Life in Coney Island
A young Gloria Cross (left) and her brother Stephen Cross (right) having a snack while living in Brooklyn, New York. (Courtesy: Alicia Ibarra)
Story told by Gloria Cross
My older brother, Steve, was really my guardian; I was not allowed to go no place, no place, no place, unless he was with me.
We used to like walking down Mermaid Avenue. If you go that way, you're heading straight down Coney Island. We would go all the way to the end; a block, two blocks, past the mall blocks, until we got to the dump.
We’d go check in the dump for anything we would need or want, like a good toy or something. Eventually, I wasn’t allowed to go there anymore.
On the beach, Steve would go, and he would find watches and rings with his big flour sifter. People liked sitting there, and their money would fall out of their pockets when they were sitting down. We would keep the money they dropped to go on the rides.
Steve was a year-and-a-half older than me. He was taller and he had long arms stretching from his body. We would go on the merry-go-round, and there is a certain spot with a ring, where you hold out your hand. If you get the ring, you get a free ride.
Oh, but Steven, being taller, was always in front of me. He would put his finger out, catch the ring, and hold onto it until we finished the ride. Then if he went again, then he’d try for another. It was nice.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Tsi Ní:ioht Iakónhnhe' Ne Coney Island Nonkwá:ti
A postcard from Coney Island printed in the 1950's. (Courtesy: Wikki Commons)
Gloria Cross IAKOKÁ:RATON
Kwah tokèn:'en ratia'nónstatskwe' ne rakhtsì:'a Steve; kwah iah tehakerihwá:wi káneka' iá:ke', iah káneka', kwah iah káneka', tsik tóka' aionkené:non.
Mermaid Avenue tsi iohatátie' shes ionkenon'wéskwani aiatiathahíta'. Tóka' tho nonkwá:ti iénhse', ieiottakwarihsià:ton Coney Island tsi kawè:note' nesaiera'tonhátie'. Tho shos eniakenihahò:kten'; énska tekanató:ken, tékeni tetkanató:ken, ísi' nonkwá:ti ne tsi watenhninonhserowá:nen tsi tekanatokenhá:ton, tsi niió:re ne tsi ieiakotiehtáhkhwa' ieniákene'.
Tho tsi ieiakotiehtáhkhwa' eniatiatken'sè:ra' nothé:nen teiontiatonhontsó:ni, kwah tsi ní:ioht ne kakahri'tsherí:io tóka' ni' ok nahò:ten'. Kháre' ó:nen, iah teshakerihwá:wi eh iá:ke'.
Ok ne atsà:kta nonkwá:ti, Steve eh ién:re', tánon' ienhatshén:ri' karahkwaka'eniòn:tha' atenentsháhnha' tánon' anisnónhsawi rótston raó:wen kowá:nen iethe'sera'shewà:tha'. Iakaon'weskwaníhahkwe' nón:kwe eh iaionnitskó:ten', tánon' eniakò:sen'se' nakohwísta' akohna'tahtsherakónhshon enwattáhko' nó:nen eh iétskote'. Eniatiaterá:ko' wáhi nakohwísta' iako'sèn:se' naón:ton' aiatiatitárion'.
Tsóhsera tánon' sha'teiohserí:hen sénha thó:ien' ne nì:'i ne Steve. Sénha rahnén:ies ne nì:'i tánon' tó:k na'tehanentshé:son's tsi raià:tonte' nitioné:non. Eniatiatíta' ne Wá:ri-Iakotsinonhwatenià:tha', tánon' wató:ken iokwèn:rare' tsi nón:we iokahkwèn:taien', tsi nón:we ienhsáhtsatate'. Tóka' entehsié:na' nokahkwèn:ta', iah teioká:raien' iontíta's tenhsatèn:tsha'.
Nek tsi Steven, tsi sénha rahnén:ies, tió:konte' akhén:ton ì:re'. Kwah ienhanisnónhsatate', enthaié:na' nokahkwèn:ta', tánon' enhatháwa' tsi niió:re eniatiatitáhko'. Sok tóka' enshatíta', enshate'nién:ten' ó:ia' taontahaié:na'. É:so tsi ion'wesénhne'.
Edited by: George Rahrhainté:ri Fountotos, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde