They all boxed
Wayne Zachary and Herby Bordeau go all-in, trading some powerful left jabs. Taken during the Marina Field Day, circa 1970s, at Kahnawake’s own Marina. (Courtesy Herby Bordeau)
Story told by Carolyn & Lionel Deer
Carolyn: We ran a lot of things.
Lionel: And we had a lot of fun doing it. Like golf tournaments; We used to play golf in Saint- Donat once a year, for 10 years.
Carolyn: We had tournaments in our basement too; chess tournaments, dart tournaments, even wrestling. We had boxing down there!
Lionel: That was my younger brother, Jimmy, and I.
Carolyn: Then, it went from starting with them to Sheila and Junior, Cynthia and Curtis, and then two of the younger ones. They all boxed.
Us as mothers, we were shouting, “Stop! Stop!” We didn't worry about the adults competing, just the kids.
Lionel: There also used to be that boxing match we’d have out on the island, during the Fire Brigade event. They had a boxing ring there and everything! I got tapes of that.
Carolyn: They actually had betting on the matches.
Lionel: Norman Kirby was there; he was a boxer, a professional. They used to call him Basilio. He fought Kenny Whitebean there; they were really slugging it out, man.
Joe McGregor was a part of it, and Saylor's, Lestor; they boxed too. They were like, “Do this! Do that! Jab him!”
Carolyn: Those were fun times. At the time, The Canoe Club used to really help out a lot with that. They had meals, like they had these big, big skewers, they would have all their chicken on there. Oh, my god, it was so good!
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Akwé:kon Wahonttsihkóia'ke'
A young Lestor Saylor and Norman “Basillio” Kirby prepare to face off during the Marina Field Day. (Courtesy Herby Bordeau)
Carolyn & Lionel Deer Rotiká:raton
Carolyn: Nia'té:kon nahò:ten wa'akwaterihwahténtia'te'.
Lionel: Tánon é:so tsi wa'akwate'nikonhró:ri' tsi eh na'akwátiere'. Tsi ní:ioht ne tewahthénno tewatkénnion; Tho Saint-Donat nón:we teniakwahthénno'ke' énska ne tsi niióhseres, oié:ri niiohserá:ke onterihwahtén:ti'.
Carolyn: Ontionhontsó:kon ó:ni' wa'tiakwatkén:ni'; teietsihkwaientáhkhwa tewatkénnion, tekanonhkwen'áneren tewatkénnion, ne ó:ni ne teiontatié:nas. Tho nón:we wa'akwattsihkóia'ke'!
Lionel: Ri'kèn:'a nen' nè:'e, Jimmy, tánon ì:'i.
Carolyn: Sok, ronónha tahontáhsawen' sok Sheila tánon Junior, Cynthia, tánon Curtis, sok tehniiáhse ne ken' na'tehnà:'a. Akwé:kon wahonttsíhkóia'ke'.
Lionel: Tsi tkawè:note ó:ni tahonttsihkóia'ke' thí:ken, tsi nikarì:wes ne Fire Briga. Tho nón:we tsi ionttsihkoia'ákstha tka'neróhkwaien' tánon ieiorihwakwé:kon! Wakká:raien teka'nheksotáhrhon ne thí:ken aó:wen.
Carolyn: Orihwí:io tsi wahatihwistahrónnion' tsi wa'thontkén:ni'.
Lionel: Eh íthreskwe ne Norman Kirby; rattsihkóia'akskwe, kwah iaonnià:ton. Barcelio shos ronwana'tónhkhwa. Kenny Whitebean wahiaterí:io' eh nón:we; kwah tokèn:'en wa'tewatenòn:ianihte', ótkon. Joe McGregor eh raià:tarahkwe, ne ó:ni ne Saylor tánon roièn:'a, Lester, wahonttsihkóia'ke' ó:ni. Wahonnì:ron', "Ken' nà:tser! Tho nà:tser! Tshtsihkóia'k!
Carolyn: É:so tsi ion'wesèn:ne eh shitkahá:wi. Ne thò:ne, é:so wahshakotirì:wawa'se' ne The Canoe Club. Wahatikhwahrónnion', tsi ní:ioht ne kí:ken tó:k niiawè:ta iekwe'tarahtsheroharáhkhwa akwé:kon raoti'wà:ron kítkit eh wahonnohá:ron. Ótsta, é:so tsi iawekon'òn:ne!
Edited by: George Rahrhainté:ri Fountotos, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde