Horse ranch surprise
Lionel is born to ride, as his herd of horses gallop alongside him and his steed. Photo taken at Rydin-Hy, for his 80th birthday. Courtesy Carolyn Deer
Story told by Carolyn Deer
For Lionel’s 80th birthday we went to a horse ranch; It was called Ridin-Hy.
He figured that it was only supposed to be him and I, with our daughter, Natalie, and her husband, Tim. So, it was a big surprise for him when the whole family started coming in. It was amazing the way it happened; he didn't know anything about the plan at all.
He was asking, “How come they're all here?”
As they kept coming in, he was gasping, so shocked that he couldn’t even hold back his breath. When all the kids started getting there, he couldn’t hold the tears back either; he was crying. We were just too overwhelmed, and amazed that everybody showed up.
Our family really did that for him.
For his party, they let us use the ski lodge, so we decorated everything in there. I hung decorations on the door, we decorated the halls, and I even bought black T-shirts we could all wear that had his age written on them. We had a table where we cut his birthday cake, and then we had a party dance.
It was really, really nice.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Tsi konwati'terontáhkhwa' nón:we nahonehrá:ko'
(Courtesy Carolyn Deer)
Carolyn Deer IAKOKÁ:RATON
Shontahonataweia'tonhátie', kwah thaonriserákwas, tho nahonehrá:ko' kwah iah thahakwé:ni' tóhsa aontahaonriserá:ko'. Shontontáhsawen' aontohotikè:tohte' akwé:kon ne ratiksa'okòn:'a eh nón:we, kwah iah teiotòn:'on ahotkahrahséhton; tehahsénthoskwe'. Sótsi iá:ken wa'onkwa'nikonhrahwíhsen', tánon' wa'onkwanehrá:ko' tsi akwé:kon wahotikè:tohte'.
Tó:kenske' onkwahwá:tsire' tho nahatí:iere' ne raorihwà:ke.
For his party, they let us use the ski lodge, so we decorated everything in there. I hung decorations on the door, we decorated the halls, and I even bought black T-shirts we could all wear that had his age written on them. We had a table where we cut his birthday cake, and then we had a party dance.
Tsi wahshakwakhwahéhrhahse', wa'onkhiríhon' aiákwatste' ne tiontianenhtáhkhwa' tsi kanónhsote', né: káti' wa'akwatenonhsahseronniánion' kanónhskon tsik nón:we. Nia'té:kon iera'sestáhkhwa' wa'kharónnion' kahnhohà:ke, wa'akwara'sestánion' tsi ken'wharaténion, tánon' ò:ni' wa'khní:non' watia'tawi'tsherahòn:tsi's néne karónnion tsi nithó:ien' naón:ton' aiákwatste'. Ionkwatekhwahra'tsheró:tahkwe' tsi nón:we wa'akwà:ren' raonà:taro ietsehéstha', tánon' wa'akwanenhrón:ni' wa'tiakwanónniahkwe'.
Sah, sah ion'wesénhne'.
Edited by: George Rahrhaienté:ri Fountotos, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde