Everyone remained quiet
(Courtesy: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Story told by Joe Deom
Before the Siege of Kanehsatà:ke in 1990, the Longhouse had started the cigarette trade. We had begun issuing permits for those who wanted to get involved.
Near the big intersection at Clay Mountains in Kahnawà:ke, there used to be a grassy area that had two prefabricated blue buildings set up. That’s where the first cigarette shop began.
It was June 1st, 1988 when we got raided by the RCMP. They came in with the buses and set themselves up on the mountains with their machine guns and snipers.
The RCMP arrested about 100 people. One of them was Selma Delisle, who was commonly referred to as the Queen of Tobacco.
After taking our people hostage, they boogied out of town, heading east towards the tunnel. They went to a local high school and turned the gymnasium into a prosecution centre. They thought they would be able to arrest hundreds of people.
We decided to close down the Mercier Bridge for a few days. That was our deal; if you let our people go, we’ll open the bridge.
Once the prosecution was over, everyone was set free due to insufficient evidence because they couldn’t get official statements from anybody, everyone remained quiet.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Shahk Thahontewennò:tenste'
(Courtesy: Robert Galbraith)
Joe Deom ROKÁ:RATON
Ohén:ton Sha'tewatenatáhnhake' ne Kanehsatà:ke 1990 nitiohserò:ten, Kanonhsésne tahontáhsawen' tsi tehontatien'kwawíhons. Taiakwatáhsawen' iohiatonhserahní:ron iontaterihwawístha wa'akhí:ion' tsi nihá:ti ronnéhrhahkwe ahontià:taren'.
Ákta thí:ken kowá:nen tetiathahà:sere ne Orawa'tà:ke Iononténion nonkwá:ti ne Kahnawà:ke, eh shos iohontakwèn:rarahkwe' néne ió:ien' tekanónhsake ó:nen shikáhson oròn:ia na'tekanonhsò:ten's kakwatákwen. Tho nón:we tontáhsawen' ne tiotenonhsatierénhton tsi iontien'kwahninòn:tha.
Ohiarihkó:wa 1 shískare, 1988 tkénhne sha'onkhiiataweià:ten' ne RCMP. Tahontáweia'te' raotì:sere iakoia'tarénies rotihonwi'serenóntie tánon eh tsi tiononténion tahontatkwatá:ko' rotihonraientátie' ia'teiotkontá:ni waròn:tats tánon' rononkwe'taientátie rati'shén:nes ronròn:tats.
Ákta énska tewen'niáwe nihá:ti wahshakotiié:na' ne RCMP. Selma Delisle eh ieia'tarátie ne tsi nihá:ti, iotkà:te Oien'kwa'ón:we Iekó:ra iontena'tónhkhwahkwe.
Ohnà:ken shahshakotinaskón:ni' ontionkwe'ta'shòn:'a, iosnó:re ionsahatinatíneken'ne', tsi tkarahkwíneken's nonkwá:ti tsi ken'wharatátie' nonsahatiié:ra'te'. Atonhontsaktontié:ha tiotenónhsate tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa niahón:ne' tánon' wa'thatité:ni' ne tsi iontia'tahkariiostáhkhwa' tsi tehshakotiia'torehtáhkhwa sahonnón:ni'. Ok thahón:nehre' enwá:ton' enhshakotiié:na' tewen'niawe'ékhon nihá:ti nón:kwe.
Ia'tionkwarihwaién:ta'se' aiakwaskwahnhó:ton' Mercier Bridge tohkára nón:ta nikarì:wes. Nè:'e ionkwaterihwahserón:ni, tóka' ensehsheiátka'we' ontionkwe'ta'shòn:'a, entsakwaskwahnhotón:ko'.
Shontéhsa' tsi wa'tehshakotiia'tó:rehte', akwé:kon sahonwanátka'we' tsi iah thiekaié:ri tsi ní:kon ietoka'táhkhwa rotí:ien ase'kén iah teiotòn:'on othé:nen iowennahní:ron's ahshakononiónnien' ahonnì:ron', kwah akwé:kon shahk thahontewennò:tenste'.
Edited by: Kassidy Jacobs, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde