Hot spot
There are many ways to perform acts of healing, although selling medicine through a booth, labeled “Indian Medicine - Herbs of Life”, is quite a different approach from Geraldine’s. (Courtesy: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Story told by Geraldine Standup
The first person that came knocking on my door was a young man of about 20 years old. He had gotten a job ironworking in New York and hurt his back. I invited him in and pulled out a chair.
He pulled off his t-shirt and I’m looking at his bare back, without touching him, I skimmed his back. I didn’t see anything wrong, but when I got to the lower part of his back, I felt a hot spot.
I made a fist and pushed. I said, “Does it hurt here?” He said, “Yeah.” I may have found the problem, but I don’t know what to do. I thought to skim his back again and when I got back to the hotspot, I felt something jump into my hand.
He heaved a sigh of relief. Whatever I was holding was very hot. It was heavy and dense and about the size of my palm. I had no idea what I was holding. The only thing I could think to do was burn it.
My son lit a candle and when I put my hand over the flame, this black soot shot up. I felt it leave my hand and my hand was covered in soot. The young man left and said, “Thank you very much.” He was going to go back to work on Monday morning.
This was way beyond my wildest thought. I sat on the floor, covered my head and cried because I had no idea how this healing thing was supposed to happen.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Io'taríhen Iokwèn:rare'
Joseph Jocks riveting the San Francisco Bay Bridge, circa 1936. (Courtesy: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Geraldine Standup IAKOKÁ:RATON
Shaià:ta ken' nithoién:ha ákta 20 na'tehaohseriià:kon rahentétie' tsi wahahnhonhtíhson' tsi wakatehnhokà:ronte'. Kanón:no nonkwá:ti tahoio'tenhseraién:ta'ne' tánon' wahoronhkwe'nanòn:wake'. Wahihón:karon' tánon' takatihéntho' anitskwà:ra.
Wahatstáhsi' raotià:tawi tánon' kka'én:ions raronhkwe'nà:ke, iah thiiehiié:nas, wahihson'nionhtóhsere'. Iah othé:nen wahétken tewakatkáhthon nek tsi shiahà:ke' ehtà:ke nonkwá:ti ne raronhkwe'nà:ke, wa'káttoke' ne io'taríhen iokwèn:rare'.
Wa'ktsihkwakwe'nón:ni' tánon' iahà:khreke'. Wa'kì:ron', "Iononhwákte' ken kèn:'en?" Tahèn:ron', "Orihwí:io." Ki' ónhte' wa'ketshén:ri' ne nahò:ten' teka'nikónhrhare', nek tsi iah tewakaterièn:tare' oh nakátiere'. Wà:kehre' ahihson'nionhtóhsere' á:re' tánon' shionsá:ke' tsi nón:we io'taríhen iokwèn:rare', wa'káttoke' ok nahò:ten' wa'tewani'tsónhkwahkwe' kahtsa'nà:ke ontíta'.
Kowá:nen tahaonríserenhte' tsi waharonhiakénhsi'. Kwah tokèn:'en io'taríhen ne nahò:ten' khá:wahkwe'. Iókstehkwe' tánon' katensòn:ne' tánon' tho ní:wa' tsi níkhsia'. Kwah iah othé:nen tewakaterièn:tarahkwe' tsi nahò:ten' khá:wahkwe'. Nek wà:kehre' ne akáthsa'ahte'.
Wahatsiró:ten' kahahseratokénhti ne riièn:'a tánon' è:neken tsi iotékha' shia'káhtsatate', è:neken wa'tióia'ke kí:ken kahakenhtahòn:tsi. Wa'káttoke' tsi é:ren wáhehte' ne kahtsa'nà:ke tánon' kwah ohakenhtóskon ón:ton' ne kahtsa'nà:ke. Sahatoriáhtihte' thí:ken ken' nithoién:ha tánon' wahèn:ron', "Niawenhkó:wa." Iawententa'ón'ke ohrhon'kè:ne sahoio'ténhserene'.
Kwah ia'ohétstahkwe' nothé:nen' akanonhtónnionhwe' kí:ken. Oswen'karà:ke wa'kátien', wa'kate'rhó:roke' tánon' wa'tkahséntho' ase'kén iah othé:nen tewakaterièn:tarahkwe' tó: niwatétsen'ts kí:ken nahò:ten' néne teiotonhontsóhon naiawèn:'en.
Written by: Melissa Stacey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translation by: Karonhí:io Delaronde