Mohawk Lesson

1. É:so niiohserá:ke shikakaratákie ne “Tsiá:ta Nihá:ti Ratiksa’okón:’a.” For many years this story was around about the 7 Children

2. Thó: ne ki éh niiawén:’en ne onkwehón:we ronnonhá:ak shihatiia’takwení:io ne kénh nón:we niiohontsiá:te.

This happened when the Native people themselves were the main people here on this earth

3. Tsi náhe shé’s nó:nen ne ronnonkwehón:we ronahtenkionhákie Long ago when the Native people were moving along

4. Tsi nón:we enthontenatanón:we’ne, thó kí’ nón:we ienhatihráhrho. They will like this town where they will dock their boats

5. É:neken nonkwá:ti tkaniataráhere tsi nón:we ne rononhkwehón:we iehotihráhrhon. On the west side of the lake the Native people docked their boats over there

6. “Kaniatarí:io” tahatiná:tonhkwe thó nón:we. Where they named it “Kaniatarí:io” – it is a nice river or Lake Ontario

7. Ne’ tho shontakahá:wi, tsiá:ta nihá:ti nithotiión:sa rotisken’rakéhte wahontenenhrón:ni.

There when the time came, 7 young boys formed a group

8. Wahatirihwáhsehte tsi ne tóhsa ónhka tahonwati’nikonhrhá:ren. They hid the business so no one would bother them

9. Iotahshontatíhen sók enhonkia’taró:roke. In the middle of the night, then they will assemble

10. Tsi iotéhrhate kaniataratákie, éh tho nón:we thatitsienhaientáhkhwa. At the forest along the river there they met (they had a fire)

11. Ó:nen kí:ken shaià:ta raksá:’a ne ne ohén:ton í:rate. Now this one boy stood in front (he is the head one)

12. Wahshakohró:ri tsi nó:nen enha’nahkwá:’eke tánon enhaterennó:ten, tenhatinónniahkwe.

He told them they will dance when he will hit the drum and he will sing

13. Thó ki’ ní:ioht kí énska rotitsienhaién:tahkwe This is how it was this one meeting

14. Ó:nen ki né ohén:ton í:rate wahaterien’tatshén:ri né ahotikhwaiéntake Now then the head one found an idea they ought to get food

15. Sók ionsahoná:ti Then they postponed it

16. Ne ó:ia enshatitsiénhaien ne enhatihthá:rahkwe. They will meet again and they will talk about it

17. Wahonterien’tatshén:ri They found a plan

18. Tsi shatiia’tátshon tsi enthatíhawe ne atennà:tshera. Each one will bring some food

19. Shaià:ta wahshakoharátsten tsi kanenhstóhare onòn:tara entháhawe One boy promised he will bring corn soup

20. Sók ne ó:ia shaià:ta oskenón:ton o’wà:ron wahshakoharátsten, Then the other boy promised deer meat

21. Ó:ia okahserò:ta ne wahén:ron entháhawe. Another said he will bring green corn

22. Skátshon tsi nihá:ti ó:ia nikakhò:ten wahontatéhnha’ne enthatíhawe One after another they volunteered another type of food they will bring

23. Nó:nen ienkáhewe ahatikwá:ren. When it will be time they ought to serve the food

24. Sonsaióhrhen’ne shatiia’tátshon tsi wahshakotikhwa’né:ken ne shakoti’nisténha.

When it was again morning, one by one they begged their mothers for food

25. Wa’thonwatikhwanonhiá:nikse’ ne shakoti’nisténha, Their mother’s deprived them of food

26. Akwé:kon ne sha’orí:wa tahonwatihró:ri They were all told the same thing

27. Tsi iekaié:ri ne kén:’en tsi ní:kon rotikhwahshónries ne raotinónhskon They have enough food at their house

28. Tsi iáh thé:nen tehotirí:waien ne oskà:wakon nonkwá:ti ia’tahontská:hon.

They had no business eating over there in the woods

29. Wahoti’nikonhráksen né:’e tsi iáh thahò:ten tehotikhwaientà:’on ne ahonatekhón:nike.

They had sad minds because they had no food they ought to cook

30. Tsi niwahsón:tes eh nionsahón:ne tsi thatitsienhaientáhkhwa. During the night they returned to their meeting place

31. Wahén:ron ne ohén:ton í:rate, “A’ronhákien ki’ wáhe” The head one said, “Never-mind”

32. “Eniethina’tón:hahse tsi iáh se’ teioiánere ne taionkhikhwanonhiá:nikse.” “We will show them that it is not nice that they ought to deprive us of food”

33. Tentewanonniá:kwe ne shá:ka, a’rohákien tsi iáh teiotón:’on ne aionkwakhón:nike.” “We will dance the same never mind it is not possible that we ought to cook”

34. Wahshakohró:ri ne aontahati’nikonhrá:sa’ahte tsi tenhatinónniahkwe. He told them they ought again to be thorough when they will dance

35. Wahshakohró:ri ne karonhià:ke ia’tahontká:neren tsi tehotinonniahkwenhákie

He told them they ought to look over there at the sky as they are dancing along

36. Tóhsa taon’tahontká:tho ok óni ne tóka si taontahonwatí:nonke ne ronwatiièn:’a.

They ought not to look back if they ought to call their children back

37. Thó:ne ó:nen tahatá:sawen waha’nahkwá:’eke tánon ne wahaterennó:ten ne kwah tkarenna’shátste tánon ioterennátkon.

Then he started to drum and he sang the strongest, magical song

38. Iáh tekarí:wes sha’tehotinonniahkwenhákie Not long when they danced along

39. Sok ná:’a sahoti’nikónhrhen tsi nahò:ten roti’nikonhraksá:ton They forgot what they were upset about

40. Kwáh skén:nen tsi sahonnonhtónnionhwe. They thought again most peacefully

41. Taio’sha’tstén:serek tsi tehotinonniáhkwen. Their dancing became stronger

42. Thó:ne ó:nen tahonteratà:ko tánon wahonthará:tate. Then now they rose up

43. É:neken tsi iorontó:ton nón:we shihón:ne ó:nen wahonwatí:ken ne ronwatiio’okón:’a.

Now they saw their children roaming up above the trees

44. Ieshonwatí:nonks ne ronwatiio’okón:’a They were calling their children

45. Ó:nen sénha é:neken niahón:ne. Now they went up more

46. Shaià:ta tontahatká:tho, otsisto’kó:wa ne wahà:ton. One boy looked again and he became a big star (falling star)

47. Ok ná:’a ne ronákia’ke wahontóhetste karonhià:ke tsi nón:we iahotinonwí:rehte tsi niió:re nék ne tekiotsistohkwarónnion.

And then the others passed on to the sky where they disappeared as far as the stars

48. Nó:nen enhontká:tho ne ronnonkwehón:we tsi nón:we tetkontkakwíroks ne tsiá:ta nikatsistóhkwake

When the Native people will see where the 7 stars are blinking

49. Wahonní:ron sé’s ó:nen á:re ne rotisken’rakéhte tehotinonniáhkwen They said now the boys are dancing

50. Nó:nen kwáh é:neken ne kanatakén:iate nón:we nihón:ne ne rotisken’rakéhte

When the boys are roaming right above the edge of town

51. Ratinakwá:tara ronwatina’tónhkhwa They are called the Ratinakwá:tara, the constellation Pleiades

52. Thó nikahá:wi ne kionkwehón:we tsi tentewatenonhwará:ton ne Sha’tekohséhrhon.

It is at that time that the Native people give thanks at Midwinter

53. Ne ki ratikaratónhkhwa ne rotikstenhokón:’a nó:nen enhontká:tho ne otsistohkó:wa kákie.

The elders used to talk about this story when they see the big star falling (when they see a shooting star)