Priceless
Ada Bonspiel rests in the cradleboard made for her by Joe. (Courtesy: Steve Bonspiel)
Story told by Joe Jacobs
Traditions are important. I’m doing the best that I can to keep our traditions going for the love of my children and the love of my grandchildren.
I was just telling my son-in-law Steve a couple of days ago that where my house is, it is priceless because I grew up here along with my siblings, this whole corner here. I raised my children here. My children ran around in the front yard. Onawa sat underneath the cedar tree, and my grandchildren are doing the same thing.
Now I’m just waiting for my granddaughter, Ada, to come sit under there. Maybe by this summer, she’ll be sitting under there and playing in the dirt like Onawa did when she was a young girl. It’s priceless because of the love my wife and I had for our family raising them here.
Kanien'kéha
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Kanien'kéha ↓
Kanó:ron
Joe’s grandchildren, Max (left) and Ada (right) Bonspiel. (Courtesy: Steve Bonspiel)
Iorihowá:nen tsi niionkwarihò:ten. Wakahkwísron iakkón:tahkwe’ tsi niionkwarihò:ten né:ne kheien’okòn:’a tánon’ kheiatere’okòn:’a raotirihwà:ke.
Tóhka nón:ta’ tsi náhe’ wahihró:ri’ riiehnhónsa Steve tsi nón: niwakenónhsote’, kanó:ron ase’kénh skátne kèn:tho ionkwatehià:ron ne iakwatate’ken’okòn:’a, akwé:kon kén: tsi iothióhsate’. Kèn:tho wa’kheiehià:ron’ ne kheien’okòn:’a. Ohén:ton nonkwá:ti aten’èn:rakon wahatitakhéhshon’. Onen’takwenhtenhtsheró:kon wa’óntien’ ne Oná:wa’, tánon’ né: shà:ka tsi nihatiiéhrha’ ne kheiatere’okòn:’a.
Ó:nen kwah nek khehrhá:re’ ne kheiaterè:’a, Ada, ká:ron naontá:ien’ nà:kon aióntien’. Tóka’ nòn:wa kí: akenhnhà:ke tá:we’, tho ni’ nà:kon nè:’e enietskó:take’ tánon’ o’kenhróskon eniakotkahri’tsherón:nike’ tsi ní:ioht ne Oná:wa’ nó:nen ken’k shiiá:ka’. Kanó:ron ki’ nen’ nè:’e ase’kénh tsi ní:kon iakhinorónhkhwa’ nonkenihwá:tsire’ tsi kèn:’en wa’akhiiehià:ron’.
Translated by Katsenhaién:ton Lazare