Aboriginal Storytelling Month: promoting & protecting traditional knowledge
There is nothing in this world that brings Darwin Atcheynum more joy than sharing traditional teachings through story. Using his own stone sculptures, the artist shares tales of Mother Nature and Grandfather Rock to eager students.
“It doesn’t matter your background. The kids love hearing the stories and are inspired by these teachings.”
Storyteller and sculptor Darwin Atcheynum cherishes school visits sharing the stories he was taught as a child. (Sherron Burns)
“For a long time, because of residential schools, these stories were something we had to hide but, when I grew up, I got to choose my own path,” says Atcheynum. “It doesn’t matter your background. The kids love hearing the stories and are inspired by these teachings.”
Wintertime is a sacred time for Indigenous communities, where knowledge about people and lived experiences are traditionally shared. To celebrate the Library Services for Saskatchewan Aboriginal Peoples (LSSAP) is helping schools, local libraries, and cultural organizations with a mix of online and in-person events that highlight the power of storytelling. The month-long event kicks off February 1, 2022. 72 storytellers from across the province will share poetry readings, stories for children, cooking classes, musical performances, and cultural teachings.
“We can draw on the strength and power of our stories to build community and bring healing during these troubled times.”
“We’ve all faced huge challenges during the pandemic, and we are drawing on the cultural teachings to persevere,” says Saskatchewan Aboriginal Storytelling Project Coordinator Jessica Generoux. “We can draw on the strength and power of our stories to build community and bring healing during these troubled times.”
Solomon Ratt has been sharing Cree stories for more than 40 years. (David Stobbe Photography)
Solomon Ratt has dedicated his life to preserving Cree stories told to him as a child. The Associate Professor of Languages, Linguistics and Literature at First Nations University of Canada has preserved the traditional stories passed down to him in both Cree and English translations.
“These are stories are about adventure, love, and life. They teach us how to behave as a human being.”
“I was a hideling, my parents hid me from the authorities for a while,” says Ratt. “Before I was taken away to residential school, my mother shared these stories with me. I’ve been writing them down and sharing them for the past 40 years. These are stories are about adventure, love, and life. They teach us how to behave as a human being.”
Atcheynum says there is a renewed excitement surrounding traditional stories and there is no more important work than sharing this tradition with the next generation.
“A lot of kids have lost their culture, they’ve forgotten who they are,” says Atcheynum. “These stories help them find their way back. They regain a pride in who they are and where they come from.”
Aboriginal Storytelling Month 2022 is about making Indigenous culture accessible, through libraries, to everyone no matter where they live with online channels like Facebook, Zoom and other websites.
With most libraries across Saskatchewan taking part in the event, there is truly something for everyone.
