Nearby farm
Spanish residential school students would be forced to do various types of labour, including physical work around the school grounds. From front to back are Emmit Chiblow, Marvin Delormier (Wayne’s older brother), David Fox, unnamed boy and Terry Jacobs. (Courtesy: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University)
Story told by Wayne Delormier
I didn’t go home over the summer like some of the other kids at Spanish residential school. I would be sent to a nearby farm to work and the school would be paid for the work I did. It was like slave labour. But I liked it more than going to Spanish residential school. Like day and night. We would have to work at school during the year anyways. They’d make us clean the gym, the kitchen and do things around the grounds.
I worked at a farm in Wikwemikong on Manitoulin Island. It was an Ojibwe community.
Wiikwemkoong First Nation, Manitoulin Island. Photo taken in 1916. (Courtesy: F. W. Waugh / Library and Archives Canada)
The first two years, I was with the chief of Wiky. He was a hunter. Practiced old time religion, ate fry bread, deer grease, everything. He was always fishing. He taught me a lot of things. It was like living back in the old times.
In school, they wouldn’t give you a mattress, in case you peed the bed. Instead, they made you fill up your bed with straw.
So when we were on the farms, that’s what they’d give us but we were used to it.
There was a lean-to attached to the barn and at night, all you would hear is the rats and mice crawling all over. But it was nice when it rained - there was a tin roof and it would put you right to sleep.
And the food, oh man. Cows, chickens, horses, pigs. It was the first time I gained weight in my whole life.
It was just nice to feel free.
Kanien'kéha version
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Kanien'kéha version ↓
Aktóntie’ Tsi Tieienthóhtha’
Allan Goodleaf (left) and Johnny Shawanabin (right) clean windows as part of their obligatory tasks. (Courtesy: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University)
Wayne Delormier Roká:raton
Iah thiesewaké:non tsi niwakenhnhesòn:ne’ tsi ní:ioht ne rónatia’ke ratiksa’okòn:’a. Ienionkwató:ri’ shos aontio’ténshera’ tsi nón:we ne aktóntie’ tsi tieienthóhtha’ tánon’ tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa’ wahonwatikária’kse’ shiahà:tkene’ tsi ní:kon ontió’ten’. Kwah tsi ní:ioht ne wa’onkenahskón:ni’. Sénha ki’ onkon’wéskwen’ tsi ní:ioht ne akaterihwaienstà:na’. É:so tsi wa’tewaktíha’se’. Tsi niióhseres ni’ ò:ni’ ó:nen’k tsi enionkwaió’ten’. Enionkhiiónnien’ taiatiohtáhrho’ tsi iontia’tahkariiohstáhkhwa’ tánon’ tsi iekhonnià:tha’ tánon’ aten’èn:rakon enionkwaió’ten’.
Wikwemikong Kanakaróntie’ Tsi Kawè:note’ iahontió’ten’. Anishinaabe na’kanakerahserò:ten’.
Ne tionatierénhton teiohserá:ke, Wiky Ronwakowá:nen iákene’skwe’. Rató:rats kénhne'. Rateweiénsthahkwe’ ne orihwakaionhnéha tewehtáhkwen, kana'tarakerì:ta ì:rakskwe', oskennón:ton kén:ie èn:ratste', akwé:kon neh nahò:ten’. Tiótkon shos rahriohkawí:nes. Nia’té:kon wahakerihónnien’. Kwah eh ní:ioht tsi ní:ioht ne tsi nitiohtòn:ne’.
Tsi tkaterihwaiénstha’, kwah iah skaiá:ra thaiesá:ion’, á:re’ shí:ken enhsenà:nawenhte’ kanaktà:ke. Niá:we’, kwah tokèn:’en wa’esate’nekarónhkwen’ kahwà:’e áhsatste’ tsi enhsatiá:rike’ ne sanákta’.
Courtesy: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University
Tsi ieienthóhtha’ shitiákwe’s, nè:’e’ shos enionkhí:ion’ nek tsi ionkwaren’nha’òn:ne’.
Énska wahskwáhere’ akohsaténhsne iewahsón:terehkwe’ tánon’ tiótkon no’karahsnéha nek thensathón:te’ne’ nia’tekatsinonwenhserá:ke konte’serenóntie’s kanonhsakwé:kon. Nek tsi ion’wesénhne’ wáhi sha’okén:nore’ – karistakén:ra’ ka’rhó:ron ne’ kanonhsà:ke tánon’ kwah ensentà:sten’.
Ok ne kákhwa’, ótsta’. Tiohnhónskwaron, kítkit, akohsá:tens, kwéskwes. Nè:’e tontié:renhte’ tontia’tarò:roke’ tsi náhe’ shikónhnhe’.
Nek thiion’wesénhne’ naiónttoke’ naiontatewenniióhake’.
Translation by Karonhí:io Delaronde