Beginnings in the Longhouse
The Haudenosaunee Mohawk Trail Longhouse, as seen in circa 2026. (Credit: George Rahrhaient:ri Ross)
Story told by Joe Deom
For most of my childhood, I lived in Brooklyn, New York. The only time I would visit Kahnawake was over the summer.
I had absolutely no inkling of the Longhouse or that it even existed. My mother didn’t make any effort to educate me about it because of the conflicts that were going on between the Longhouse and Band Council at the time.
On the fourth of July, everyone would vote for the new council. I remember being so proud of myself when I voted for the first time. I had just turned 18 and was excited because my uncle Watio was running. I was hearing a lot of bad talk about the council and I couldn’t understand why. The council was bad-mouthed no matter who was in it and what they were doing.
When I finally learned about the band council’s beginnings and how the longhouse was petitioning against them, I began to question what the Longhouse was about.
Besides that, being a part of the school committee also taught me a lot about the Longhouse. I started going to funerals, ceremonies, and teachings, which helped me decide that I didn’t want to be a part of the catholic church anymore.
One thing that always disappointed me with the catholic church was the drinking. We drank for every occasion, whether it was christenings, weddings, birthdays, or funerals. It took me a while to get out of that mindset; 1993 was the last time I had a drink.
I figured that the premise of Christianity is based in the Middle East, what do we have to do with that? All of our spirituality and traditions exist here. Our culture is very family-oriented which is what I love about it, that’s what convinced me to get involved with the Longhouse.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Tsi Ní:Tsi Takatáhsawen' Ne Kanonhsésne Tsi Niiorihò:ten
(Courtesy: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Joe Deom ROKÁ:RATON
Thóha akwé:kon tsi nikarì:wes shikeksà:'a, Brooklyn, New York tki'terón:tahkwe. Thò:nek tsi niwakénhnhes Kahnawà:ke ién:ke'.
Kwah iah thahò:ten tewakaterièn:tarahkwe ne Kanonhsésne tsi niiorihò:ten tóka'ni tsi kanonhsá:tehkwe. Iah othé:nen orì:wa teiakaón:ni nake'nisténha ne aionke'nikonhraientásten' tsi niiorihò:ten thí:ken áse' kenh tsi é:so teka'nikonhrharónnionhkwe tsi na'tehóntere ne Kanonhseshá:ka tánon ne Ratitsénhaiens ne tho shitkahá:wi.
Ne kaié:ri shískare ne Ohiarihkó:wa, akwé:kon enhshakotiia'tará:ko' ónhka á:se Ratitsénhaiens aonsahón:ton'. Kè:iahre tó:k niwakera'sè:sehkwe nakonhà:ke shontontié:renhte' wa'kheia'tará:ko' ónhkak. Òn:wak sha'té:kon iawén:re sha'tié:rite' tánon é:so tsi tewaksteríhenskwe áse' kenh rakenonhà:'a Wátio rotathsén:narahkwe. É:so kahtharáksens onkwathón:te'ne' tsi nonkwá:ti ne ratitsénhaiens tánon iah teiotòn:'on aonke'nikonhraientà:'on nahò:ten ne tiorì:wa. Sénhak wa'thonwatihnà:rihte' ne ratisénhaiens iaweronhátien ónhka ieià:tare tánon tsi niiontiéhrha.
Tsi ó:nen sha'kerihwaién:tere'ne' tsi ní:tsi thonatáhsawe ne Ratitsénhaiens tánon tsi ní:tsi Kanonhseshá:ka tehshakotì:nonkskwe kakoráhsera ne tahshakotí:taste', thò:ne ki' takatáhsawen' wa'kataterihwanón:ton'se' tsi nahò:ten karihontáhkwen ne Kanonhsésne.
Nákte' na'orì:wati, tsi tià:tarahkwe ne tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa ratirihwaka'én:ions raotitióhkwa ne ki' wáhi ó:ni é:so onke'nikonhraientásten' tsi niiorihò:ten ne Kanonhsésne. Takatáhsawen' wa'kenonhnha'à:na', wa'tkatenonhweratòn:ra', tánon tsi nihshakotirihonnién:nis iahà:ke', ne wáhi ontié:nawa'se' nakate'nikonhrísa' tsi iah té:kehre aonsatià:tarake' ne teieiahsonthà:ke.
Tsorì:wa ne nahò:ten tió:konte onke'nikonhráksa'te' tsi nonkwá:ti ne teieiahsonthà:ke ne ki' nen' nè:'e tsi ratihnekíhrha. Tió:konte wa'akwahnekì:ra' thikawenní:io nahò:ten sha'akwaterihwahténtia'te' tsi ní:ioht ne tsi niiontenehkwa'éstha, tsi niiakóniaks, tsi niieié:rits, tóka'ni tsi niiontatia'tahéhrha. Karì:wes tsi niió:re wa'tekté:ni' ne tho nika'nikonhrò:ten. 1993 nitiohserò:ten ne nohna'kénhkha tewakhnekì:ren.
Tho ní:tsi wà:kehre' tsi Middle East nonkwá:ti nitioterihwí:non ne Karihwiiostónhtshera, oh nontié:ren tewatsterístha thí:ken? Kén:tho ká:ien akwé:kon nonkwá:wen ka'nikòn:raien tánon tewatenonhwerá:ton. Kwah tokèn:'en kahwatsirà:ke niiotierà:ton ne tsi niionkwarihò:ten tánon nè:'e tiorì:wa tsi kenorónhkhwa, nè:'e wahi onke'nikonhra'shén:ni' ne akatsté:riste ne Kanonhsésne tsi niiorihò:ten.
Edited by: Kassidy Jacobs, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde