Welcomed with open arms
Tealey and Sedalia together in 2022. (Courtesy: Tealey Ka'senni:saks Normandin)
Story told by Tealey Ka'senni:saks Normandin
My big change, when I started to look at my culture and traditions more, was when I started working at the Native Women’s Shelter, around 2006.
We were bringing women up to the Laurentians to do sweat lodges, talking circles, and sharing circles with Sedalia Fazio, the elder for the Native Women’s Shelter. She’s become my elder too, for 18 years. That was my introduction to my culture, and where I started working and taking part in the community.
Charlie Patton and his beautiful wife Eileen were the ones who introduced me to the Longhouse. I met them through golf, and they knew my birth mother, Mavis, so we began talking. They put me on an email list and would send me important dates and ceremonies. They would continuously encourage me to come, and it took me some time to get there, but now I have been going to the Longhouse for years.
I would say it took me five years to really accept the energy of the Longhouse into me. I would go there for a little bit, and then I would leave for two years. I don’t think I was letting it in right away, because of the fear of not being accepted there.
People who go there might ask, “Who is she? Why is she here?” I have curly hair, you know, so they might say, “She doesn't look like us.” Expecting rejection, being told that this wasn’t my place, the fear was just overpowering.
Yet, when I walked in for the first time, I was welcomed with open arms.
Having conversations and sharing stories with some of the women there, I’ve noticed that we’ve had things happen in our lives that were very similar and relatable. Whether I grew up on the other side of the river or not.
I think it was my own perception telling me that I wouldn’t be accepted here in Kahnawà:ke. Some days I’ll walk into a store, and someone will say, “Oh hi Tealey, how are you?” And then I’ll walk into another store and get the same reaction and it’s kind of like - oh people do know me, I am accepted, people are kind.
Sedalia supported me the whole time as well, setting goals like, “Do your ceremonies, learn your language.” I performed ceremony with her, we would drum together, and man, I would just eagerly take any chance I got.
When I returned to the Longhouse, I was ready for it.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Tehatinentshá:kwari tsi wa'tionkenonhwerá:ton'
Tealey Ka'senni:saks Normandin IAKOKÁ:RATON
Thò:ne kowá:nen wa'tkatté:ni', sha'kka'én:ion' sénha tsi nikeweiennò:ten tánon' tsi niwakerihò:ten, shontakatáhsawen' tsi watió'te' ne Native Women's Shelter, aktóntie' 2006 shiiohserò:ten.
Laurentian tsi iononténion nón:we nentiakhiia'ténhawe' konnón:kwe aontakontitshatenhtà:na', okahkwèn:takon takontihtharónnion', tánon' okahkwèn:takon takontatawíhon' tánon' Sedalia Fazio ionkhiiatia'tará:ni, né: ki' nen' nè:'e aononkwè:ta' iakokstén:ha ne Native Women's Shelter aotirihwà:ke. Akonkwè:ta' iakokstén:ha ò:ni wa'ón:ton', 18 niiohserá:ke nikarì:wes. Tho ní:ioht tsi wa'kerihwaientéhrha'ne' ne tsi nikeweiennò:ten, tánon' tho nón:we takatáhsawen' tsi watió'te' tánon' tsi tekherihwasniè:se' ne kanakerahserá:kon.
Charlie Patton tánon' ró:ne iakoiá'taskats Eileen nen' nè:'e wa'onkerihwaientehrhásten' ne Kanonhsésne tsi niiorihò:ten. Tsi tehiahthénno'ks wa'kheientéhrha'ne', tánon' shakotiienteríhne' ne ionkwatéwe'ton ake'nisténha, Mavis, thò:ne ki' tontáhsawen 'wa'tiakwahthá:ren'. A'ara'kéha iehsennaronniòn:ke wa'onkhsén:naren' tánon' kátke wenhniseranó:ron's tánon' tsi na'teiontenonhwerá:tons shos entionkwatenniéhten'. Kwah tiokontáhkwen enionkenentshatirón:ten' eh iá:ke', tánon' ken'k nikarì:wes onkwá:ton'se' tsi niió:re eh iahà:kewe' nek tsi ó:nen é:so iohserá:ke Kanonhsésne shiekéhtha'.
Enkì:ron' nì:'i tsi wísk niiohserá:ke onkwá:ton'se' tsi niió:re kwah tokèn:'en wa'tié:na' ne Kanonhsésne tsi niio'shatstenhserò:ten. Ken' nikarihwésha shos eh ién:ke, sok enskatè:ko' teiohserá:ke nikarì:wes. Iah í:kehre' tewakathontá:ton óksa'k aonkwatétahse', ase'kén tsi ketshà:nis ne tóhsa aiontié:na' eh nón:we.
Néne tsi niká:ien' eh iehonnéhtha' ki' ónhte enhatirihwanón:ton', "Ónhka ne akaónha? Oh nontié:ren kèn:tho í:ien's?" Tewakenónhkeri, wáhi, tóka' nòn:wa enhonnì:ron', "Iah sha'teiakwaia'tò:ten." Tsi wakehrhá:rehkwe' ne tóhsa aiontié:na', aionkhró:ri' tsi iah kèn:tho tewákenakte', sótsi onke'shén:ni' tsi niketshà:nis.
Kháre' ó:nen, shontontié:renhte' ia'katáweia'te', kwah tehatinentshá:kwari tsi wa'tionkenonhwerá:ton'.
Tsi wa'tiakwahtharónnion' tánon' wa'akwakaratónnion' ne konnón:kwe eh nón:we, onktó:kenhse' tsi thóha ne shà:ka tánon' io'nikonhraién:taht tsi nahò:ten' teionkwatohétston tsi iatiónhnhe'. Arenhátien ki' wáhi tóka' ísi' na'kaniatará:ti tewakatehià:ron tóka' ni' iah.
Kwah í:kehre' néne tsi ní:ioht tsi iékhes onkhró:ri' tsi iah thaiontié:na' ne kèn:tho Kahnawà:ke. Sewatié:rens tsi iontenhninòn:tha' ienkatáweia'te', tánon' ónhka'k teionkenonhwerá:ton', "Ó: kwe Tealey, skennen'kó:wa ken?" Sok ó:ia' tsi iontenhninòn:tha' ienskatáweia'te' tánon' ne shà:ka tsi ní:ioht tsi tenionkenonhwerá:ton' tánon' kwah tsi ní:ioht ne – ó: iontienté:ri, iontienawà:kon, thotirihwaié:ri nón:kwe.
Wa'onkerì:wawa'se' Sedalie kwah tsi nikarihwesòn:ne' ò:ni', wa'ekwatá:ko' nahò:ten' ia'takóia'ke' tsi ní:ioht ne, "Saterihwahténtia't tsi nisarihò:ten, satéweienst tsi nihsewennò:ten." Skátne wa'atiaterihwahténtia'te' ne teiontenonhweratónhkhwa', skátne ka'náhkon wa'atiaterennó:ten', tánon' sónkwe, nek iahà:kko' tsi niwate'shennò:ten onkwate'shennaién:ta'ne'.
Shionsá:kewe' ne Kanonhsésne, wakehrhá:rehkwe' thí:ken.
Edited by: Kassidy Jacobs & George Rahrhainté:ri Fountotos, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde