Fluttering yellow tape
Mohawk Warriors surveillance at Mercier Bridge, 1990. (Courtesy: Robert Galbraith)
Story told by Tealey Kasennisaks Normandin
I was living in Verdun with my three kids when the Oka Crisis started. I was hyper-aware, following everything that was happening on TV.
Not long before it started, I had just met my birth family, so when the Mercier Bridge closed down and became dangerous for people from Kahnawà:ke, I wanted to help them. I didn’t have a car at that time, but my adopted mother, Pauline, would drive me out to Dorval. I would meet up with my late sister, Carol, her boyfriend at the time, and my birth mother, Mavis, when they came over by boat. They’d get in the car, we’d bring them to pick up groceries, and then they’d go back to Kahnawà:ke.
One day I was sitting at home watching the crisis on TV, with Matthew, my youngest sitting on my lap. I saw the footage of all of the cars that had been stopped on the bridge and couldn’t cross, followed by the footage where everybody was throwing rocks. Then, I saw my birth family; they were on the bridge. I began freaking out and called my mom, Pauline, who lived two streets over. “Mom, we have to go find them! We have to!” I was panicking, asking things like, “Where’s my family!?”
So, she brought the car over and I jumped in, holding Matthew in my arms as we went over to the bridge. He was like a little monkey, because with his arms and legs he just held on to me.
She parked on the LaSalle side of the river, where I jumped out of the car and I ran to go up on the bridge. The crowd was screaming, making so much noise as I walked right up to it, until I reached a yellow police tape in front of me. At that moment, it was as though time had begun to move in slow motion. All I could recall thinking was, “What the hell’s going on...? I have no idea...”
Then the wind came by and before I knew it, the tape silently came loose, with not even a “plink,” and it flew up into the air. I can see it in my head to this day, in that slow lapse of time: the yellow police tape was left fluttering.
It was the spirit of the wind, sending me a message: “It’s time. You need to take those steps, and you need to move forward.” Not just moving forward on this bridge but truly moving forward on my path.
Time returned to normal; The way was open, and the bridge was right in front of me. For me, that was my invitation; I walked forward with Matthew clinging to me. I walked halfway out to the middle of the bridge where the SQ were. They were screaming and yelling at us, and even still I asked, “Where’s my family? Where’s my family? Where are they? Where are they?”
This big, tall SQ officer came forward towards me, warning, “Ma’am, you can’t be up here."
I’m demanding back, “My family, my family, my family!”
“What do you mean, your family?”
“My mom, she’s in Kahnawà:ke. My family!”
“No, they all left. They’re all gone. They all passed through,” he tells me. “You gotta go. You gotta go. Who are you here with?”
So, I tell him, “Well, my mom.”
He must’ve been thinking, “What the hell is she talking about...!?”
Anyway, he says, “I’m going to walk you back to the car, it’s not safe. Okay?”
We walked back towards the crowd, and now they’re yelling at me. I can feel it: they’re forcing their anger on me, shouting things like, “You dirty savage!”
Now, growing up, knowing you’re Indigenous, but blending into the non-Native society, something that I learned very young was how to survive. How to protect myself, how to camouflage, how to fit in. So, my reaction at that moment was probably a few swear words, and shouting, “I’m married to a French man!” Sort of like I was trying to defuse the situation, by saying, “You’ve got this wrong. I’m married to a French man!” That always became like a protection for me. Just blend in, so that they don’t see through me; become the little Quebecois girl.
That’s survival.
With this officer behind me, Matthew was still clinging to me. He hadn’t cried, he hadn’t peeped, nothing. He was just close to me. I told the officer, “There’s my mom, there in the car,” and he actually took me right down as we walked through the crowd.
Once we made it, he ordered me, “Get in the car and go.”
At that point, I went home, and I discovered that my birth mother, my sister, and my niece, had made their way into the city and were going to my house, but I wasn’t there. So, they went over to my adoptive auntie’s house.
I got home, I called my cousin on the house phone, and she said to me, “They’re here! Mavis is here with Carol, they’re here.”
So, we ran over to my auntie’s, and that’s when we brought them to our house. They lived with us for about two weeks, and Mavis taught me how to make corn soup.
After everything, we were reunited.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Otsì:nekwar teka'nhehsà:ronhwe' teka'nhehso'ókhons
Kateri Hall hosting a community meeting in Kahnawà:ke during the events of 1990. (Courtesy: Robert Galbraith)
Tealey Kasennisaks Normandin IAKOKÁ:RATON
Verdun tiakwen'terón:tahkwe' ne áhsen nihá:ti kheien'okòn:'a shontontáhsawen' wa'thonwatinatáhnhake' ne Kanehsatà:ke. Wakattokahstsíhon, akwé:kon kerihwáhsere' oh niiawen'hátie' tká:ra's nonkwá:.
Ken'k niió:re ohén:ton shontontáhsawen', òn:wa'k wa'tiakwatátken' ionkwatéwe'ton akhwá:tsire'. Né: káti' shonhskwahnhó:ton' tánon' wa'othterónhta'ne' ne Kahnawa'kehró:non akorihwà:ke, kéhrhahkwe' akheié:nawa'se'. Iah tewake'serehtaién:tahkwe' ne tho shikahá:wi', nek tsi ionkenò:'a, Pauline, Dorval niió:re enionki'terónhna'. Teniakwatátken' khe'ken'kénha, Carol, tánon' akóhskare' ne thó:ne, tánon' ionkwatéwe'ton istèn:'a, Mavis, nó:nen tenthatiniarí:iakte' kahonweià:ke. Ka'seréhtakon enhontíta', ieniakhiia'ténhawe' ahontenna'tsherakóha', sok Kahnawà:ke ienshón:ne'.
Sewenhnísera ki' thí:ken ki'terón:tahkwe' kitskó:tahkwe' tká:ra's wakaterò:ron tsi niiawen'hátie' tsi teka'nikónhrhare', ake'nisóhkwa', Wátio, kkwitshà:ke réntskote'. Wa'katkáhtho' akwé:kon taká:ra'ne' néne akwé:kon ka'serehshòn:'a tekonwatitáhston ahskwà:ke tánon' iah teiotòn:'on ia'tahonhskwí:ia'ke'. Sok takáhsere' tontaká:ra'ne' tsik ónhka ieiakoneniontiéhserons. Eh thó:ne, wa'khé:ken' ne ionkwatéwe'ton akhwá:tsire'; ahskwà:ke thón:ne's. Wa'tka'nikonhrhá:ren' tánon' ia'kheiatewennátahse' istèn:'a, Pauline, néne tékeni tetkanató:ken niió:re tie'terón:tahkwe'. "Istá:, ó:nen'k tsi eniethiia'tatshén:ri' Ó:nen'k ki' tsi!" Thia'tewakehnhíhseronskwe', keri'wanontónnions tsi ní:ioht ne, "Ka' ne akhwá:tsire'!?"
Taie'serehténhawe' káti' sok wa'katíta', riia'ténhawe' Wátio tsi nikarì:wes tsi wahskáhere' wa'ákwe'. Kwah tsi ní:ioht tóka' ken' nihrà:'a katsi'nónhtaks nahaia'tò:ten', ase'kén ranentshà:ke tánon' rahsinà:ke kwah ki' nek ne wahatia'taniión:ten' tia'tà:ke.
Nonménhne na'kaniatará:ti ia'onte'seréhtaien', tho ki' takatitáhkwa'te' wa'tkaráhtate' ne ahskwà:ke iakeráthen'. Tehotihenréhtha' ne ronatonkwehnéhston, kwah í:ken tsi ronatsharokwáhton tsi nikarì:wes ehta'kéhshon ia'káttate', tsi niió:re wà:kewe' otsì:nekwar teka'nhehsà:ronhwe' akhén:ton. Eh tho nikahá:wi', kwah né:ne tóka' akwé:kon tontáhsawen skennen'shòn:'a onhtén:ti'. Kwah nek ne kè:iahre' kanonhtónnion, "Oh ne ken niiawen'hátie'...? Kwah iah thiékhes..."
Takaweró:ten' tánon' ohén:ton tsi niió:re' onktó:kenhse', shah thí:ken ontera'nentáhsi' thí:ken teka'nhehsà:ronhwe', kwah iah thé:nen teiorakarè:'on, sok è:neken owerá:kon nia'kátie'. Shé:kon nòn:wa katkáhthos ake'nikòn:rakon, tsi nikarì:wes skennen'shòn:'a iohtentionhátie': néne otsì:nekwar teka'nhehsà:ronhwe' teka'nhehso'ókhons.
Ówera' Aotónhnhets ki' nen' nè:'e, tewakaterihwaniehtennihátie': "Ó:nen ieióhe'. Ó:nen'k tsi tenhsate'kháhahkwe', tánon' ó:nen'k tsi ohén:ton ienhsahtén:ti'." Iah nek té:ken ohén:ton iá:ke' ken' ahskwà:ke nek tsi tó:kenske' ohén:ton iá:ke' ne tsi niwakhahò:ten.
Akwé:kon sonthsnó:rate'; Kahahahnhotónkwen, ok ne áhskwa' kwah akhén:ton í:kate'. Tsi nì:'i, né: ki' onkhón:karon'; ohén:ton ia'kahtén:ti' tánon' Wátio rotia'taní:ionte' tia'tà:ke. Sha'tewahskwí:hen niió:re nia'kahtén:ti' tsi nón:we SQ nihón:ne's. Tehontihenréhtha' tánon' ionkhiiatewennaién:tons, sénha'k ki' wa'keri'wanón:ton', "Ka' ne akhwá:tsire'? Ka' ne akhwá:tsire'? Ka' nón: nihón:ne's? Ka' nihón:ne's?"
Kí: rakowá:nen, rahnén:ies SQ karíhton ohén:ton nontà:rehte' tsi nón: í:ke's, wahakwahronkà:ten', "Iakawénhsion, iah ki' thaón:ton' ken' ahsè:sheke'."
Sakihrónnion', "Akhwá:tsire', akhwá:tsire', akhwá:tsire'!"
"Oh nahò:ten' tsí:ton, sahwá:tsire'?"
"Istèn:'a, shé:kon Kahnawà:ke ítien's. Akhwá:tsire'!"
"Iáhten, akwé:kon wahonhtén:ti'. Akwé:kon ki' ronahténtion. Akwé:kon wa'thontóhetste'," wahèn:ron'. "Ó:nen'k ki' tsi enhsahtén:ti'. Ó:nen'k tsi enhsahtén:ti'. Ónhka ken' ísewe's?"
Né: káti' wahihró:ri', "Istèn:'a ki' wáhi."
Entà:'on ranonhtonniónhehkwe', "Oh ne ken nahò:ten' iakohtharáhkwen...!?"
Tiótkon ki', wahèn:ron', "Tsi tka'seréhtaien' entsítene', ióthteron. Okhé:?"
Kanenhrà:ke nonkwá:ti saiákene', ok ó:nen ionkwatewennaién:tons. Kattó:kas: teionkwateriahtíkhons, ratiwennaién:tons rón:ton, "Tesonkwehonwehserá'tson!"
Tsi satehiahróntie', saterièn:tare' wáhi onkwehón:we nahsia'tò:ten', nek tsi tesatatiéhston ne ratihnara'kèn:ke. Né: káti' ken' shitewatién:ha wa'keweientéhta'ne' oh ní:tsi akónhnheke', oh ní:tsi akatatia'tanónhstate', oh ní:tsi ó:ia' nakatatia'tò:tenhste', tánon' oh ní:tsi takatátiehste' rononhà:ke. Tonsakerihwa'será:ko' ká:ti' tánon' tóhkara' ónhte' na'kerihwa'nera'ákhon', tánon' wa'katewennaién:tonhwe', "O'serón:ni nahaia'tò:ten' ionkeniniá:kon!" Tsi ní:ioht ne wa'kate'nién:ten' ne tóhsa só:tsi í:non niá:we' tsi teionkwarihwakéhnhen, tsi ká:ton, "Iah tetisewaierí:ton kí:ken. O'serón:ni ki' ionkeniniá:kon!" Tiótkon ki' nè:'e shiionthrenhohstáhkhwa' ní:ioht nakerihwà:ke. Kwah nek tekatátiehst, oh naiá:wen'ne' tóhsa ahónttoke' oh kwah na'tia'tò:ten'; Quebecois eksà:'a enká:ton'.
Né: ki' naiakónhnheke'.
Tsi nikarì:wes kí:ken shaià:ta karíhton khsòn:ne ì:re's, shé:kon ki' Wátio rotia'taní:ionte' tia'tà:ke. Iah tha'tehohsénthon, iah tehotsi'takarè:'on, kwah iah thé:nen. Kwah nek ne tia'tákta ì:re'skwe'. Wahihró:ri' ne karíhton, "Tho í:ien's nistèn:'a, tho ka'seréhtakon," tánon' kwah tontahatia'tátsnenhte' ki' tsi nikarì:wes teiontiatenenhrohetstonhátie'.
Tsi ó:nen tontaiatiatenenhrótka'we', wahakhró:ri', "Satíta tánon' wà:s."
Eh tho ki' nikahá:wi', sakahtén:ti', tánon' onktó:kenhse' ionkwatéwe'ton istèn:'a, khe'kèn:'a, tánon' ne kheionhwatèn:'a tahatiná:tara'ne' tánon' tsi tewakenónhsote' iehonenónhne', nek tsi iah ki' tetki'terón:tahkwe'. Né: káti' ionkenò:'a tiatate'kèn:'a aktén:t tsi tiakonónhsote' iehoné:non.
Sá:kewe', sok ia'kheiatewennátahse' ontiara'sè:'a kanónhskon, tánon' wa'onkhró:ri', "Ken' kón:ne's! Mavis tánon' Carol ken' íkene's, akwé:kon ken' kón:ne's."
Tonsaiatióia'ke' aktén:t tsi tiakonónhsote', eh thó:ne ki' tsi tionkwanónhsote' taiakhiia'ténhawe'. Teiahia'khserá:ke tóka' wa'tiakwatiáhsete', nok Mavis wa'onkerihónnien' oh ní:tsi onénhsto akatkátston.
Tsi ó:nen akwé:kon ontéhsa', tonsaiakwatékha'.
Edited by: George Rahrhainté:ri Fountotos, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette