Passing Knowledge Along
Mary Delisle Cross with Sonny Joe Cross on her lap and daughter Florence Cross posing together in their garden, circa 1931. (Courtesy: Sonny Joe Cross)
Story told by Elaine Delaronde
The first time I got introduced to medicine, I was a kid. I used to go pick wildflowers for my mother. I remember picking violets. They were so pretty. I picked a whole bunch of them. I put them in my father’s shot glass, you know, then I placed it on the windowsill.
My father said, “Don’t eat that.”
He said, “It’s a medicine - a blood medicine.”
That’s all I knew about it and that stuck with me.
We’re all here for a reason. Me, I think I’m here to teach other people. I’m not keeping the knowledge our ancestors had to myself. I’m teaching other people so that they can teach other people.
I’ve studied and I share what I know. The young people pick it up so fast. Then they start teaching so the knowledge circles become bigger and bigger. There’re so many young, knowledgeable people that just need someone to show them something different. It’s for them to bring the light - the knowledge, to someone else.
And they’re teaching me because they’re young, exploring and learning more. I’m getting older and I’m watching these young people take their place in life.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION 〰️
Tekarenià:tha' tsi ní:kon wakaterièn:tare'
An assortment of dry picked plants being prepared to become medicine. (Credit: Melissa Stacey)
Elaine Delaronde IAKOKÁ:RATON
Shikeksà:'a shontontié:renhte' wa'kenonhkwa'tsheraientéhrha'ne'. Kwah shos enkhetsi'tsakwennì:ra' ake'nisténha thikontatewenní:io otsi'tsa'shòn:'a. Kè:iahre' teiotsì:tses wa'ktsì:tsako'. É:so tsi katsi'tsí:io'skwe'. É:so wa'ktsì:tsako'. Rake'níha raowí:sakon onen'tákeri'= wateráhkhwa' wà:keren', wáhi, sok tekatsiserá:ton onastonhkwà:ke wà:khren'.
Rake'níha wahèn:ron', "Tóhsa í:sek thí:ken."
Wahèn:ron', "Onónhkwa' thí:ken - onekwénhsa' onónhkwa'."
Thok ní:kon tienteríhne' ne tsi niiorihò:ten tánon' kwah iah tesewake'nikonhrhèn:'en.
Akwé:kon orì:wa' ionkwateríhonte' tsi kèn:tho ítewe's. Kwah í:kehre nì:'i tsi nè:'e kenién:te' nakherihónnien' nón:kwe. Iah akonhahtsherá:kon thakerihwáhsehte' ne onkwahsótshera' ronaterien'taráhtshera'. Kherihonnién:ni akohrèn:shon né: ki' wáhi naón:ton' ronónha ahshakotirihónnien ietsakohrèn:shon.
Tó:kenske tsi wa'katéweienste' tánon' tekarenià:tha' tsi ní:kon wakaterièn:tare'. Kwah iosnó:re' tehonnéhkhwa' ne ken' nahò:ten' néne ken' nithotiièn:sa. Thò:ne enhshakotirihónnien' tánon' tho ní:ioht tsi sénha takowahnháhsere'k ne aterien'taráhtshera' tsi kakahkwen'taién:ton. É:so rá:ti rón:ne's ne ken' nithotiièn:sa, ronaterien'tarahstsíhon nen' nè:'e néne nek tehonatonhontsó:ni akò:ren ahonwatina'tón:hahse' ó:ia' nahò:ten'. Nè:'e shonaterihwaién:ni aontahatíhawe' kaswathéhtshera' - né: aterien'taráhtshera', né: akò:ren akorihwà:ke. Tánon' tsonkerihonnién:ni nì:'i ase'kén ken' nithotiièn:sa, tehotinakonhátie's tánon' sénha ronteweiénstha'. Tontienta'onhátie' nì:'i tánon' wakaterò:ron tsi ratiié:nas tsi nón:we nihoná:wen tsi ronnónhnhe' ne kí:ken ken' nithotiièn:sa'.
Edited by: Teyohá:te Brant, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde