STORIES / Okara’shòn:’a
The return of the doll
We moved so many times that eventually, I lost the Christmas doll. Fifteen years ago, I was at a scrapping workshop with a very close and devoted friend, Pauline Wiedow. We were all sharing our favourite stories, and I told my story of the doll.
Christmas doll
Christmas was my favourite time of year. When I was about six years old, they had the most beautiful Christmas doll in the display of the general store.
D’ailleboust general store
There was a general store adjacent to the church. It was called Louis D'ailleboust store, and this store had everything and anything.
Where I grew up
It’s a joy to see my grandchildren where I grew up. I never thought I’d have grandchildren. All of a sudden, you’re raising your own family, then the grandchildren come along.
Kahnawake before 1955
There’s a little house on the map named Tom Jacobs. Right behind that, by the river, there was a Manhattan beach, they called it. It was my brother’s place, William Cross The River.
Brick house by the riverside
My father built that house in 1925. It was there 1925 to 1955. They took it away for the Seaway in 55’.
Send the injun
I’m a mountain climber. Well, I used to be a mountain climber. As a matter of fact, I filmed the first Canadian ascent of Mount Everest, which was a flop.
The fourth child
Growing up, I always had dolls to play with, and I used to have dreams about having my own children. Bringing them around the kitchen table and making sure the table was always full. When we had our five children, I was a stay-at-home mom.
Only child
I had a brother. Thirteen years born after me, but he was stillborn. I had a brother for not even an hour.
Dawned on me
I always remember how it started. I was working, it was very shady during those summer days. And all of a sudden, it dawned on me, what I wanna be.
Creation story
I don’t know if Spirit up there, somewhere, is watching over us. When things happen, you go back to your Creation Story, and Creation Story tells us that when we’re born, we come from Spirit World, and we come into this physical world to have an experience of what it’s like to be physical.
The river and the land
When I was born, the seaway had just opened. The water at the river was still clean. I don’t think you could drink it at that time, but the water was clear.
Tourists in town
When we were kids, it seemed like everybody would hang around behind the church. They used to call it the fort.