The wagon
Kateri Deer (left) and her older sister, Norma Bova Canoe (left), pose with their grandmother, Betsy Foot Bova. Taken in the 1940s on Cornwall Island. (Courtesy: Kateri Deer)
Story told by Kateri Deer
I remember my grandma had a friend she would call “the lady who played good music.” She lived across the Cornwall Bridge and we used to bring butter, cream, milk and things like that to trade with her.
I was a little bit chubby when I was a kid so my grandma told my father, “You’re going to have to make a wagon for this kid because halfway coming back she gets sleepy.”
She said she couldn’t carry me because I was a little bit too heavy, especially with all the stuff she was already carrying.
The next time we were going over the bridge, my father came out with a little wagon.
I guess it worked the way she wanted because the next thing I know I’m waking up and my father said, “You were sleeping and I took you all the way and you didn’t even notice.”
When you’re a kid you just kind of sleep through it all.
Kanien'kéha
↓
Kanien'kéha ↓
Tékeni teiokahkwèn:tonte’ ka’nerohkwáhere’ eksà:’a iontita’áhstha’
Kateri Deer stands with her maternal family in Cornwall Island. Her grandmother is on the far right and Kateri is directly in front of her. (Courtesy: Kateri Deer)
Kateri Deer iakoká:raton
Ken’ shikà:’a kè:iahre’ aksotkénha iakotshishèn:tahkwe’ ne iakón:kwe iontatena’tónhkhwa’ ne “enierennà:ren’ karenní:io’s.” Ia’teniakwahskwí:ia’ke’ Tsi Kaná:taien’ ieniákwe’ tsi nón: tiè:teron. Owistóhsera’, kawistohserókwen tánon’ onòn:ta’ ieniéhawe’ tentiatá:ton’.
Wakare’sénhne’ ken’ shikà:’a, ákhsotha’ wahonwahró:ri rake’níha, “Ó:nen’k tsi enhshe’serehtónnien’ ne kí:ken eksà:’a ne tsi nó:nen tentiákwe’ iakoserénhtara’s.”
Wa’ì:ron’ iah thaón:ton’ taiontià:tahkwe’ só:tsi ó:nen ostón:ha watia’tákste’, iah thaón:ton’ taiontià:tahkwe’ só:tsi nia’té:kon iakohkwitahrhonhátie’.
Tsi ó:nen ó:ia’ ionsaká:ienhte’ wa’tiakwahkswiià:khe’, rake’níha tahaiá:ken’ne’ ra’serehtì:sere’ ne waha’serehtísa’.
Khé:re ki’ tsi wa’oió’ten’ tsi nahò:ten’ teiakotonhontsoníhne’ ne tsi tha’katierénhstsi’ sewatie’onhátie’ tánon’ rake’níha wahèn:ron’, “Senta’shétie’ sakonia’titáhko’ ne ka’seréhtakon, iah ki’ thé:nen tesattó:ken.”
Nó:nen seksà:’a ensénta’we’ tánon’ iah thé:nen thahsáttoke’ tsi nahò:ten’ wa’tisatohétsten’.
Translated by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette