Women and Mother Earth
Wari Ioriwioston Beauvais holds her baby in a cradle board as they pose for a portrait. Photo was taken around 1903. (Courtesy: Kanien’keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Story told by Mitch Deer
The most important thing in our culture is the women, not the men. We are only tools of the nation. We protect, slash, hunt. That’s all we do.
We’re not as close to Mother Earth as women are, all women are close to Mother Earth. Even when our women dance, their feet don’t ever leave the ground, they shuffle and slide their feet. Because you don’t ever break that bond between Mother Earth and her.
Women bring in the kids, men don’t have that gift. Women have the special gift of giving life. We don’t have that. We play a small, important role in making kids but women go through all the pain, they go through all the bleeding in the 28 days. We don’t have the same emotions. That’s why we need the perspective from the women.
Konnón:kwe’ tánon Ionkhi’nisténha Onhóntsa’
Credit: Melissa Stacey
Mitch Deer roká:raton
Konnón:kwe nè:’e aonhà:’a tkontiia’tanó:ron tsi nonkwá:ti ne tsi niionkwarihò:ten’. Nek ié:ken iakwáhstase naiethiienawa’sénion ne onkwentióhkwa’. Iakwanónhstats, teiakwata’sharaièn:tons, iakwató:rats. Nè:’e khok niiakwaiéhrha’.
Iah tho niió:re ákta’ teionkwathá:te ne tsi ionhontsá:te tsi ní:ioht ne konnón:kwe, akwé:kon konnón:kwe’ ákta ionathá:te ne Ionkhi’nisténha tsi Ionhontsá:te. Khó:ni’ nó:nen takontinónniahkwe’, iah nowén:ton iah nonwén:ton thaontakontiratá:ko’ ne ionhwentsà:ke, tekonrahsi’takaránies, tekonrahsi’tì:seres. Áse’kenh iah nowén:ton thaón:ton’ táhsia’ke tsi sha’teiotirihò:ten.
Konnón:kwe takonwatiia’tenhawíhtha’ ne ratiksa’okòn:’a, ronnón:kwe iah tho tehoti’shatstenhserò:ten’. Konnón:kwe’ ioti’shatstenhserá:ien se’ aiakonónhnhete’ ne akó:ren. Iah ì:’i teionkwá:ien thí:ken. Ken’ niiorihwà:sa’s, nek tsi iorihowá:nen nahò:ten’ ionkwateríhonte tsi teiakwathwatsíria’ks nek tsi konnón:kwe’ wahi konteronhiakénhstha’, 28 niwenhniserá:ke akwé:kon akanéhkwen’ ne akorihwà:ke.. Tha’teionkwa’nikon:rate. Ne:’e aorihwà:ke ó:nenk tsi aionkwaién:take’ tsi ní:tsi tekontiká:nere ne konnón:kwe’.
Translation by Katsenhaién:ton Lazare
A painting entitled, “Women’s Shuffle Dance,” by Dave Fadden depicts two Onkwehón:we girls dancing the Women’s Shuffle. In dancing the Women’s Shuffle, a woman’s feet do not break contact with the ground as she dances to symbolize her gratitude and connection to Mother Earth. (Courtesy: Dave Fadden).