Nevins street
A map created by cartographer William Perris in 1855 loosely encompasses the colloquially-termed Little Caughnawaga in Brooklyn, New York. (Courtesy: New York Public Library Digital Collections)
Story told by Mitch Deer
We grew up in the Bronx. We didn’t live in Brooklyn because that’s where all the Mohawks lived. All the ironworkers. It was a whole community of ironworkers that worked all over New York. They built most of the big buildings there, bridges, the World Trade Centre.
My mother didn’t want to live there cause she married a white guy, an Italian. She didn’t want those guys to get on her case about marrying a white guy. So she stayed away.
But yet, we’d go to Brooklyn to see the Indians. She used to know them. We would go to Nevins street and they’d be standing on the street, talking. They used to talk about old times and people and everything like that. Just stand on the corner and talk, talk, talk. Sometimes for two or three hours, they’re talking, just visiting.
We didn’t know what the hell they were talking about. We were just kids. I didn’t hang too much with them. I mean, only when we got a little bit older because then I knew some of them. But my mother and the Indians in Brooklyn knew everybody.
That’s what we used to do.
Nevins tsi iohá:te’
Ironworkers Keith McComber of Kahnawake and Marvin Davis of Six Nations are pictured atop the structure of the Bear Stearns Building in New York City after erecting the final beam. As part of topping out tradition, a Christmas tree and an American flag are hoisted along with the last piece of steel. Photo was taken in 2000. (Courtesy: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Mitch Deer roká:raton
Bronx nón:we tionkwatehiahròn:’on. Iah tetiakwanákerehkwe’ ne Brooklyn ase’kén tho nón: nihatinákerehkwe’ nakwé:kon Kanien’kehá:ka. Akwé:kon tsi nihá:ti ne karistà:ke rotiió’te’. Ratirista’kehró:non ronatená:taien kanatakwé:kon ne Kanón:no rotiio’ténion. Thó:ha akwé:kon tsi ní:kon iononhsa’karaténion, ne wahskwahrónnion tánon’ ne World Trade Centre rotikétskwen tho nón:we.
Ake’nisténha iah tha’teiakotonhontsoníhne’ tho iaióntien’ né: tsi renhnarà:ken wahotiníake’, Tariién: nahaia’tò:ten’. Iah tha’teiakotonhontsoníhne’ thí: ronnón:kwe ahshakonatkón:ten’ tsi renhnarà:ken wahotíniake’. Né: ká:ti wa’ontohtáhrho’.
Eh tho sá:ne, Brooklyn ieiakwéhtha’ iakhiiatken’sè:re’s nonkwehón:we. Ronwatiienteríhahkwe’. Nevins tsi iohá:te’ ieniákwe’ tánon’ tho ohahà:ke rón:nete’ tehotíhthare’. Enhatihthá:rahkwe’ shes tsi nitiohtòn:ne’ tánon’ enhonwatihthá:rahkwe’ ne onkwehshòn:’a. Akwé:kon neh nahò:ten’. Kwah nek ki’ tsi iothióhsate’ tenhatí:ta’ne’ tánon’ enhitkaratónnion’. Sewatié:rens tékeni tóka’ ni’ áhsen nenkahwistà:’eke’ tehotíhthare’, rotinatahré:nen ki’.
Mitch’s stepfather, Tony Amato, and his mother, Lily Deer, pose with a boxer at a nightclub in New York City. Photo was taken in the 1940s. (Courtesy: Mitch Deer)
Iah ki’ thé:nen teiontiaterièn:tarahkwe’ oh kwah nahò:ten’ rotihtharáhkwen. Ken’k shiiakeniksà:’a. Iah teiotkà:te’ skátne naiakwè:sheke’ thí:. Ká:ton ki’, tsik ostón:ha sénha taionkeniién:ta’ne’, né: tsi wa’kheientéhrha’ne’ nótia’ke. Nek tsi ake’nisténha tánon’ nonkwehón:we ne Brooklyn thatinákere’ akwé:kon ronwatiienté:ri.
Tho shes niiakwaiéhrha’.
Translation by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette