STORIES / Okara’shòn:’a
A Child’s Mind
I believe I was given a ring for my communion. It was a nice ring, I liked it. One day, when I was wearing it, I showed it to my mom. I told her, “Mom, the ring is hurting me.”
Life in Coney Island
My older brother, Steve, was really my guardian; I was not allowed to go no place, no place, no place, unless he was with me.
Welcomed with open arms
We were bringing women up to the Laurentians to do sweat lodges, talking circles, and sharing circles with Sedalia Fazio, the elder for the Native Women's Shelter. She's become my elder too, for 18 years. That was my introduction to my culture, and where I started working and taking part in the community.
Bees are my medicine
Beekeeping came to me about eight years ago. I was in a really tough place emotionally and mentally, so I decided to take three months off work. I went to a lodge in the Munsee Delaware Nation for three weeks, with 18 other women.
Fluttering yellow tape
It was the spirit of the wind, sending me a message: “It’s time. You need to take those steps, and you need to move forward.” Not just moving forward on this bridge but truly moving forward on my path.
Buffalo Burger
We didn’t always have a powwow in Kanehsatà:ke. The powwow started here in the 90s after the Siege of Kanehsatà:ke. Walter David Sr. started it in July, but it’s now done at the end of August.
The Fair Dance
The Council House had these big windows, almost from the floor up. Out in the back, the young guys would come and call flirtatiously towards the girls who hung out the window. Courting kinds of things and all that sort of stuff.
Learning to Dance
All those dances at the Council House, they were always a big deal when we were kids – teenagers. I remember the first dance I went to with a date. We were both kids and we'd been friends forever. Neither one of us knew how to dance.
The other incident
On our way home in the car, I was daydreaming, it wasn’t even me that was driving. I was just on autopilot.
The story of how we met
I didn’t want to go home early, especially not on a Sunday night. So, he gave me a ride home and then we kind of made it a habit. Whenever I’d see him, I’d say, “Can you give me a ride home?”
Resilience and recovery
Back in May of 2023, I underwent a significant operation on my legs due to a blockage in one of my veins.
They breathe, we breathe
There is another way to live with one another that acknowledges and understands that we are part of the land our Mother, we are not separate from her.
Playing sports
I played all kinds of sports growing up and excelled in most of them, especially softball and football. Eventually, I began coaching men's and women's softball here in The Pines. In the 70s and 80s, we played a lot of softball games against different communities, like Kahnawà:ke.
Giving thanks
When I was growing up, my parents always made me go to kindergarten and church. My mother was a teacher, and she would take me with her.
Fan for life
The thing about Winston is he knew the game so well because he lived baseball. This guy knows more baseball than anybody I ever met.
Triple play
When they put the ballfield where it is now - next to the Kateri hospital - the patients would come there and watch. I played the outfield, I played shortstop, and I played third base. I even pulled a triple play.
Wanting to learn
To discuss in our language what we can do for the community would be wonderful. That's where I see our younger people who have learned the language stepping forward and taking over leadership.
Creating trade routes
We used to trade with other nations and bring goods up to Quebec City to get lobster and salmon in return. There were talks at the Chiefs’ table at the Iroquois caucus about creating trade routes.