Keeping warm
Brothers John and James Deer stand in front of Mitch Deer's grandfather's house. Built on the boarder in Akwesasne. One side sits on the state side; one side sits on the Canadian side. (Courtesy: Mitch Deer)
Story told by Mitch Deer
My grandfather was born during the civil war, 1862 I think. He was born before Wounded Knee.
He did a lot of travelling around the country. In those days there was no welfare, they couldn’t get money to eat. So, they had to work.
He used to get on trains and just bum rides on box cars. And they’d be going out west someplace looking for work. I’m building the same train that my grandfather used to be on. I’m trying to reenact how he used to travel. They travelled on ships to go overseas; they went around the world. And they went to the States and travelled on trains like that.
He did all kinds of work, my grandfather. He worked at a lumber yard; he worked anywhere you find a job to eat.
In those days there were no handouts. You had to work for your money. You made a dollar a day, that’s it. In those days it stretched.
There’s a story my mother’s talked about. Him and his buddy, who must’ve been Native. They were on the train together and they were freezing. They had a long way to go out west. He started to fight with his buddy.
“Why are you doing that?”
“Well, we gotta keep warm.”
It makes you heat up, keeps you warm. Actually, he did a good thing trying to kick his ass.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Eniatiatia’tataríha’te’
Mitch Deer's great-uncle, James Deer. (Courtesy: Mitch Deer)
Mitch Deer ROKÁ:RATON
Shahonterí:io’ tsi na’tehóntere’ ne Wastonhró:non shahrennákerate’ ne rakhsótha'. Kwah í:kehre’ sha’té:kon iawén:re tewen'niáwe ià:ia’k niwáhsen tékeni shiiohserò:ten. Wahrennákerate’ ohén:ton ne Wounded Knee sha’tka’nikonhrhá:ren'. É:so wa’thatstikáhwha’ tsi nikanakeráhseres. Iah tekaia’takehnhahtsheraién:tahkwe’ ne tho shikahá:wi, iah teiotòn:’on othé:nen tahonatèn:tshon nahotikarià:kton nothé:nen ahoné:kon. Nè:’e wáhi wa’karihón:ni’ tsi wahotiió’ten'.
Thio’kéha shos ok thenhatenénskwahte’ tsi enhatíta’ ne ohnà:ken io’serehten’tónnion nonkwá:ti. Ka'k nón:we Tsi Ia’tewatshóthos nonkwá:ti shos nienhón:ne’ nahatiio’tenhseratshén:ri’. Nè:’e shà:ka thio’kéha tekekhánions tsi ní:ioht ne rakhsótha’ shos enhatíta'. Kate’niéntha’ taontakate’nién:tenste’ oh ní:tsi shos tenhatstikáhwha’. Kahón:wakon shos enhontíta’ tenhatiniatariià:khon', kwah wa’thontstikáhwha' tsi niiohóntses. Wastonhronòn:ke niahón:ne’ tánon' tho ní:tsi wa’thontstikáhwha’.
Nia’tekaio’tenhserá:ke wahoió’ten', rakhsótha’. Tekaswen’karó:rens wahoió’ten', wahoió’ten' tsik nón:we tkaio’tenhseraién:tahkwe’ naón:ton' tahatskà:hon'.
Iah othé:nen tewatsharitehtsheraién:tahkwe’ ne tho shikahá:wis. Ó:nen'k tsi wesaió’ten' naiesaié:nen ohwísta’. Skanake’tátshon wa’tehsatèn:tsha’ thia’tewenhniserá:ke, tho ní:kon. Kaianesòn:ne’ thí:ken neh shikahá:wis.
Skaká:ra wa’onthró:ri' nake’nisténha. Raónha tánon' ronatén:ro, Onkwehón:we’ iá:ken akénhake’. Thio’kéha niia’titáhkhene’ tánon' é:so tsi niwístoskwe’. Shé:kon í:non niió:re’ ienhón:newe’ ne tsi ia’tewatshóthos nonkwá:ti. Thò:ne’ ki’ tontáhsawen wahiaterí:io’.
“Oh nontié:ren eh nihsiéhrha’?”
“Ó:nen'k tsi entiatia’tataríha’te’ wáhi.”
Ensaia’tataríha’te’ wáhi, iensewatahsónteren'. Né: norihwiio’ón:we, kwah taharihwaié:rite’ tsi wahate’nién:ten' ahononhwenhserário’.
Mitch Deer's grandfather, John Deer. (Courtesy: Mitch Deer)
Edited by Simona Rosenfield, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translation by Karonhí:io Delaronde