Storytelling and Literature Resources
The Truth About Stories Lecture series by Thomas King
FNESC English First Peoples
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Though geared for the English First People’s curriculum, lessons and resources can easily transfer into other English classes, with units based on relationships, identity, family bonds, sense of belonging, and land development.
Story Telling and Different Forms of Stories
Totem Pole Activity:
Coast Salish Legends
Traditional Coast Salish legends provided by artist, Joe Jack.
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie
A humorous and relatable story fit for younger grades.
“Maybe it’s the combination of drawings, pithy turns of phrase, candour, tragedy, despair and hope that makes this more than an entertaining read, more than an engaging story about a North American Indian kid who makes it out of a poor, dead-end background without losing his connection with who he is and where he’s from.”
– Diane Samuels, The Gaurdian
34 Copies in the Learning Commons with audio recording
Indian Horse
by Richard Wagamese
A powerful story on racism, residential schools, and the long-standing consequences of that experience, as well as a look at the things that can break down these walls, in this case, hockey.
8 Copies in the Learning Commons
Tea and Bannock Stories: First Nations Community Of Poetic Voices
SFU First Nations Studies
A great collection of poems and art that could be used in cross curricular way to discuss First Nation’s expression and perspective.
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First Voices –Stories
This webpage has local Wsanec stories in English and Sencoten
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Islands of Decolonial Love
by Leanne Simpson and multiple artists
This Collection of Poems from Anishinaabe author, Leanne Simpson, spoken in collaboration with musical artists is powerful, political, and beautiful.
Click image for full audio poem list
Simpson-Leaks and Jiibay – PDF
“Leaks” is a poem in response to her daughter experiencing racism for the first time at the age of 5.
“Jiibay or Aandizooke” addresses the development of First Nations territory of cultural significance.
“Rendezvous”
Short Story by Thomas King
A short short story that is easy to pull out meaning and discussion on environmentalism, development, and tropes and stereotypes of First Nations people.
King- Rendezvous -PDF
“Post-Colonial”
Creative non-Fiction writing by Margaret Atwood
A powerful short piece that examines the colonial reminders in our society, the remnants of guilt and gain, and the problematic construction of “we” and “them.”
Atwood – Post-Colonial – PDF
“Dogrib Midnight Runners”
Short Story by Richard Van Camp
“Dogrib Midnight Runners” is a hopeful story that touches on Indigenous issues, but is cross cultural and could spur on some fun and interesting conversations on the small things that liberate or motivate us, and the ripple effect of those. A group of friends gain a new perspective on life and motivation after taking up the hobby of midnight streaking!
“On The Wings of This Prayer”
Short Story by Richard Van Camp
“On The Wings of This Prayer” is a challenging story, probably best suited for grade 12 and will require some background on the Alberta Tar Sands and some of the vocabulary; however, the concept of a zombie uprising caused by the tar sands and traditional Aboriginal knowledge as a weapon against it provides much discussion on environmentalism, fear, and respect for traditional knowledge.
“Totem”
Short Story by Thomas King
“Totem” is an accessible story that easily leads to discussion on Indigenous issues and the out-of-sight-out-of-mind mentality.
“I Lost My Talk”
Poem by Rita Joe, 1978 – “a war of words,” as she described it, written in a time when Residential schools were not in the open and were still in operation.
I lost my talk
The talk you took away.
When I was a little girl
At Shubenacadie school.
You snatched it away:
I speak like you
I think like you
I create like you
The scrambled ballad, about my world.
Two ways I talk
Both ways I say,
Your way is more powerful.
So gently I offer my hand and ask,
Let me find my talk
So I can teach you about me.
Article and Videos – Global News