By: Tina L., Halton Youth Initiative Youth Volunteer
July 22, 2020
Indigenous storytelling is a traditional method used to teach important life lessons, preserve history, pass down wisdom, and more. In the past, because there were no scientists yet, storytelling was also a method of explaining concepts that weren’t yet understood, such as thunder.
On July 16th, Angel, Victoria, Tanvi, and I hosted an indigenous storytelling event. We decided to host an indigenous storytelling space because June was National Indigenous history month. Indigenous culture contributes so much to Canadian culture as we know it, and so we wanted to honour and recognize the history and heritage of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
During the event, we showed four videos that told traditional stories of the Haudenousaunee, Chipewyan, Cree, and Ojibwe people. We also held a door prize to win a book called “A Moon Made of Copper” written by Chris Bose, an Indigenous author. There was a great combination of youth and adult participants who shared their thoughts on the stories and their significance!
Through developing this event, I learned more about the rich Indigenous culture and how these captivating stories were used to teach important life lessons. In all the Indigenous stories we told, animals and nature played a significant role. I realized that this was a way to emphasize how connected we are to the land and the stories teach us to respect nature and animals. Lastly, I learned how important storytelling is to Indigenous communities and why it is crucial to carry on this tradition to preserve their ways of life.
I am very excited to be planning another event centered on Indigenous traditions and practices, an Indigenous medicines event where we can learn more about Indigenous healing and wellness. Stay tuned!
Learning about Indigenous storytelling with our team.