Wooden stove and candies
With the handles of their trusty axes, and the edge of their chainsaw, these folks are preparing for the winter by chopping down firewood. Picture was taken at Eagle Bay, Ganienkeh. (Courtesy: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Story told by Susan and Shirley Simon
Our grandparents on our mother’s side lived in Kahnawà:ke but moved to Oka. That’s where our mother met our father, there at their school.
But my father only went there for one day. My grandfather didn’t force him to go to school. Oh man, our father was so intelligent for a guy who went to school for one day. He worked all his life. He did woodwork, he made canes, picnic tables with beautiful carvings, axe-handles, he even opened a beach at 4100 Rang St. Philomene.
So, we grew up in Kanehsatà:ke. Our grandpa Simon had this big wooden stove. A real nice one to warm up the house. In the wintertime, we’d play outside, and we’d be all wet and he’d have his fire going. It was warm and he was sitting on his rocking chair. As kids, we’re all sitting around the stove and then he’d tell us stories. Grandpa’s stories. That was such real fun.
Then, remember? There were days at the end of the week that daddy paid us each five cents, and we’d go to the village and go to Chene store. They had little paper bags filled with candy for five cents. You’d get some worms in there. You never knew what kind of candies you’d be getting.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Ó:iente' watónthos karístatsi tánon' otsikhè:ta'
A post card of Oka's Chene Restaurant, the very same one that Susan and Shirley Simon once bought their five cent candy bags from. As seen in 1930. (credit TBD)
Susan & Shirley Simon Rotiká:raton
Kahnawà:ke thni'terón:tahkwe' ne ionkhihsothokòn:'a ionkhi'nisténha nonkwá:ti nek tsi Kanehsatà:ke iahiátien'. Tho nón:we ake'nisténha tánon' rake'níha ia'thiatátken', tsi nón:we thiaterihwaiénstha'.
Ok sewenhníserak wahaterì:waienste' eh nón:we ne rake'níha. Rakhsótha iah tethononhtón:ni ahaterihwaienstà:na'. Ótsta', ro'nikonhrowanèn:ne' ne shonkwa'níha tsi sewenhníserak roterihwaiensta'nónhne'. Wahoió'ten' kwah tsi nihrónhnhes. Wahaswèn:karakete', atèn:nits, átste' teiontska'hónhkhwa' atekhwà:ra néne ióskats wahkaratáhkwen, ató:ken onekerenhétsha' wahronniánion', wahahnhotón:ko' ò:ni' tsi iontawenstáhkhwa' ne 4100 Rang St. Philomene nonkwá:ti.
Kanehsatà:ke ká:ti' nitionkwatehià:ron. Kí:ken ó:iente' watónthos roteristó:tahkwe' ne shonkwahsótha' Simon. Karistí:io nen' nè:'e ne akanonhsataríha'te'. Tsi nikohseré:son's, átste' shos eniakwatkahri'tsherón:ni' tiokontáhkwen ionkwaia'taná:wen tánon' tó:kenske' roteka'tonhátie'. Iononhsataríhen wáhi tánon' teiontatkarenhrónhkhwa' rotatítskote'. Tsi iakwaksà:'a, karistaktóntie' iakwentskó:ton sok enhshonkwakaratonnión:hahse'. Rákhso raokara'shòn:'a. É:so tsi ion'wesénhne' thí:ken.
Sok, sè:iahre' ken? Wísk kwénis shos enhshonkwakária'kse' rákeni tsi iotiahià:ksero'kte' iawenhniseren'tónnion sok kaná:takon ieniákwe' sok ne Chene tsi iontenhninòn:tha' ò:ni'. Ken' nikaiá:ra's athéhsa ní:ioht rotiién:tahkwe' tetkatsikhe'tahrónnion wísk kwénis kanó:ron's. Otsi'nonwahnhè:ta ensatéta'a'se' kaiá:rakon. Iah nonwén:ton tesaterièn:tarahkwe' oh nikatsikhe'tò:ten's saientà:sere'.
Edited by: Emma McLaughlin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by: Karonhí:io Delaronde