Enduring the cold months
A look at a typical day in the snow for the Cross family. (Courtesy: Patrick Cross)
Story told by Edna Kwatiense Norton
When I was a child, our houses were not insulated like they are today. They would get very cold at night. In the winter, my father would have to put plastic over the windows and newspaper on the walls to try and keep the heat inside. We also put blankets up on each door to help keep the heat in. We had one woodstove to heat our house but without insulation, it would get cold very quick during the night.
We were not excited when fall would come because we knew winter was right around the corner. It would spark anxiety about having to endure the cold months. My father made sure we had enough wood, always chopping and stacking, to keep our house warm. They would also buy coal for the night and it would last until the morning.
The “old chapel”, Kahnawake. This is where Patriotes and Mohawks encountered each other on the morning of November 4, 1838. (Courtesy: Wikki commons)
The main living room would stay warm during the night until morning, but the rest of our house was freezing. During the day, my mother would cook all day and that would help to keep our house warm. We had our wood stove going and the kitchen stove too.
We had electricity, but it was one light bulb with a chain and one plug in the wall. Over time we continued to get electricity. I was able to see the transition from the old ways to today’s electronics. We got a fridge, a toaster, washer and dryer and a toilet. It was a luxury. It was amazing.
I miss the days of when I was young, but I do not miss the old houses and how cold our winters were.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION 〰️
Eniakwatahkátstate' ne iowísto tsi niiawenhni'tò:ten's
A snowy day in Kahnawà:ke. (Courtesy: Amelia and Joe McGregor)
Edna Kwatiense Norton IAKOKÁ:RATON
Ken' shikà:'a, iah tha'tekanonhsané:tahkwe' ne tsi ionkwanonhsó:ton tsi ní:ioht ne òn:wa wenhniseraténion. Kwah tokèn:'en shos enkanónhsanohste' nahsonthèn:ne. Né: akohserà:ke, teiotonhontsóhon kahiatónhsera' onà:kara' ionnià:ton enha'rhó:rokste' ne tsi tekatsiseratónnion tánon' tekonrénie's kahiatónhsera' enhara'nén:takte' ahsonhta'kéhshon né: ki' aón:ton' aio'tarihénhake' ne kanónhskon. Áhsire' ò:ni' eniakwaniión:ten' ne tsi tekahnhohrónhon naón:ton' aio'tarihénhake' ne kanónhskon. Skarísta ó:iente' watónthos ionkwateristó:tahkwe' ne aon'taríha'te' onkwanónhskon nek tsi tsi iah tha'tekanónhsane, kwah tokèn:'en iosnó:re' enkawístohte' ne tsi niwahsón:tes.
Kwah iah tha'taionkwasteríhen' nó:nen enkanennà:ke'ne' ase'kén ionkwaterièn:tare' tsi wa'ts iokontátie' enióhserate'. Enionkwa'nikonhraronhiá:kenhte' ki' thí:ken tsi ó:nenk tsi eniakwatahkátstate' ne iowísto tsi niiawenhni'tò:ten's. Orihwí:io wahrón:ni' ne rake'níha tsi iekaié:ri tsi niionkwaientaién:tahkwe', tió:konte' tehaiéntia'ks tánon' tehaientótha', né: ki' wáhi iaiotkontáhkwen tsi iononhsaná:wen ne onkwanónhskon. O'swèn:ta' ò:ni' enhatihní:non' ne tsi niwahsón:tes aó:wen' tánon' enkaiané:son' tsi niió:re tenwentahrónho'.
Eniononhsanawénhake' ne kaia'takwe'ní:io tsi kanonhsí:io ne tsi niwahsón:tes tsi niió:re tenwentahrónho', nek tsi shé:kon iothó:re' ne tsi nietsonkwanónhses. Né: tsi niwenhníseres, ake'nisténha kon'tátie' eniekhón:ni' tánon' nè:'e' enwatahsnié:nen' ne aio'tarihénhake' ne onkwanónhskon. Kaién:tonte' ne ionkwaterístote' ó:iente' watónthos tánon' ne iekhonnià:tha' karístatsi ò:ni'.
Ionkwateronwarà:rahkwe', nek tsi nek skatsi'nhiónhkwara kénhne' ioronkwáhsote' tánon' tsi wahsónhtote' ia'tewahsón:tere'. Shontenhniserohetstánion' shé:kon niionkwateronwarà:rahkwe'. Wa'kkwé:ni' wa'katkátho' tsi wa'tewatté:ni' ne orihwakaionhnéha tsi niió:re òn:wa wenhniseraténion ka'nerohkwahrónnion. Kawistóhtha' wa'onkwaién:ta'ne', watena'tarathsa'áhtha', kanóhares tánon' kastathà:tha' tánon' ionni'tenhtáhkhwa' kanà:tson. Kwah atsho'kowáhtshera' kénhne'. Iorihwanehrakwahtòn:ne'.
Kehnhá:tens ne ken' shikà:'a wakatenhniseraténionhkwe', nek tsi iah tekehnhá:tens ne kanonhsaká:ion tánon' tsi niiowistóhne' ne ionkwatohseraténionhkwe'.
Edited by: Owen Mayo, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde