Still Kanien’kehá:ka
Tealey Ka’senni:saks Normandin at age three celebrating her first Christmas in her new house, 1968. (Courtesy: Tealey Ka’senni:saks Normandin)
Story told by Tealey Ka’senni:saks Normandin
Being a child of the Sixties Scoop, I had somewhat of a cultural clash. My world views were non-Native, but then I started learning about the culture.
There was always this big thundercloud above my head, and it came from a place of thinking, am I accepted in the white world or am I accepted in the Indigenous world?
It was very confusing, but through teachings I’ve learned that I am a sacred being, Creator recognizes me, and I can be accepted in both realms. Once I came to that realization, the thundercloud was no longer threatening.
Even just learning the Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen, it took me I don’t know how many years to have the courage to say it out loud. Even though I don’t have the language, and I don’t live here in Kahnawà:ke, this is my community, my territory, and I am still Kanien’kehá:ka.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Shé:kon Kanien'kehá:ka Na'tia'tò:ten'
Tealey Ka’senni:saks Normandin (left) and her biological sister Denise Chanel (right), August 2024. (Courtesy: Tealey Ka’senni:saks Normandin)
Tealey Ka’senni:saks Normandin IAKOKÁ:RATON
Tsi 60 niiohserò:ten's shihshakotiia'totsenhtonhátie' nikeksa'tò:ten, tsi ní:ioht iá:ken ne wa'tewakatonhontsí:sahse'. Iah teiakonkwehón:we tsi niiakorihò:ten onkwá:ton'se' ne tsi ní:ioht tsi katkáhthos ne tsi ionhontsá:te', nek tsi thò:ne ki' takatáhsawen' wa'keweientéhta'ne' ne tsi niionkwarihò:ten.
Tió:konte' kí:ken iowè:ren iotshá:tare' è:neken wakatenontsístate' tewake'rhoròn:ne', tánon' tsi ionnonhtonniónhkhwa' nitiawé:non, ionkerihwanòn:we's ken ne Ratihnara'kèn:ke káton ionkerihwanòn:we's ken ne Onkwehonwè:ke?
É:so tsi teioni'tonnia'tòn:ne', nek tsi karihonniennihtsherakónhshon wa'keweientéhta'ne' tsi kanó:ron tsi nikonkwe'tò:ten, Shonkwaia'tíson' ratién:tere's, tánon' wá:tons se' wáhi tetsarónhkwen na'onhóntsati aionkerihwanòn:we'ne'. Shonke'nikòn:rohte' eh nón:we, sonteríhsi' tsi niióthteron ne thí:ken iowè:ren iotshá:tare'.
Khò:ni' tsi nek wa'keweientéhta'ne ne Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen, se' kenh é:so iohserá:ke ontóhetste' tsi niió:re tonkwatónnien' tsi niwake'nikonhratshà:ni ne iorakarè:ni akaterihwahnó:ton'. Aronhátien káti' ken tsi iah tekahrónkha', tánon' iah kèn:tho Kahnawà:ke tekì:teron, ì:'i ki' wáhi akená:ta' ne kí:ken, tsi wakatenonhstá:ton, tánon' shé:kon Kanien'kehá:ka na'tia'tò:ten'.
Translated by Karonhí:io Delaronde