Restore the friendship
Spectators observe dancers in their regalia during Kahnawà:ke’s first powwow in July of 1991. (Courtesy: Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Story told by Sonny Joe Cross
When they had the crisis in Kanehsatà:ke back in 1990, a lot of people had bad feelings towards us. So, we had powwows to restore the friendship.
We said, “Come and find out for yourself.” And they did find out. They never dealt with people so friendly.
We also had powwows for the community to make money. A lot of people made beadwork and baskets and all that.
I worked there for three or four years. When I got there, there was garbage thrown everywhere so I volunteered to restore the area when the powwows first started. I worked very hard.
Then I helped put the tents up for the people in case it rained.
On Saturday and Sunday, I would go there at 5 o’clock in the morning with a rake because there were wrappers and papers around where people would eat. I would rake the whole area so it would be nice and clean when the people started coming at 9 o’clock.
Then I used to empty the garbage cans. I had just come back from New York. Usually, when people come back from New York, they have a white shirt on, a nice tie. But here I am with the garbage can. They must have thought I was crazy or something. Anyway, the job was done.
At the beginning it was volunteer work. Then there was a free meal, and you could stay to see the show if you wanted to. Then later on, because they started making a little money, they started paying people. It wasn’t much but they had free meals. It was very good.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Aonsakakwatá:ko’ ne atenrò:sera’
A dancer in mid-step during the 2015 Kahnawake powwow. (Courtesy: Phil Audet)
Sonny Joe Cross ROKÁ:RATON
Sha’thonwati’nikonhrhá:ren’ ne Kanehsatà:ke ne tióhton iawén:re tewen'niáwe tióhton niwáhsen shiiohserá:te', é:so iá:kon iah teioiánere’ tsi ní:tsi wa’onkhika’én:ion’. Sok thò:ne tsi iontha’towanahtáhkhwa’ wa’akwaterihwahténtia’te’ ne ki’ ne aonsakakwatá:ko’ ne atenrò:sera'.
Wa’akwèn:ron', “Kásewe sewataterihwatshénrie’s.” Sok tó:kenske eh na’á:wen'. Iah nonwén:ton tha’tehonatátken nón:kwe ne eh nihonatonkwe’tátewe’.
Ne ò:ni' tsi iontha’towanahtáhkhwa’ wa’akwaterihwahténtia’te’ ne ki’ wáhi ne ohwísta’ tahontèn:tsha’ ne kanakeráhsera’. É:so iá:kon wa’tietsi’nehtará:ron’ tánon’ wa’on’therón:ni’ tánon' eh karátie' akwé:kon ne tho niiorihò:ten's.
Áhsen tóka’ ni' kaié:ri niiohserá:ke eh niwatió’tehkwe’. Ok shiahà:kewe’, kheh tkanonhwenhskerontiéhseron tsik nón:we thí:ken sok ki’ wa’kathonkária’ke' ne taonsakohtáhrho tsi ní:wa' shontontáhsawen’ onterihwahtén:ti’ tsi iontha’towanahtáhkhwa’. Kwah tokèn:’en ontió’ten’.
Sok wa’katahsnié:nen’ wa’akwa’tohserotónnion’ ne nón:kwe akorihwà:ke á:re’ shí:ken eniokén:nore’.
Shiwentákta tánon’ Shiiawententa'ón'ke, eh ién:ke’ wísk niiohwistà:’e’ nohrhon’kéhstsi teká:naks khá:wi’ ase'kénh kheh tewatiéhseron ne teiehwawen’ékstha’ tánon’ kahiatónhsera’ tsi nón:we ón:kwe teniontskà:hon’. Kwah akwé:kon tsi ní:wa' ténkenake' ne ki’ ne kwah aioianeréhake’ aiotkweniénhston nó:nen ón:kwe éntien’ ne tióhton niiohwistà:’e.
Sok ki’ enkkahrhaté:ni’ ne ienonhwenhskeraráhkhwa’. Òn:wa'k Kanón:no sha’tontá:ke’. Iotkà:te', nó:nen ón:kwe Kanón:no na’téntien’, kwah watia’tawi’tsherarà:ken watia’tawi’tsherí:io iakotstonhátie’, wathnia’saniahtsherí:io. Nek tsi kheh kèn:’en íske's ienonhwenskeraráhkhwa’ sékhawe’. Ki’ ónhte wáhi wahón:nehre’ tsi tekanonhwarawén:rie’ tóka’ ni' ok nahò:ten'. Tiótkon ki’, ontio’tenhserísa’. Kahonkarià:khsera’ kénhne' shontontáhsawen’. Sok iah teiokaraientátie’ kákhwa’ wa’ónkenonte’ tánon’ enwá:ton’ enhsaterakén:rie’ nahsaterò:roke’ ne tewatierónnion tóka’ enhsahská:neke’. Sok ohna’kèn:ke, tsi nek ne iá:ken wahonthwistón:ni’, tahontáhsawen’ wahshakotikária’khse’ nón:kwe. Iah é:so tekénhne’ nek tsi iah teiokaraientátie’ kákhwa’ wa’onkhí:nonte’. É:so tsi karihwiióhne'.
Translation by Karonhí:io Delaronde