White Lightning
The Lafleur Butchers baseball team gathers after a game. Dave Lafleur is pictured second from the right in the top row. (Courtesy: Raina Meloche)
Story told by Winston Standup
The Lafleurs lived on my mother’s street. The father had a market in the village where the Court of Kahnawake is now, Lafleur’s Market. His name was Dave Lafleur.
They would pick dandelions and he would make his own wine.
One time we were playing softball in the schoolyard at Kateri School. The building where Kateri’s statue is now was the original school.
He said, “Winston, go to the house and ask Millie to give you a bottle. It’s in the bedroom underneath the bed.”
He hid them under there.
I brought a couple of bottles back to the field. They gave me a little to try and Jesus Murphy, I could feel it right up my goddamn nostrils! You don’t drink too much of that or you’ll be laying on the road with your legs up and your hands up.
You ever hear of the term white lightning? That’s white lightning.
White Lightning
Credit: Emma McLaughlin
Winston Standup ROKÁ:RATON
Lafleur’s ratinákerehkwe’ tsi nón: niiè:teron ne ake’nisténha.
Ronwa’níha thatkehrontáhkhwahkwe’ kaná:takon tsi nòn:wa nón: nikanónhsote’ ne Kahnwà:ke tsi teieia’torehtáhkhwa’.
Lafleur’s tsi iontkehrontáhkhwa’ nen’ nè:’e. Dave Lafleur ronwá:iatskwe’.
Kahonro’tótha’ otsi’tsa’shòn:’a enhatí:ko’ tánon’ otsì:tsa’ enhathnekón:ni’.
Énska ki’ thí:ken softball teionkwahthénno’ aten’èn:rakon ne Katerí: tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa’. Tsi nón: nikaia’tonníhserote’ ne Katerí: tho ki’ nón:we nikanonhsó:tahkwe’ tiotierénhton tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa’.
Wahèn:ron’, “Winston, sasahtén:ti tánon’ Millie sheri’wanón:tonhs aiesatshè:ton’. Tsi tionnonhwétstha’ kanaktó:kon tká:ien’.”
Kanaktó:kon ratshe’tahséhtha’ ne otsì:tsa’.
Tohkára nikatshè:take aten’èn:rakon tontákhawe’. Wa’onkhné:kanonte’ ostón:ha akátken’se’ tánon’ otkon’seráksen. Kwah tsi teke’nionkà:ronte’ niió:re’ ia’kontikwátho’. Tóhsa ki’ só:tsi shnekì:ra ase’kénh ohahà:ke enhsia’tionní:ke’ tánon’ è:neken na’tesateren’taierà:ton tánon’ senentshà:ke è:neken ieioné:non.
Nonwén:ton ken sawennahrón:ken ne white lightning? White lightning ki’ nen’ nè:’e.
Translation by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette