I would translate into Kanien’kéha. I learned a few Mohawk legends and used those in skits.
I always chose the legends that had a little bit of humour.
For one of the skits we put on, “Why we have so many dogs in Kahnawake,” I had the kids make all their own dog masks. My artistic husband made a pattern for the dog masks, and a huge serpent. I had the kids assemble to colour and decorate their masks however they wanted.
When we were up on stage, at a certain time, they all came barking in, chasing the serpent back behind the stage!
Kanien’kéha kawennontáhkwen tsi ionterihwaienstahkhwaniónhkhwa’
Dog masks that were designed and created by Kenneth Jacobs for the skit “Why we have so many dogs in Kahnawake” are shown off by Kaia’titáhkhe Jacobs’ class. (Courtesy: Kaia’titáhkhe Jacobs)
Kaia’titákhe Jacobs iakoká:raton
Sha’kohseraié:rite’ tiotohseratierénhton tsi wa’kherihónnien’ wa’tiokenhnhón:ti’ né:ne 1972 shiiohserá:te, wísk niiátion ia’akwatatshennínion’te’ aiakwatéweienste’ aiakhirihónnien’ ne Tianontarí:kon tsi ionterihwaienstahkhwa’kó:wa Chicoutimi tsi nón:we ionkwatasharón:tahkwe’. Ne thó: shikakwí:te ontio’tenhseraién:ta’ne’ ne Katerí: tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa’, wa’kherihónnien’ 1, 2, tánon’ 3 tsi kahiá:ton. Wa’kherihónnien’ Kanien’kéha né:ne tekeníhaton raotiwén:na wískshon iawén:re nikahseriiè:take thia’tewenhniserá:ke ne 6 nikanèn:rake.
Tohkára niiohserá:ke ohnà:ken, ia’tkarihwaién:ta’ne’ ne ó:nen’k tsi sénha ísi’ nón:we eniakhirihónnien’. Iah tehonahronkha’onhátiene’ tsi ní:ioht tsi ionkwahrhá:rehkwe’. Né: ká:ti’, 1979 shiiohserá:te, aóskon Kanien’kéha tontáhsawen’ Nursery tánon’ kindergarten ratíhawe tánon’ ienwatahsónteren’ tsi niió:re 4 tsi kahiá:ton. Sha’kaníhara’ne’ tékeni tsi kahiá:ton, takatia’tará:ko’ tsi kherihonnién:ni tekeniháton raotiwén:na, ok takatáhsawen’ aóskon Onkwehonwehnéha wa’kherihónnien’ tékeni tsi kahiá:ton. Tánon’ tsi nikarì:wes, shé:kon wakateweienstonhátiene’ tánon’ wakeweientehta’onhátiene’ tsi ní:tsi akherihónnien’. Oié:ri niiohserá:ke niahà:ke’ tsi wa’katéweienste’ tsi niió:re wa’tié:na’ akhiatónhsera’ tsi wa’tkatóhetste’. Akwáh onkon’wéskwen’ tsi wa’kherihónnen’ tékeni tsi kahiá:ton. Wakenenhriióhne’ kí:ken ratiksa’okòn:’a, kwah thoti’nikonhratihénthos ahatiweientéhta’ne’. É:so tsi wa’akwaten’nikonhró:ri’. Teiakwatierónnions shes tsi nahò:ten’ wa’tkewennanetáhko’ Kanien’kéha kawennontáhkwen. Tohkára nikaká:rake Onkwehonwehnéha wa’keweientéhta’ne’, ne kí: wa’akwátste’ wa’tiakwatierónnionhwe’. Tió:konte wa’kkarará:ko’ tsi niká:ien né:ne ostón:ha iokarasté:ris. Énska ki’ kí:ken wa’tiakwatierónnionhwe’, “Tsi nontié:ren ionkwanahskwakà:te ne è:rhar Kahnawà:ke”, ronnonhà:’ak wahontatónnien’ è:rhar iontkonwarorókstha’ ne ratiksa’okòn:’a. Tiakenì:teron nia’té:kon ronniánions wahanonión:ni’ ne è:rhar iontkonwarorókstha’ tánon’ kwah ohniare’kó:wa aó:wen. Wa’kheia’tarò:roke’ ne ratiksa’okòn:’a ahónhsohwe’ tánon’ tahatiierónnion’ ne rontkonwarorókstha’ tsi nihón:nehre’. Tsi kahswen’karakaratá:ton shiákwe’skwe’, kwató:ken’k ne nikahá:wi, akwé:kon tahontáweia’te’ tahatihnhiià:ne’, tánon’ ohnà:ken nonkwá:ti takonwáhsere’ ne ohniare’kó:wa!
Translation by: Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette