Necessity
Nick demonstrates one of his acquired skills through hunting a terrifyingly vicious goose. (Courtesy: Nick Huard)
Story told by Nick Huard
If you want to carve, you need a sharp blade. There’s no two ways about it. If you want to build a car, you have to learn out of necessity. You’re stuck in the bush, car won’t start, there’s a reason for that. You learn. It’s logical. That’s how you stay alive.
If you’re cutting up meat, or you’re dressing up fish, you gotta make kindling for a fire, if you’re gonna learn how to carve, then you’re gonna need the tools.
So, my first question will be, “Here’s a knife. Describe it to me.”
If you call it a tool, you’re in, if you call it a weapon, you’re out. Because it is a primal tool. It was used to feed.
My father, when he was younger, he was a lumberjack. Then, he worked on the railroad. And he always loved wood. He was a cabinetmaker. But, I didn’t grow up with my dad. I was told they were all dead. So, I grew up on my own. I mirrored my dad doing stuff. I remember my grandmother doing stuff. Also, I’d do the job. Go into different communities. Seeing how they would make a kayak out of seal skins. You’ve got to scrape the skin to get them prepared.
Journalism is fantastic for that because you’re doing a documentary about something, well you’re not just gonna go to any hick, no, you’re gonna go to the master, the best. So, you get a private classroom with masters. And if you don’t gain anything from doing that job, well you’re wasting your time. You might as well go work for Canada Packers and make sausages for your life. Hey, 20 years' experience in sausage making is still 20 years' experience.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Tsi Na'teiotonhontsóhon
(Courtesy: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Nick Huard ROKÁ:RATON
Tóka' enhsahkaratáhko', entà:'on enhsa'sharo'thí:ion'. Iah othé:nen teká:ien nó:ia naié:iere'. Tóka' íhsehre' ahse'serehtón:ni, entà:'on enhseweientéhta'ne tsi na'teiotonhontsóhon. Oská:wakon tisaia'totahrhè:'on, iah tetewatahsáwha ne kà:sere, othé:nen ioteríhonte eh nahò:ten. Enhseweientéhta'ne. Io'nikonhraién:taht. Tho ní:tsi wató:ken enhsónhnheke.
Tóka' tehse'wahrahrihtánions, tóka'ni tsitsahserón:nis, entà:'on enhsenien'tskwirarò:roke tsi enhsaté:ka'te, tóka' enhseweientéhta'ne tsi ní:tsi ahsahkaratáhko, orihwí:io tensatonhóntso'se ne iontstha'shòn:'a.
Ne ki' tiotierenhtáhkwen enkerihwanón:ton kí:ken, "Ken' ká:ien ne à:share'. Tsa'tahnó:ton tsi nitia'tò:ten."
Tóka' ióntstha enhsenà:tonhkwe', wahskwé:ni', tóka' iontatienhtáhkhwa enhsenà:tonhkwe', iah tesakwénion. Áse' kenh kaia'takwe'ní:io ióntstha ne kí:ken. Nè:'e konwatinonténsthahkwe.
Rake'níha, ken' shitewatién:ha, rateróntia'ks shos. Sok, tiio'kéha iohatátie wahoió'ten. Tánon tió:konte' ranòn:we'skwe' nó:iente. Ieksata'ástha raronto'tsherón:niskwe. Nek tsi iah skátne tewakatehià:ron ne rake'níha. Ionkhró:ri' tsi akwé:kon ronenheiónhseron'. Thò:ne ki' akonhà:'ak wa'katehià:ron'. Tahina'ké:ren' tsi nihatiéhrhahkwe' ne rake'níha. Kè:iahre' akhsótha ok niiontieránions shos. Ó:ni, entio'tenhseraié:rite' shos. Ó:ia tkanataién:ton ién:ke. Enkátken'se tsi ní:tsi otsì:io aotinéhon' oná:ke enhonthoniónnia'te. Entà:'on enhsenè:wakete' tsi enhsenehwahserón:ni'.
É:so tsi ioiánere ne tewaterihwarenià:ton' áse' kenh teiontate'nikonhratokenhtáhkhwa oká:ra són:ni néne nahò:tenk karihontáhkwen', iah se' thikawenní:io tsi na'kanenneri'tò:ten thiahsheiáttate', iáhten, orihwí:io tieia'takwe'ní:io ienhsheiáttate, néne kwah tiekowá:nen. Ne ki' atahsehton'kéha tsi ionteweienstáhkhwa nón:we ensewatéwienste' skátne ne thatiia'takwe'ní:ios. Tánon tóka' iah othé:nen' thahseweientéhta'ne tsi ensaió'ten' thí:ken, tó:kenske ki' satenhniseratiesáhtha. Sha'tekarihò:ten' ki' wáhi Canada Packer iahsheió'ten'se tánon enhsenhetshón:ni tsi nikarì:wes enhsónhnheke'. He, sha'té:ioht ki' ne wáhi ne 20 niiohserá:ke teiakotohétston tsi niieweién:te tsi 20 niiohserá:ke tewakatohétston tsi nikeweién:te akenhetshón:ni.
Edited by: Simona Rosenfield - Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translation by: Karonhí:io Delaronde