The first inkling that the Aboriginal Storytelling Festival on May 2 might be special was in the introductory remarks by educator Kerry Mahlman.
"Storytelling - it's a gift; it's precious," she said to the audience at the Sechelt Indian Band Hall. "Students will be profoundly changed by what they've heard."
She was referring to the two days of school visits by First Nations authors in a program jointly sponsored by several cultural organizations.
A full house of all ages packed into the hall last Thursday evening to hear five Aboriginal speakers with something to say, along with a film presentation from Capilano University young film-makers and an opening welcome ceremony from the xwamstut dance group.
Asked to tell a story about someone they admired, the film-makers presented their mini-documentaries - engaging accounts of their families - in most cases.
Nicola Campbell is the author of Shin-chi's Canoe, a children's book about a boy living at a residential school, and of her latest book, Grandpa's Girls. She read her poetry that spoke of elders, of their family gatherings, their canoe trips and the adventures in her boat, the Salish Dancer.
Zaccheus Jackson surprised everyone with contemporary street poetry delivered in an impassioned, frenetic performance. Growing up in Kitimat, Jackson learned his stories from his grandfather. In one memorable and spirited poem he described the First Nations men who went to fight in the war to serve the country that had made them resign their Indian status. When they returned home, they were not allowed back on the reserve.
No matter how light hearted some of the speakers were, the underlying darker themes always emerged: the injustices and the residential schools that tore children away from their families.
Teacher Diane Silvey was born in Sechelt and she was quick to question the school system as to why there was nothing about her people in the curriculum. Silvey has written books of all types: history, novels and readers, including her kids' book about the Aboriginal people of Canada. When she was asked by one publisher to remove just one word from her text regarding residential schools, she refused. The word was "sexual."
Silvey concluded her talk with a poem about her cousin, Theresa Jeffries.
Inuit Michael Kusugak started storytelling to his own kids 25 years ago and has blended his jovial nature and simple tales into his books ever since. At the festival, Kusugak pulled a piece of string from his pocket to help him tell his stories, fashioning it into the shapes of animals. It seems stories can come out of any medium.
Richard Wagamese is perhaps the best known of the authors. As a journalist and award-winning novelist, Wagamese sketched a few stories - from the powerful creation myth to the comical account of a young Ojibway fellow who meets a spiritual bear.
"The stories kindle within us," he told the audience. "Over that fire we sat around, that language filling empty space."
He also noted that all generations, ages and genders were represented at the festival, and he concluded that, "storytelling is in good hands."
The joint sponsorship by the Festival of the Written Arts, School District No. 46, the Shishalh First Nation and Capilano University with funding from the Sunshine Coast Regional District and The McLean Foundation allowed the public and school students to enjoy it for free.
