{"id":6107,"date":"2022-02-09T18:18:03","date_gmt":"2022-02-09T18:18:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saskatchewanhumanrights.ca\/?page_id=6107"},"modified":"2022-02-09T18:18:08","modified_gmt":"2022-02-09T18:18:08","slug":"aboriginal-storytelling-month","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/saskatchewanhumanrights.ca\/news-events\/human-rights-literature\/aboriginal-storytelling-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Aboriginal Storytelling Month"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"\"By Heather Kuttai<\/em><\/p>\n

Stories can range from powerful and wise to light and entertaining. One of the greatest strengths in any story is how it can help us understand different points of view. February is Aboriginal Storytelling Month, and although stories are for everyone, this review is specifically for children. Thanks to the teachers and librarians who recommended several: Mrs. Dyck and Mrs. Armistead from McKitrick school in North Battleford and Ms. Hobday in Saskatoon. A list of their favourites appears at the end of this review.<\/p>\n

I Am Not A Number<\/em>, also known as Gaawin Gindaaswin Ndaawsii<\/em>, which is available as a dual language (Nishnaabemwin and Nbisiing dialect as well as English) storybook, is a true story recount from the point of view of 8-year-old Irene and how she was taken away from her family and sent to a residential school. She promises her parents that she will not forget where she came from and who she is, but this proves heartbreakingly difficult. Still, despite being called a number instead of her name and being severely punished for speaking her language, Irene tries to stay true to her promise. Even though she can\u2019t speak her name, family, culture, and language out loud, she keeps them alive inside her heart.<\/p>\n

In a similar way, The Song Within My Heart <\/em>by M\u00e9tis writer, Dave Bouchard, featuring paintings by renowned Cree artist, Allen Sapp, holds the same promise of keeping stories alive. In it, Sapp\u2019s Nokum, Maggie Sonnias, to whom the book is dedicated, tells him,<\/p>\n

\u201cA story is a sacred thing<\/p>\n

That should be passed from age to youth<\/p>\n

I choose to share my best with you<\/p>\n

That you might own and share them too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Share a story by an Indigenous author this month with the young people in your life, and thank the teachers who do this and so much more, every day.<\/p>\n

Thank you \u00a0to Monica Goulet for the recommendation to look to the Gabriel Dumont Institute: https:\/\/gdins.org\/metis-culture\/publishing\/online-resources-museum-and-archives\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Additional sources can be found at the University of Saskatchewan: https:\/\/library.usask.ca\/indigenous\/holdings\/az_list-childrens_authors.php<\/a><\/p>\n

The Saskatoon Public Library: https:\/\/saskatoonlibrary.ca\/collections\/lists\/#indigenous<\/a><\/p>\n

As always, teachers can find great resources to help them through Concentus Education Foundation, concentus.ca<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Here is a list of a few favourite storybooks, as recommended by teachers:<\/strong><\/p>\n