Chapter 2

Métis Mother near the Fort

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Métis Mother near the Fort
Une mère métisse près du fort
La mérre méchisse, prosh dju forre
Welcome, welcome! I apologize in advance… really busy here at this time of year.
I don’t know why everything seems to happen at the same time. Excuse me a moment.
Angélique! Grab your brother and go to the garden and pick the corn lickety split – I’m pretty sure it’s going to rain this afternoon.
Ah, the young people of today. They always want to give us a hard time. In my day, we used to say, “Yes, Mom. Right away, Mom.”
Well, we had to. It was just us and Mom. Dad was hired by the Company. Crazy, huh?
I decided that I wasn’t going to live like this when I grew up. And what happens? I fall in love with a Voyageur, me too!
At least when he leaves, we’re not left alone, more families have moved to the area since the fort was built.
The fort buys our corn, our potatoes, fish, wild rice and the fresh meat that we hunt.
The credits they give us for this, we spend it on things like blankets, nice sharp saws, good tea and sugar. And, don’t forget the bison hunts!
François! Go check our traps. We need a couple of rabbits for supper.
I’m telling you that it’s time to go on the fall hunt. Our reserves are nearly gone. Fortunately, my Jacques came back safe and sound from his first big trip.
He’ll be able to go hunting. He’s not the best shot but he’s a good rider, my Jacques. I like him better on the back of a horse than in a canoe.
What to do to prepare the fall hunt? I should ask my Nacoda neighbours if they have seen any bison.
Oh Angélique, don’t forget to pick up the dirty laundry at the fort.
I know I said it was going to rain but we can wash the clothes when it’s raining and hang them out to dry once it stops.
Yikes, I forgot that I have to go clean up at the fort. Let it go, Angélique. Just keep picking that corn. I’ll take care of the laundry later.
Oyaya, I’m tired. Sometimes I don’t regret the coming of winter.
At least I get some sleep during that season. And the harvest this year has been pretty good
We have enough credit to buy some of that strong tea… come back at holiday time and we’ll have a cup together.
Beinv’nu, beinv’nu. Ma m’ixkuzi toutte switte. Si bein okupi a stan-sitte d’l’anni.
Shé pâ pourkwè mé, toutte arrive an mêm tan, on djira. Scuzi-mwé, shré pâ lontan.
Angélique ! Pâgne ton frérre pi alli ramâssi l’blédeinde dan l’jardein, ô plu sakran. Shu pâ mal sartenne k’apra-midji, y vâ mouyi.
Ahh ! li jenne d’ojordjwi. Sa veu toultan no danni d’la mizerre. Dan mon tan, on djiza : « Wè Mâman, Touswitte Mâman. »
Falla bein. Y’ava yeink Mâman pi nouzôt. Pâpa l’ita ein angaji par la Konpagni.
Mé si bêt, hein ? J’ava disidi ke sh’ta pâ pour viv dimêm kan sh’ra grande. Pi kousé k’y’arrive ?
Mwé itou, sh’tonb an amour avek ein Wéyajeur. Mé ô mwein, kan y parre, on li pâ lessi par nouzôt mêm,
a kouze ki lâ an mass pluss di faméye, ke l’ava mouvi alantour dju forre.
Le forre ashette dju blédeinde, di patatte, dju pwèsson, dju ri sâvaj pi d’la vyand frésh kon shass.
Y nô danne di krédji pour sâ, pi on li dipans sur di z’aferre kom di kouvarchur, di bonne si, dju bon ti forre pi dju suk. Pi, fô pâ oubliyi la shass ô boflô !
Franswè, vâ chèki nô trap. Sa lâ bezwein di kuk lyève pour soupi.
Sh’ti dji ki li tan d’alli a shass d’ôtonne. Lâ kizman fini toutte nô risarv. Enne bonne shans ke mon Jacques li r’vnu back an vi d’son premyé grô wéyaj.
Y vâ êt kapab ferre la shass. Spâ lwi ke tchire li myeu mé, li bon su ein sh’fal, mon Jacques. J’emme myeu l’werre a sh’fal ke dan ein kanou.
Si kwè ke fô ferre pour êt pra pour la shass ? Ma dimandi a mi wèzein Nacoda si y l’ava vu di boflô.
Ohh Angélique, oubli pâ d’alli sharshi li leinj sal ô forre. Shé ke ja dji ke va mouyi, mé, sa peu li lavi pandan ksa mouye pi li z’itande pour chessi kan sa vâ arrêti.
Krimme, j’ava oubliyi ki fô k’jaye nitwèyi ô forre.
Bonyenne shu fachigi. Di fwé, sa m’fa ryein ke l’iverre s’an vyein. Ô mwein, j’dorre ein pchi brein pluss s’tan -lâ, pi sa lâ l’tan di swerre.
Pi la rikolt lita pâ pire s’t’anni ; sa lâ assi krédji pour ashti notte ti… Tchu r’vyeindra back pandan li fêt pi sa prandrâ enne tass ansanb.