Little Caughnawaga
The top of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge makes for a breathtaking view of New New York city. From this point-of-view, the Bay Ridge’s Shore Road and Parkway areas feel tiny. (Courtesy: Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Story told by Arthur Diabo
My parents spoke Mohawk.
When we we’re living in Brooklyn, I would bring my friends home, and my mother and father would converse in Mohawk. My friends would ask me, “What are they saying?” because they never heard this language before.
Across the street was the Spar Bar. If you want to hear Mohawk any time of the day or night, just go in there and you’ll hear Mohawk.
Around the corner was the Wigwam Bar. Same thing. All Mohawks in there. Around the other corner was Mahoney’s. There were a lot of bars in Brooklyn that catered to our ironworkers.
There was a lot of ironwork in New York City. That’s why there were so many Mohawk families throughout Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.
My mother used to put up all the families that would come to Brooklyn. She’d invite them up to our apartment. She cooked for them and we’d have a feast.
If some didn’t have a place to stay, I went to stay at my friend’s house so that they could sleep in my bed.
We had our cornbread and steak on Sundays. My mother would tell me, “Go across to the Spar Bar and get your uncle. Tell him the cornbread’s ready.”
While he came in, so did three other guys. We always had food for everybody.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Ken' Nikanatà:'a Kahnawà:ke
In this May edition of National Geographic, Angus Mitchell, Joe Jocks, and their third unlisted cohort stand proudly, as they help construction of the United Nations Building. Circa 1949 in New York. (Courtesy: Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Arthur Diabo ROKÁ:RATON
Kanien'kéha iahrónkhahkwe ne iontièn:'a
Brooklyn shiiakwanákere, entekheia'ténhawe shos nonkwatenro'shòn:'a tánon ake'nisténha tánon rake'níha Kanien'kéha enhiatewennón:tahkwe tsi tenhnihthá:ren. Enionkerihwanón:ton'se nonkwatenro'shòn:'a enhonnì:ron, "Oh nahò:ten iá:ton?" áse' kenh iah nonwén:ton tehonathontè:'on ne ken' na'kawennò:ten nohén:ton.
Ísi' na'oháhati tho tkanonhsó:tahkwe ne Spar Bar. Tóka' íhsehre aiesathón:te'ne Kanien'kéha thikawenní:io kátke tsi niwenhníseres tóka'ni tsi niwahsón:tes, nek tho iahà:se tánon tó:kenske ensathón:te'ne Kanien'kéha kawennatátie.
Tsi iothiohsakwe'nón:ni eh nón:we tkanonhsó:tahkwe ne Wigwam Bar. Kwah nek shà:ka. Eh nón:we tethatíhere Kanien'kehá:ka. Tsi iothiohsakwe'nón:ni eh tkanonhsó:tahkwe ne Mahoney's. É:so kanonhsotónnionhkwe tsi ionthnekahráhkhwa ne Brooklyn nonkwá:ti néne shakotihnekará:nis ne karista'kehró:non.
É:so karístatsi kaio'tenhseraién:tahkwe ne Kanón:no nonkwá:ti. Nè:'e tiorì:wa tsi é:so kahwatsí:rake Kanien'kehá:ka thatinákerehkwe Brooklyn, Queens, tánon Staten Island nonkwatíhson.
Ake'nisténha enhonwatinonhsótha'se shos akwé:kon tsi nikahwatsí:rake ne Brooklyn enthón:ne. Enhonwatihón:karon ne tsi tiakwèn:teron aontahón:ne. Wahonwatikhónnien tánon eniakwatekhón:ni.
Tóka' ken' nihá:ti iah tehotí:ien tsi nón:we ahati'terón:take, ontiatenrò:ke ienkanòn:wete ne ki' naón:ton ahonnòn:wete nakenaktà:ke.
Wa'ákwake kana'tarohkhón:we tánon kahwenhsaríhton ne Awentatokenhtì:ke. Enionkhró:ri nake'nisténha, "Ia'tehshahí:ia'k Spar Bar iahà:se tshehnónksa ianonhà:'a. Tshró:ri tsi kaweiennentà:'on ne kana'tarohkhón:we."
Tsi tahotaweia'tonhátie, shé:kon áhsen nihá:ti tahón:ne. Tió:konte ionkwakhwaién:tahkwe ne akwé:kon ahón:neke.
Edited by: Melissa Stacey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translation by: Karonhí:io Delaronde