Tsí’tak
A childhood photo of Joe, who is third from the left, standing with his younger siblings, Billy and Myron McComber, first and second from the left respectively, and Grace Onwari Goodleaf to the right. (Courtesy: Amelia & Joe McGregor)
Story told by Joe McGregor
This one time when I was young, I was outside with my mother. She was telling me to do something and I said to her, “Tsí’tak - eat shit.”
She said, “If I catch you, you’re gonna pay.”
So, I ran away in the bush. There was an apple tree, and I hid there all day. I couldn’t eat any of the apples because I was so scared. I was so nervous because I had said a bad word. I couldn’t come home. She was waiting for me.
It was evening now and I started slowly walking back to my house. My mother was upstairs cleaning the windows. I was slowly making my way into the house. I knew she wouldn’t look at me when I got there. I wanted to be nice to her now, so I said, “Hello Ma.”
“Tsí’tak!” she said.
She told me the same thing I told her. She paid me back. My mother forgave me after that.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Tsí’tak
Years later, Joe stands with his own daughters. (Courtesy: Amelia & Joe McGregor)
Joe McGregor ROKÁ:RATON
Énska tsi náhe ken' shitewatién:ha, átste skátne iákeneskwe nake'nisténha. Ionkhró:riskwe ok nakátiere tánon wa'khehró:ri, "Tsí'tak."
Taiè:ron, "Tóka' enkonié:na, ensehskária'ke."
Sakatè:ko ki' oská:wakon niahà:ke. Tho tiokwiró:tahkwe ne sewahió:wane ó:kwire tánon kon'tátie tho takatáhsehte. Iah teiotòn:'on othé:nen aonkwé:kon ne sewahió:wane nè:'e tsi tó:k niwákhteron'skwe. É:so tsi tkaton'nékhonskwe nè:'e tsi kawennáksen wá:ken. Iah tewá:tonskwe aonsakahtén:ti. Tho tionkehrhá:rehkwe.
Ó:nen shitio'karà:'on tánon takatáhsawen skenen'shòn:'a tonsakahsi'tóia'ke. È:neken ítienskwe ieraké:was tsi tekatsiseratónnion. Skenen'shòn:'a tsi tewakenónhsote sonkwenonhátie. Wakaterièn:tarahkwe tsi iah thaionkwatkáhtho nó:nen iénskewe. Wà:kehre ioiánere tsi nakheié:ra'se ó:nen tánon wa'kì:ron, "Kwe Ma."
"Tsí'tak!" taiè:ron.
Nek shà:ka saionkhró:ri tsi nahò:ten khehrorì:ne. Saionkkária'kse. Saionke'nikónhrhen'se nake'nisténha ohnà:ken thí:ken.
Edited by: Melissa Stacey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde