The Baptism Book
Courtesy: Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center
Story told by Kevin Ka’nahsóhon Deer
My mom baptized me, but when I got older, I re-learned my culture, my history and my language. So me and another friend of mine, we went to the church to go talk to the priest.
“Take my name off this book,” I said.
“What do you mean?” the priest said.
“When I was three months old, my mother had no right to baptize me and make me a so-called Roman Catholic, but she did, and that’s how I’m registered. But I don’t want to be registered as a Roman Catholic anymore. I’m Onkwehón:we. We have our own spirituality and our own worldview.”
“If I take your name off this book, you’re never going to see God,” he said.
“You know what? I don’t care. You have no more control over me. I went back and I followed the White Roots of Peace back to the Great Tree, and I see the Great Spirit in many things. Take my name off this book.”
“I can’t do that. You’ve got to get a lawyer and a judge to tell me if you’ll be registered as a Longhouse or an Aboriginal belief.”
“I’ll be back one day,” I said. “Next time I come back, there won’t be only two of us. There’ll be 2,000 of us. When I tell you to take my name off this book, you’ll do it.”
He didn’t like that I was challenging him, but that’s what it is.
Tsi iontenehkwa’éhstha’ kahiatónhsera’
Kevin Ka’nahsóhon Deer roká:raton
Ake’nisténha wa’onkenehkwà:’ehste’, nok tsi sénha tontién:ta’ne’, sakateweientéhta’ne’ akhsén:na, tsi niionkwaia’tawénhseron tánon’ wa’kà:ronke’ akewén:na. Né: ká:ti’ í: tánon’ akò:ren tsi ionterennaientáhkhwa’ nia’ákene’ taiakwahthá:ren ne ratsihénhstatsi’.
“Takhsennará:ko kí:ken kahiatonhserà:ke kahiá:ton,” wa’kì:ron’.
“Oh nahò:ten tsí:ton? ” tahèn:ron’ ne ratsihénhstatsi’.
“Áhsen niwenhnì:take shitewatién:tahkwe’, iah teiakorihwaién:tahkwe’ ake’nisténha naionkenehkwà:’ehste’ aionkónnien’ tatiahsónthake’, nek tsi eh tho na’é:iere’, tánon’ tho ní:tsi khsén:nare. Nek tsi iah ó:nen téskehre’ tatiahsónthake’ tsi ní:tsi akhsenná:rake’. Konkwehón:we. Ionkwá:ien í: tsi niionkwarihò:ten’ nok tsi ní:ioht tsi teiakwakà:nere tsi ionhontsá:te.”
“Tóka’ enkonhsennará:ko’ kí:ken kahiatonhserà:ke kahiá:ton, iah nonwén:ton tehtskèn:sere’ Rawenní:io,” wahèn:ron’.
“Íhsehre’ ken nahò:ten’? Iah tekatsterístha’. Iah thé:nen thahskwé:ni’ taontahsanóhton’. Ionsakáhkete’ tánon’ wákhsere’ ne kahtehrarà:ken’s tsi niió:re Tsonerahtase’kó:wa, tánon’ katkáhthos Ka’shatstenhsera’kó:wa ítewa nia’té:kon nahò:ten’. Takhsennará:ko kí:ken kahiatonhserà:ke kahiá:ton.”
“Iah thaón:ton’ tho nátiere’. Ó:nen’k tsi teierihwakéhnhas nok teieia’toréhtha’ enionkhró:ri’ tóka’ enhtshenná:rake’ ne Sanonhsesró:non tóka’ ni’ ó:ia nahò:ten’ onkwehón:we tiakawehtáhkwen.”
“Katkehshòn:’ak énskewe’,” wa’kì:ron’. “Ó:ia ienskáhewe’ tsi énskewe’, iah okenonhà:’ak thakénhake’. Tékeni teiohsénhserote’ neniatiónhake’. Nó:nen enkonhró:ri’ ahsekhsennará:ko’ kí:ken kahiatonhserà:ke kahiá:ton, eh tho nienhénhsiere’.”
Iah tehotshennonníhahkwe’ tsi rinenhrotá:ni, nek tsi tho ki’ ní:ioht.
Translation by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette