A story with a lesson
Margaret Skye, wife of Vaughn Diabo, takes her acting scene upstream in a canoe, as part of a show in 1912. (Courtesy: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Story told by Darrell Thompson
I was visiting my grandparents one weekend when I was growing up, and I didn’t want to finish my food. My grandfather sat me down and told me a story about this man who needed a new way to provide and care for his family.
The man decided to fish as a new means to provide for his family, so he gathered all his supplies on his boat and set sail to begin the season.
Fishing alone, the man would reel in his net and catch more than he needed. Not being mindful, the man would choose all his favourite fish for himself and his family and chuck the rest ashore. Most fish died without being lucky enough to be flip-flopped back into the water.
After the fishing season was over, his daughter started to experience seizures. The man was so confused about why his daughter was having seizures, and not one doctor could explain her illness.
The man had a realization that his daughter was imitating the fish flip-flopping that he had wasted all season ashore.
Acknowledging that he had become so disconnected and not grounded, he remembered Mother Earth will always provide for us as long as we are thankful and only take what we need.
And so, he had to find a means of making things right with the fish so that his daughter's wellness would return.
When he did, she recovered from her illness.
My grandfather reminded me that we are always grateful for all creation and not to waste.
Both my grandparents were very understanding people and would say, “Come here, I want to tell you something.”
They would always sit us down and tell us a story that had the lesson within itself. The cool part about it is that they always referred back to our Creation story and explained how it is our role and responsibility to realize each action and path we take has consequences.
We are strong Onkwehón:we people who come from peace. We are family, and we stick together and work it out.
I always appreciated how they explained life’s obstacles to us and why the stories of our culture are so important to keep being told and continue to do so for a living as a cultural instructor teaching and sharing stories.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Skaká:ra ne karihonnienníhtshera' kahá:wi
Surgical rooms might be equipped to provide care and support for more conventional illnesses, but are often less suited for recovery from the strong lessons provided by Mother Earth. (Courtesy: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Darrell Thompson ROKÁ:RATON
Énska iotia'hia'ksero'ktà:'on shiwakatehiahróntie' khenatahrená:wi khehsothokòn:'a, tánon' iah tewakè:ron akatekhwísa' akékhwa'. Wahakitskó:ten' ki' ne rakhsótha' tánon kí:ken shaià:ta rón:kwe tsi nihorihò:ten wahakkaratón:hahse' néne tehotonhontsoníhahkwe' á:se' aonsahaterien'tatshén:ri' tsi ní:ioht tsi tahshakorihwásnie'se' raohwá:tsire'. Wahate'nikonhrísa' ki' kí:ken rón:kwe nahahrióhkawine' tsi tenhshakorihwásnie'se' raohwá:tsire', né: káti' waharò:roke' raowenhshòn:'a raohón:wakon waháta' tánon' wahathonwahtén:ti' wahathsiró:ten' naontahatáhsawen' tsi niionhriohkawí:nes.
Tsi raonhà:'ak rahriohkawí:nes, enthahseriie'tatihéntho' shos raó:wen ionta'aróhkhwa' kí:ken rón:kwe kwah enhotontstáhkwen'. Tsi iah teha'nikòn:rare', enhará:ko' akwé:kon tsi nikentsò:ten's naonhà:'a thanòn:we's né: ki' ne raónha tánon' raohwá:tsire' raotirihwà:ke tánon' kheh ehtiiò:ke thienhotiéhseron' ne iotatenránion. Thóha akwé:kon wa'konníheie' ne kéntson tsi iah tho teionatera'swiióston awèn:ke iaonsakón:ne'.
Shontò:kten' tsi niionhriohkawí:nes, shakoièn:'a tontáhsawen' wa'akohsiá:ra'ne'. É:so tsi wa'thoni'tónnien' aho'nikonhraién:ta'ne' kí:ken rón:kwe ne nahò:ten' tiorì:wa' tsi iakohsiá:ra's ne shakoièn:'a, tánon' iah tseia'tátha ne iontétsen'ts teiakokwénion aie'nikonhraién:taste' tsi niiakononhwaktenhtsherò:ten.
Ó:nen ki' ionsaháhewe' kí:ken rón:kwe tsi shakoièn:'a takonwatina'ké:ren' néne tsi niká:ien' kéntson teionani'tsonhkwahkwánion ákte'k nitsonatia'taiera'tánion' shakotiesahtánion ehtiiò:ke akenhnhakwé:kon.
Tsi ó:nen saharihwaién:tere'ne' tsi niió:re' tsi iah tesha'nikonhrakwé:kon, sahrehià:ra'ne' tsi Iethi'nisténha Onhóntsa' tiokontáhkwen taiakotkahwenhátie' ne nahò:ten' tionhnhéhkwen tsik tóka' ok wató:ken teniethinonhweratónsheke' tánon' nek éntewatste' tsi nahò:ten' teionkwatonhontsó:ni.
Tsi eh nahá:iere', saieie'wén:ta'ne' tsi iakononhwáktani.
Rakhsótha' wahakwehiahráhkwen' tsi tiokontáhkwen tewatonhnhahrá:ni akwé:kon nahò:ten' sha'oié:ra tánon' ne tóhsa othé:nen aietewatié:sahte'. É:so tsi roti'nikonhrowanèn:ne' tetsá:ron ne khehsothokòn:'a tánon' enhnì:ron' shos, "Ká:ts kèn:'en, í:kehre' nahò:ten' akonhró:ri'."
Tió:konte' shos enionkhitskó:ten' enionkhikaratón:hahse' skaká:ra néne iorihowá:nen karihonnienníhtshera' kahá:wi'. Né: wáhi tio'nikonhratihénthoht tsi tiótkon onkwaká:ra' Tsi Ní:tsi Tiotonhontsatáhsawe' ieskonhtsá:tons tánon' ioti'nikonhraientáston tsi ì:'i nen' nè:'e ionkwateríhonte' ionkwaterihwaién:ni naionkwató:kenhse' tsi ok nahò:ten' tsohnhonterátie' akwé:kon tsi nentewaieránion' nothé:nen.
Kwah tewa'shátste' tsi nitionkwehonwehserò:ten néne skennèn:ke nitionkwenónhton. Kahwá:tsire' ne tewakwé:kon, tetewataterihwasniè:se' tánon' ionkwaterihwahseronnià:tskon.
Tió:konte' wakera'sè:se' tsi ní:ioht tsi teionkhirihwathe'tén:ni tsi niiorihò:ten ne tsi iakoio'tá:ti tsi iakónhnhe' tánon' ne tsi niiorihowá:nen tsi niiorihò:ten ne tsi nitewaweiennò:ten' aokara'shòn:'a né: ki' wáhi ne ieiotkontáhkwen aonthroríhake' tánon' ienskatahsónteren' nì:'i enskatonhnhí:sakste' tsi tsi niionkwarihò:ten aorihwa'shòn:'a kherihonnién:ni tánon' tsi khekaratón:ni.
Edited by: Santana Deer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde