Not just a hobby
Courtesy: Stephen Silverbear McComber
I learned to plant when I was a boy with my grandfather, so I’ve been planting a garden for the past almost 50 years now.
When I was 18, I made a garden at my parents’ place. I just went out, turned the land over and planted. I didn’t ask what to do. I already knew what to do. It’s like it’s in you.
And over the years, I always continued. Then eventually I started to get involved with seeds. I travelled throughout the Confederacy - in Onondaga, Tonawanda and Six Nations. Our cultures are related and part of our ways is that we always share seeds.
I’ve been saving seeds every year since I started a garden. I did it instinctively.
Today, people are referred to as “seed savers.” Well, I don’t really like that term for myself. If you’re a seed saver, it almost sounds like a hobby. But for me it isn’t. It’s part of my life. It’s something that I do, not just a hobby.
Kanien'kéha
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Kanien'kéha ↓
Iah se’ ion’wesenhtsherá:kon khok té:ken tsi nihaiéhrha’
Stephen is pictured with his mother, Irene McComber, as a toddler. (Credit: Stephen Silverbear McComber)
Stephen Silverbear McComber roká:raton
Ken’ shikà:’a wakeweientehtà:’on atiéntho’ rakhsótha’ teiakeniié:naskwe’. Ó:nen thó:ha wísk niwáhsen niiohserá:ke shikathehtón:ni.
Sha’té:kon iawén:re sha’tewakohseriià:kon, iontien’kéha takathehtón:ni’. Kwah nek ki’ ia’tiá:ken’ne’, wa’ki’tarakahrhatho’ tánon’ wa’tiéntho’. Iah tewakeri’wanón:ton oh nátiere’. Knà:’a wakaterièn:tarahkwe’ oh nátiere’. Sha’oié:ra ionkwaterièn:tare’ tsi niionkwaio’tenhserò:ten.
Tánon’ tsi niiohseré:son’s, tiótkon ia’katahsónteren’. Kháre ó:nen takatáhsawen’ akatià:ren’ tsi ní:we’ ne kanen’shòn:’a. Kanonhsionni’kéhshon wa’tkatstikahwha’– Onontà:ke, Tonawanda tánon’ Ohswé:ken. Akwé:kon tekontì:neren tsi niionkwarihò:ten’s tánon’ tho ki’ karátie’ tsi tió:konte’ sha’tentítewatste’ ne kanen’shòn:’a.
Wa’kateweièn:ton’ ne ká:nen kwah shontakatáhsawen’ wa’tiéntho’. Sha’oié:ra nontá:we’ tsi eh tho nà:tiere’. Nòn:wa, ón:kwe ronwatina’tónhkhwa’ ne “ká:nen ionteweièn:tons”. Iah ki’ ní: kwah tekhsennanòn:we’s thí:ken. Tóka’ ká:nen sateweièn:tons, á:ienhre’k ki’ tóka’ ion’wesenhtsherá:kon khók í:ken. Nek tsi nì:’i iah eh tho té:ioht. Tekenì:neren tsi ní:ioht tsi kónhnhe’. Eh tho ki’ nitiéhrha’, iah se’ ion’wesenhtsherá:kon khok té:ken tsi nitiéhrha’.
Translation by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette