I stepped on the major
Mary Claus and her friend, on the day of the formal dance. (Courtesy: Mary Claus)
Story told by Mary Claus
My friend, he was in the militia. I used to really annoy him because I would refer to it as the cadets. He’d say, “It’s the militia.” Anyway, we were going to a big dance at the armory's formal, fancy dance. I wore a long dress. It was green. It had a crepe bottom and a dark green emerald top. My friend was in his cadet outfit. It was red and all that. He looked very smart. We went to this dance and we met all these white folk dignitaries. He was so wanting to make a good impression. I think we did okay there.
We danced and it was quite a crowded dance floor. There were all these people in uniforms and medals and whatnot all. Anyway, I remember, we made a turn out on this crowded dance floor, and I heard a cry of pain behind me. We went back to the table. We sat down and my friend was just looking rather horrified. Whiter than usual.
I said, “So, what? What?”
He said, “Remember that cry of pain you heard?”
He said, “That was the major. You stepped on him.”
Yeah. So, I stepped on the little major.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Wa'thiiahsi'tò:rarake' ne Ranenhrine'skó:wa
A group photo of young men dressed in uniform. (Courtesy: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Mary Claus IAKOKÁ:RATON
Ontiatén:ro, ronthonkária'kskwe' ratihsó:tar raià:tarahkwe'. Kwah tokèn:'en shos tenhiiaterien'takáriahte' ase'kén iotkà:te' ronthsotahrhaweiénstha' wa'khenà:tonhkwe'. Enhèn:ron', "Ronthonkária'ks Ratihsó:tar nen' nè:'e." Tiótkon ki', kanonniowá:nen wa'ákene' thí:ken tsi nón:we ratihsó:tar tsi rontia'tarohrókstha' atia'tahserón:ni, iotenonniatkwéniens tioterihwahténtion. Watia'tawì:tsheres wakatstòn:ne', óhonte' niwahsohko'ténhne'. Katokeríkhon ki' ne nà:kon nonkwá:ti tánon' kahontahòn:tsi kahontí:io ne è:neken nonkwá:ti. Raó:wen ionthsotahrhaweienstáhkhwa' atahkwénnia' rotstòn:ne' ontiatén:ro. Akwé:kon onekwénhtara' ní:ioht tánon' akwé:kon thí:ken. Kwah ronkwe'tí:io. Tho ki' ia'ákenewe' tsi tetkanonniáhkwen tánon' wa'tiakwatátken' akwé:kon kí:ken ratihnakén:ra thonathsennaténion. É:so tsi réhrhahkwe' ioiánere' ahatatón:ni' ne raotihén:ton. Kwah í:kehre' tsi ioiánere' tsi na'akení:iere' eh nón:we.
Wa'tiakeninónniahkwe' ki' tánon' é:so tsi ionkwè:ne' ne tsi tetkanonniáhkwen. É:so rá:ti tó:k nihonatia'tahserón:ni kwah tehonathwistahrónnion tánon' akwé:kon thí:ken nahò:ten'. Tiótkon ki', wa'tiatiatkahrhaté:ni' ne kèn:tho tsi tetkanonniáhkwen, tánon' onkwathón:te'ne' kí:ken ónhka'k wa'tiakohén:rehte' tsi niiakoronhiá:ken ne khsòn:ne. Tsi watekhwahrà:tsherote' ionsaiákenewe'. Saiatianitskó:ten' tánon' ontiatén:ro kwah roteronhienhtén:ni tsi nihaia'tò:ten, sénha tehotskenné:nonte' tsi ní:ioht ne tsi niioren'nhà:'on.
Wa'kì:ron', "Hánio, nahò:ten'? Nahò:ten'?"
Wahèn:ron', "Sè:iahre' ken wesathón:te'ne' ónhka'k wa'tiakohén:rehte' tsi niiakoronhiá:ken?"
Sahèn:ron', "Ranenhrine'skó:wa thí:ken. Wa'tehtshahsi'tò:rarake'."
Orihwí:io. Tó:kenske wa'thiiahsi'tò:rarake' thí:ken ken' nihrà:'a ranenhrine'skó:wa.
Edited by: Teyohá:te Brant - Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde