School committee
The 29th and 30th of June 1943 marked the dates of the First Indian Convention, held in Ottawa, Ontario. (Courtesy: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Story told by Joe Deom
In September of 1974, I got elected to the school committee and was appointed as the spokesperson.
Earl Cross was the representative for the Longhouse then. We were involved with everything that had to do with the schools.
At the time, all the schools were federally run. About 400 of our students went to Billings high school in Chateauguay and they were treated badly. We tried to implement Mohawk language classes, which got started, but then Bill 101 was passed.
We weren’t aware that we had to have a certificate from the Quebec government in order to send our kids to an English school.
We had a meeting with the parents and advised them of this requirement and that we were totally against it. Some parents had already complied.
When school started, buses went to Billings and the school committee followed behind. We got to the steps of the school where we met with the principal. We told him that we’re not going to comply with Bill 101.
He says, “We can’t allow you to go into the school without signing that certificate.”
We walked out of the school and marched from Billings all the way back to town. The kids were out of school now and we didn’t know what to do next.
We started talking with the Quebec government, but they were adamant. They didn’t want to give in. We had a meeting the following week and told the parents, “We’re going to have to start our own school.”
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa' ronnitiohkón:ni
(Left to right) Annie Paul, Howard French, Darilda Latour, Russell Williams, and Presida Martin are lined up for their celebratory shot, as they all hold their academic diplomas out. (Courtesy: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Joe Deom ROKÁ:RATON
Seskehkó:wa shítken ne 1974 nitiohserò:ten, wa'ontia'tará:ko' ne tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa' ronnitiohkón:ni akheiatia'táhrhahse' tánon' wa'onkerihón:ten' akheiatátia'se'.
Eh shitkahá:wi Earl Cross nen' nè:'e Kanonhsésne shakotatià:se' kénhne'. Kwah orihwakwé:kon wa'akwatsté:riste' nothé:nen ne tsi ionterihwaienstaniónhkhwa' raotirihwa'shòn:'a.
Neh shitkahá:wi, akwé:kon ne tsi ionterihwaienstaniónhkhwa' kakoráhsera' shos thatiniarotáhrhoks. Ákta 400 nihá:ti nonkwaksa'ta'shòn:'a ronterihwaiénstha' Billings tiotenónhsate' iehonnéhtha' ne Ohsahrhè:'on nonkwá:ti tánon' kwah wahétken tsi nontahonwatí:tate'. Wa'akwate'nién:ten' Kanien'kéha owén:na' ahotitiohkwaién:take', tó:kenske' tontáhsawen', nek tsi thò:ne Bill 101 wahatirihóhetste'.
Kwah iah othé:nen teionkwaterièn:tarahwe' tsi teiotonhontsóhon aionkwaién:take' iontatehrharatstennì:tha' kahiatónhsera' néne Tiaontarí:kon kakoráhsera' aionkhiiá:wi neh naiá:wen' onkwaksa'ta'shòn:'a iaiakhiiató:ri' tsi nonkwá:ti ne Tiohrhen'shaka'kéha tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa'.
Wa'akwatsénhaien' ne shakotiièn:'a tánon' wa'akhitokà:ten' kí:ken ioterihwíson' tánon' tsi kwah tokèn:'en wa'akwarihwáia'ke'. Ken'k nihá:ti ne shakotiièn:'a ok nà:'a rotirihwanonhwè:'on.
Shontontáhsawen' tsi ronterihwaiénstha', Billings nonkwá:ti nia'kón:ne' ne iakotiia'takarénie's tánon' tho tahotihren'tòn:ne' ne tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa' ronnitiohkón:ni. Eh ia'ákwawe' tsi ionekototà:'on ohén:ton nonkwá:ti ne tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa' tánon' wa'tiakwatátken' ne ohén:ton ì:rate'. Wahshakwahró:ri' tsi iah thaiakwarihwaié:na' ne Bill 101.
Rá:ton, "Iah thaón:ton' akwaríhon' aontesewatáweia'te' ne kèn:tho tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa' tsik tóka' ensewatathsén:naren' thí:ken iontatehrharatstennì:tha' kahiatónhsera'."
Saiakwatoriáhtihte' é:ren saiákwehte' ne tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa' tánon' ehta'kéhshon saiákwe' Billings tsi niió:re' Kahnawà:ke. Ó:nen ki' iah teshonaterihwaiénston ne onkwaksa'ta'shòn:'a tánon' teionkwaròn:se' tsi nahò:ten' nòn:wa naonsaiakwá:iere'.
Wa'tiakwahthá:ren' ki' ne Tiaontarí:kon kakoráhsera' nek tsi kwah tehotirihó:ron. Kwah iah tehonathontá:ton tahatirihwásnie'ne'. Wa'akwatsénhaien' nó:ia' shonsontiahia'kseróhetste' tánon' wa'akhihró:ri' ne shakotiièn:'a, "Ó:nen'k tsi entitewatáhsawen' ì:'i onkwá:wenhk tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa'."
Edited by: Melissa Stacey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translation by: Karonhí:io Delaronde