She knew what she wanted
Tealey celebrates the wedding of her adoptive mother, Pauline. The momentous occasion took place on June 8, 2013. (Courtesy: Tealey Ka’senni:saks Normandin)
Story told by Tealey Ka'senni:saks Normandin
Being raised Catholic, my adoptive mother, Pauline, wanted to be a mother so badly.
She's from Ontario, and moved to Montreal with her sister, Aline, when they were in their early 20s. Pauline was a schoolteacher, and Aline a nurse. They bought their house in LaSalle, right on Brome Street where I would grow up.
At the time, Pauline was engaged to a man who wanted to have a wife who would stay at home, cook, clean, and raise the children. He had even told her how many kids that they should have.
She was a very strong woman for sure; the kind of person who knew what she wanted to do and go for it. She always stood her ground, she even mentioned being a trendsetter for the time. So, she declared to him, “No, I went to Teacher’s College, I want a career, I know what I want in life, and being Catholic, you don't have children out of wedlock.”
She broke off the engagement and stayed here in Montreal. She seen something on TV about adoption and thought to herself, “Oh, well let’s see about that,” because she just wanted to be a mom.
According to friends of mine, she likely went through an adoption program known as AIM: Adopt Indian and Métis. Arrangements were made, and the adoption centre gave her the option to adopt an Indian or an Eskimo, names they used to call us back then.
Indian or Eskimo.
They also added that since boys would need a father, she could only adopt a girl. Since she was a single parent, she couldn’t adopt a boy.
And so, that’s how she got me. I was three years old when I got adopted.
Throughout my life, my mom has been supportive, nurturing, and loving in her care for me. Today, the roles have changed, and now it’s my turn to take care of her as best as I can. To show her the love she showed me all my life.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Iakoterièn:tarahkwe Tsi Nahò:ten Ionská:nekskwe
Tealey Ka'senni:saks Normandin IAKOKÁ:RATON
Tsi tetiahsóntha tsi ní:tsi wa'onkwehià:ron, néne iontia'tenháwen, Pauline, kwah tokèn:'en wa'onská:neke ne ka'nisténhsera aión:ton.
Ontarióhne nitiakawé:non, tánon Tiohtià:ke ia'óntien skátne ne tiatate'kèn:'a, Aline, iosnó:re tewáhsen shitiotí:iens. Iakorihonnién:ni shos tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa nonkwá:ti ne Pauline, tánon teióntsniehkwe ne Aline. Lasalle nonkwá:ti wa'kenihní:non ne aotinónhsa, kheh tho nón:we Brome Street ne ki' tsi nón:we nenkatehià:ron.
Neh shitkahá:wi, Pauline rotiníakhene shaià:ta rón:kwe néne raská:neks ahonahkwaién:take naie'terón:take ne tsi thotinónhsote, ne aiekhón:ni, taiontohtáhrho, tánon ahonwanehià:ron ne ratiksa'okòn:'a. Khó:ni wahshakohró:ri to nihá:ti ratiksa'okòn:'a teiotonhontsóhon nenhotiwiraién:ta'ne.
É:so tsi iako'nikonhkátstehkwe nakaónha ; kwah tho niiakonkwe'tò:ten néne iakoterièn:tarahkwe tsi nahò:ten ionská:nekskwe naióntiere tánon tó:kenske nè:'e enierihontá:ko. Tió:konte wa'ontathní:rate, ne ó:ni iaká:wen tsi iakorihwasestòn:ne ken' nikarì:wes. Ne ki', wahonwarihowanáhten wa'è:ron, "Iah, Teacher's College iewakaterihwaienstahnòn:ne, kaská:neks thé:nen aonkwaterihón:take, wakaterièn:tare tsi nahò:ten kaská:neks tsi kónhnhe, tánon tsi tetiahsóntha, iah thaón:ton aiesawiraién:take ne tóhsa aiesaniakonhátie."
Tontaieríhsi tsi ronaterihwahserón:ni tánon kén:tho Tiohtià:ke wa'ontatì:teron. Ok nahò:ten wa'ontkáhtho tkarasthà:ke néne watewirarákwen karihontáhkwen tánon wa'onnonhtónnionhwe akaonhahtsherá:kon, "O, to ki' kátken's kí:ken," áse' kenh nek ionská:neks ne ka'nisténhsera aión:ton.
Tsi nahò:ten ró:nen ne onkwatenro'shòn:'a, ki' ónhte AIM (Adopt Indian and Métis) watewirarákwen tsi ionterihwatsteristáhkhwa wa'thatihthá:ren. Thé:nen wahonterihwahserón:ni, sok néne watewirarákwen tsi ionterihwatsteristáhkhwa wahshakonate'shén:non aiontewirará:ko ne Indian tóka'ni Eskimo, tho na'kahsennò:tens rónststhahkwe neh shitkahá:wi.
Indian tóka'ni Eskimo.
Ne ó:ni sahontewennahnhónteren tsi ne rotisken'rhakéhte ratiksa'okòn:'a tenhonatonhóntso'se ne ka'níhsera, nek ne enwá:ton tsakothonwí:sen ieksà:'a eniontewirará:ko. Tsi akaonhà:'ak iakowiraién:tahkwe, iah ne thaiotòn:'on raksà:'a aiakotewirarákwen.
Tho ki' niiawèn:'en tsi iontia'tenháwen. Áhsen nitewatién:tahkwe sha'onkkón:hen.
Tsi náhe shikónhnhe, kwah tokèn:'en wa'tionkerihwásnie'se ne ake'nisténha, wa'tiónksnie'ne, tánon é:so tsi wa'onkenó:ronhkwe tsi ionke'nikòn:rare. Ok nòn:wa wenhniserá:te, wa'tiatiatá:ton tsi niionkenirihò:ten, nòn:wa ì:'i sékhawe nakheiate'nikòn:raren tsi nitewakkwénion. Ne ki' wáhi nakhena'tón:ha'se néne tsi nikanoronhkwahtsherò:ten ionkena'tón:ni tsi náhe shikónhnhe.
Edited by: George Rahrhainté:ri Ross, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde