Shovel or pencil
Courtesy: (Eric P. Thisdale)
Story told by Allen Simon
I didn't have much education. I quit school in seventh grade before even doing my June exams. I quit and started working instead.
My father told me, he said, “You want to quit school, then you’ve got to get to work. I don't want to see you walking on the streets in a year. Either pick up a shovel and work, or pick up a pencil and go to school.
He told me to go to work and that's what I did. At the age of 15, I was working for Sterling Simon at an excavation site. There were older people that I knew working there too. I think there were other kids but I was one of the few there.
I picked the shovel over the pencil and I don't regret making that choice.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Iekarenià:tha' tóka' ni' kaharennahtóhare' iehiatónhkhwa'
Allen Simon ROKÁ:RATON
Iah kwah tokèn:'en tewakaterihwaiénston. Wa'kátka'we' tsi katerihwaiénstha' tsá:ta nikahiá:ton shikhá:wi ohén:ton nakwá:wen Ohiaríha watken'sénion. Wa'kátka'we' tánon' khé:ken takatáhsawen' tsi watió'tens.
Rake'níha wahakhró:ri', wahèn:ron', "Íhsehre' ki' wáhi nahsátka'we' tsi saterihwaiénstha', ó:nen'k tsi ki' wáhi nensaió'ten'. Iah té:kehre' akón:ken' ahsathahinéhake' tsóhsera niió:re'. Tha'será:ko té:sehkw iekarenià:tha' tánon' saio'ténhsera, tóka' ni' té:sehkw kaharennahtóhare' iehiatónhkhwa' tánon' saterihwaienstà:na."
Wahakhró:ri' watio'ténhsera tánon' tó:kenske eh na'kátiere'. 15 sha'tewakohseriià:kon, Sterling Simon kheio'ténhse' tsi iako'kwátstha' nonkwá:ti. Thotí:ien's néne kheienté:ris eh nón:we thotió'tehkwe' ò:ni'. Kwah í:kehre' ó:ia' sha'tetionkwá:ien's thón:ne'skwe' nek tsi ken' niiatión:ha ki' wáhi.
Wà:tkehkwe' iekarenià:tha né: niá:we ne kaharennahtóhare' iehiatónhkhwa' tánon' kwah iah tesewakatathrewáhton tsi nè:'e wa'kerá:ko'.
Edited by: Jonathan Turenne - Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde