A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
Sorted by date Results 401 - 425 of 1642
ROTINONSHONNI MEN'S CLOTHING In describing Rotinonshonni clothing, let me begin with the headwear. Many people mistakenly think that all Native Americans wore Plains-style war bonnets, which is untrue. This myth began in the early part of the 1900's to the 1950's when photographers wanted Rotinonshonni people to wear war bonnets when posing for pictures because they thought it looked more "Indian". This has led to old pictures of Rotinonshonni people in war bonnets and even some showing us in...
1. Owirà:'a - Baby 2. Ieksà:'a - Child – one female child 3. Keksà:'a - Child – I am a child 4. Raksà:'a - Child – one male child 5. Tekeniksà:'a - Children – 2 female 6. Tehniksà:'a - Children – 2 male (or mixed one male and one female child) 7. Kontiksa'okòn:'a - Children – 3+ female 8. Ratiksa'okòn:'a - Children – 3 or more male (or mixed 3 or more males and females) 9. Iatathró:na - Couple 10. Wakekstén:ha - Elderly – I am an elderly person 11. Rokstén:ha - Elderly man – one 12. Roti...
OHKI:WE – WATER DRUM The Ohki:we (Ohki:we is a ceremony for the spirits of the dead) water drum is usually larger than the regular social dance water drum. The Ohki:we water drum is used only for the Ohki:we Ceremony, and on no other occasion. The Ohki:we Ceremony is done in the month of February or March. About a month or so before the actual Ohki:we is put through, the people who belong to this Society will summon the singers and their society members to begin practicing the songs. When the Ohki:we society begin their practices, they must b...
1. Shé:kon Istá:! - Hello Auntie or Mom! 2. Shé:kon kiákio! - Hello brother-in-law 3. Shé:kon konièn:’a! - Hello child! 4. Shé:kon kiá:se! - Hello cousin! 5. Shé:kon ráke’ni! - Hello Dad! 6. Shé:kon óri! - Hello friend! 7. Shé:kon kwátere! - Hello grandchild! 8. Shé:kon ákhso! - Hello grandma! 9. Shé:kon rákhso! - Hello grandpa! 10. Shé:kon wáten! - Hello nephew/niece! 11. Shé:kon kiári! - Hello sister-in-law! 12. Shé:kon sáksten! - Hello spouse! (husband or wife) 13. Shé:kon akhtsi’ó! - Hel...
1. Satonhnhá:ren tsi sahsié:rite! - Be happy on your birthday! 2. Satonhnhá:ren tsi saierí:ton! - Be happy on your birthday! 3. Tekonnonhwará:tons tsi wesenirihó:wanahte tsi seniniákhe - Congratulations on your engagement 4. Tekonnonhwará:tons tsi wa'tehsatóhetste - Congratulations on your graduation 5. Tekonnonhwará:tons tsi sawirasé'stsi - Congratulations on your new baby 6. Tekonnonhwará:tons tsi nisanonhsasé'stsi - Congratulations on your new house 7. Tekonnonhwará:tons tsi wesaio'tenhse...
10. Tahatakia'tatihéntho - He pulled himself 92. É:ren'k na'tethokierà:ton tsi wa'tharahsarónnion - His body is facing in different positions and he braced with his feet 93. Kháre ó:nen ok thaharen'totónnion - Suddenly now he tumbled 94. Shé:kon ki' Í:iah tehokwénion ne aonsahatóhtshi - Still he is not able to get out 95. Né:'e khok wa'karihwakwé:ni tsi wahoniarésha'ne - The only thing that happened as a result is that his neck gotten long 96. Ó:nen ki' sénha wahonà:khwen - Now he is even more...
Longhouses are long and narrow bark covered houses that the Rotinonshonni (People of the Longhouse), also known as the Iroquois, lived in until the latter part of the l800's. These homes contained one large extended family. All the women and children living in a longhouse were of the same clan. Longhouses had two doors and no windows. One door was located on each end of the longhouse. Numerous longhouses in an area created a village. The village was sometimes protected from intruders by a...
Continued from last week… KARO:TA TREE TRUNK The trunk of the great white pine symbolizes the fifty chiefs of the Five, Nations. Together they draw on the nourishment of the roots; Peace (Sken:nen), and Unity (Ska’nikon:ra) to provide the support for the branches which shelter the confederacy. Bound together they are the strong fibers that carry nourishment to the individual needles. Each individual chief can also be symbolized as a tree. The peacemaker told the founding leaders, “Now you are all standing up on the land and you shall be tall t...
8. Kháre ki ó:nen wahrehià:ra'ne - Then now he remembered 63. Tsi tóka enhoianeráhsten ne ohnéhta aháhrho ne rahsi'tó:kon - That it will be good for him if he ought to put pine gum under his feet 64. Tsi ó:nen wahahnehtáhrho ne rahsi'tó:kon - Now he put pine gum under his feet 65. Sò:'k ki' wakiesenhón:we tsi waharáthen - Then it is easy he climbed 66. Eh tho niwakié:sen tsi waharáthen tsi ní:ioht ne tsí'ks nó:nen ahsonhtà:ke rará:tes - It is as easy for him to climb there as when a fly is cli...
The Eastern White Pine Tree is symbolic of the Great Peace established by the Rotinonhson:ni nations. When the Peacemaker arrived in Iroquois territory he chose the pine tree as the symbol of the chief or sachem (note: there is no adequate translation of the Mohawk word ROIANE which lacks the hierarchical and power implications of the English words and means he leads the way or he shows the way). The Tree of Peace symbolizes the struggle of the Roiane to provide leadership that inspires Unity (Ska’nikon:ra) through the Good Mind (...
4. Thí:ken otsi'tèn:'a tsi ní:ioht nè:'e ne tóka tontaionia'thá:ra'ne ká:ron tsi niió:re tsi ontatéhnhe'se ne aioiéshon - It was as if this bird would choke before it stopped itself from laughing 32. Mararám kí ó:ni tontahonekwen'tíshonhkwe tsi wahoiéshon - The bull frog also laughed, his belly is shaking 33. Kwah sahatha'tahserón:ni tsi wahèn:ron, "Haraón, haraón" - He really cleared his throat and said "Haraon, haraón" 34. Sò:'k tontahohén:rehte kí:ken tako'skó:wa - So this bobcat yelled a...
Source: By the Cleveland Historical Team Submitted by Doug George Oghema Niagara of the band Pishqua, tribe Osauckee of the Algonquin nation, was born amid the thunderous sound of the Niagara on September 10, 1865, in the Hut of Two Kettles on the Tuscarora Indian Village in Lewistown, New York. Cleveland became his home during the first decade of the 20th century. He came to be known among white men as Chief Thunderwater and built an impressive career as a business leader and civic booster...
1. É:so iohsherá:ke tsi náhe - Many years ago 2. Tsi teionontó:ken iá:ken kowá:nen tkahrháhere - Between the mountain they say there was a big forest on top 3. Kwah sha'tekahrhí:hen nón:we tkanawáhere - In the middle of the forest there is a swamp 4. Teiohkwatasé:ton tsi iotenráhso - It is surrounded and full of moss 5. Awenrahsóhskon eh tho kioronta'kéhrha - There is a log soaking that is all covered with moss 6. Kwah ki' iá:ken sha'tekarontí:hen nón:we théntskote - They say in the middle of...
1. Nè:'k tsi sénha raia'tahshnó:re ne Ohkwá:ri tsi nihaia'tò:ten nó:nen tetshkánere - But Bear was faster than he looked 2. Iathanentshaníhara'ne - He reached over with his paw 3. Rahsi'tà:ke wá:ratste tahoia'tatihéntho ne Ken'nihrà:'a athéhsa nihaia'tò:ten Aró:sen - He used his pay to grab the little brown squirrel 4. Nè:'k tsi ne Ohkwá:ri í:ions tánon iohio'thí:ie raotsi'é:ra - But Bear's long and sharp nails 5. Wa'thó:nake ne Ken'nihrà:'a athéhsa nihaia'tò:ten Aró:sen rahshón:nen - He...
In 1735 at the Seneca Indian town of Conawagus on the Genesee River there was born a Native boy who was later to become one of the greatest Native prophets and teachers of recent historical date. This Seneca was later given the office of Chief of the Turtle Clan, with the title of Kaniatario or Handsome Lake. To give the full life of Handsome Lake and all of the lessons that he taught would take considerable space. Out of the 130 sections of the Handsome Lake Religion, I will describe in brief his main teachings and their affect upon present d...
1. "Kí:ken Ohkwá:ri khiatehorihwarà:'on takarahkwíneken'ne" - "This Bear is silly , the sun came up" 2. "Kí:ken Ohkwá:ri rohshwa'tahtsherá:ien, takarahkwíneken'ne" - "This Bear is foolish, the sun came up" 3."Kí:ken Ohkwá:ri í:iah teho'nikòn:ra Karáhkwa" - "This Bear is stupid, the sun" 4. WHOMP! Kí:ken Ohkwári rahsi'tà:ke wa'thonon'wáre'ke ne Ken'nihrà:'a athéhsa nihaia'tò:ten Aró:sen - Whomp! This Bear's big foot came down on the little brown Squirrel 5. Kahentà:ke wa'kioia'tò:rarake -...
Standing Quiver or Stomp Dance Watahtshero:ton The standing quiver or stomp dance is usually the first of any social dance in most communities throughout the Six Nations. It is a dance that gets everybody in a good mood for dancing and singing. The musical instruments used are your feet, stomping and shuffling, helping to maintain the beat of the song. The dancers follow the leader or singer in single file in a counterclockwise direction. The singer starts by singing the first part of the song and then his helper sings the rest. At one point in th...
1. Kón:nehre akontkáhtho ónhka entkarihwaié:rite - They wanted to see who would be right 2. Ohkwá:ri káton athéhsa nikaia'tò:ten Aró:sen - Bear or brown Squirrel 3. Nè:'e kí:ken wa'onathón:te'ne ne thikontiià:tate kariò:ta - This is what the other animals heard 4. "Í:iah thaontakarahkwíneken'ne hummph!" - "The sun cannot rise, hummph!" 5. "Entkarahkwíneken'ne, oooh!" - "The sun will rise, oooh!" 6. "Í:iah thaontakarahkwíneken'ne hummph!" - "The sun cannot rise, hummph!" 7. "Entkarahkwíneken'...
We are connected to a living earth and a spiritual universe. We have sacred duties to fulfill. We believe that all living things are spiritual beings. Spirits can be expressed as energy forms manifested in matter. We were instructed to carry a love for one another and to show great respect for all of the beings of the Earth. We were shown that our life exists in the Tree of Life, that our being depends on the well being of the Vegetable Life, that we are close relatives of the Four Legged Beings. In our ways, spiritual consciousness is the h...
1. Ohkwá:ri é:neken nonkwá:ti nahakié:ra'te tsi tkaráhkote - The bear turned to the west toward the sun 2. Tho nikahá:wi nó:nen ne karáhkwa kiótkon ia'tewatshénthos - At that time the sun always sets 3. Wa'thá:ta'ne ne Ohkwá:ri kwáh tsi nihahnén:ies - The bear stood up to his full height 4. Tánon wahatá:ti kwáh tsi nihawén:na - And he spoke in his loudest voice 5. "Karáhkwa, tóhsa entkarahkwíneken'ne ne enióhrhen'ne!" - "Sun, don't rise tomorrow!" 6. Tsi tahatá:ti, karáhkwa skenèn:'a ton...
Throughout the year Mohawk people gather to give thanks for the constant return of gifts that the Creator has put here for us. Certain events take place at almost every ceremony. The first being the Thanksgiving Address-Ohenton Karihwatehkwen-which is recited at the beginning and end of every ceremony. It is an acknowledgement and thanksgiving to all creation. First to the people who have gathered, then Mother Earth, the waters of the world, the fish life, the Three Sisters, plants, medicines, berries, animals trees, birds, the Four Winds, our...
1. Sewenhnísera, wahón:nise - One day, a long time ago 2. Kanenna'kè:ne nikahá:wi - Fall time 3. Kí:ken ohkwá:ri átste rothahitáhkhe - This bear is outside walking 4. Tsi rothahitáhkhe - As he walked 5. Tahatáhsawen wahatakia'tahnò:ten - He did start to brag 6. Wa'thataterénhsaron - He did praise himself 7. "Ohkwá:ri nì:'i" - "I am Bear" 8. "Ì:'i aonhà:'a tekkowá:nen tsi niiá:kon ne kariò:ta" - "I am the biggest of all the animals" 9. "Hen ì:'i aonhà:'a" - "Yes I am" 10. "Ohkwá:ri nì:'i" - "...
The game of Lacrosse has been a mainstay among the Rotinonshonni. The first purpose of the game is spiritual. It is a medicine game to be played upon request of any individual, clan, nation or the Confederacy itself. Iroquois Lacrosse is a holistic process that binds communities and the nation of the Rotinonshonni together. This is the reason that we say it was a gift to our people from the Creator. Lacrosse is a “Medicine” game because it promotes the health and strength of the Nation, ensuring a continuance of our tradition and an und...
Onwá:ri Iakoia'tatokénhti - Holy Mary Wahonwatiri'wanón:tonhse ne áhsen nihá:ti ratiksa'okòn:'a - She did ask the 3 children Ne Fatima nón:we ratinákere - They lived in Fatima Lucy, Jacinto tánon Francisco ronwatí:ia'ts - Their names are Lucy, Jacinto and Franciso Ahonterén:naien ne Karénhsa - They ought to pray the Rosary Onerahtohkó:wa 13, 1917 shiská:rahkwe - May 13, 1917 was the date Né:'e ne skén:nen akénhake tsi iohontsiá:te - So that there ought to be peace on the earth Ón:wa nikahá:wi -...
In the Mohawk Nation there are nine Kontiianehson. They are the head women of a large extended family within each clan. They are the women who are referred to as Clan Mothers. The Kotiianehson are responsible for the process of selecting a Roia:ne (man leader) or deposing a Roia:ne, if he fails to perform his official duties. For each principal Roia:ne title there are four assistants: a) Iakoia:ne (clan mother) b) Roia:ne (principal man leader) c) Raterontanonha (man sub-leader) “He takes care of the tree” is the literal translation. d) Kai...
