A connection to the past
In this painting, we see a woman, walking out from a house, presumably inspired by Tsotahari:io's house. (Courtesy: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Story told by Leonard Bordeau
I have a wood stove at home in my basement. I always have a good supply of wood. It’s kind of like a connection to my past.
My wood stove is not my primary source of heat, but on those days where it’s absolutely freezing out, I go in the basement, fire up the woodstove, and in no time, you could feel it. Within two hours, I could go into the basement with short sleeves on. It’s nice and comfortable.
There are times when my wife will say, “I have a load of laundry to do today…it’s cold out.”
It’s almost like a hint to go and fire up the woodstove. We have a dryer, but I say why use the dryer? You fire up that wood stove, and it dries all of our clothes. We found a way of hanging up the laundry so that’s no problem for me.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Tewakahsontéhrha' tsi nitia'to'ténhne' ne wahón:nise'
Leonard and his wife at their wedding standing before the officiant as he speaks his lines (Courtesy: Leonard Bordeau)
Leonard Bordeau ROKÁ:RATON
Ó:iente' watónthos wakaterístote' akonhontsó:kon nonkwá:ti. Tiokontáhkwen ioiánere' tsi ní:kon watientaién:tahkwe'. Kwah tsi ní:ioht nè:'e tewakahsontéhrha' ne tsi nitia'to'ténhne' ne wahón:nise'.
Akerístatsi iah nè:'e tetkaia'takwe'ní:io ne tsi nahò:ten' kátstha' tsi katenonhsatarihà:tha' nek tsi neh tewenhniseraténion kátke' nó:nen kwah tokèn:'en enwathó:rate', akonhontsó:kon ién:ke', entientóntho' karístakon, sok iah tekarì:wes nohnà:ken, kwah tokèn:'en enhsáttoke'. Ká:ron ne tékeni tenkahwistà:'eke', enwá:ton' onhontsó:kon ién:ke' kwah ken' na'tekanentshesónsha wakatstonhátie'. Ioiánere' tánon' ion'wé:sen.
Khekstén:ha iokwenhrá:ron shos eniè:ron', "Wakhriè:naien' onetstá:kwara' kenoharéhe' òn:wa wenhniserá:te'... iothó:re' nátste."
Kwah tsi ní:ioht ne ionkwathióhskons nakaté:ka'te' karístakon. Kastathà:tha' ionkení:ien' nek tsi ká:ton oh nahò:ten' kásta ná:katste' thí:ken kastathà:tha'? Enhsaté:ka'te' karístakon tánon' nè:'e enkastatha'tánion' akwé:kon nontiathserónnia. Wa'atiaterien'tatshén:ri' tsi ní:tsi aiakenihá:ron' nonkeninetstá:kwara' tánon' orihwí:io onkwá:ton'se'.
Written by: Melissa Stacey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translation by: Karonhí:io Delaronde