害羞草研究所淎 long, long, long time ago害羞草研究所π卟菅芯克鶟
That害羞草研究所檚 how Kenthen Thomas starts off How Coyote Made the Tree Fall In Love with Him, one of the traditional stories he likes to tell whenever he performs.
Thomas, a teacher by trade, is participating in B.C. Culture Days as one of its ambassadors, organizing an event and performing in it. Culture Days is an annual national celebration of arts and culture, where people from all over Canada can attend and participate in free events for four weeks.
Last year, the celebration looked a little different due to COVID-19 but 2021 is offering more in-person events both indoors and outdoors, as well as online.
Thomas害羞草研究所� event will be held outdoors among traditional pithouses, where he will be sharing Stspetkwll, which translates to 害羞草研究所渓egends that teach.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭he two main things that I害羞草研究所檝e learned the legends teach us are how the world came to be and the second one that I think is the most important, especially for today,害羞草研究所� is how not to behave,害羞草研究所� he said.
He said these stories are important now because they have a lesson or a message for everyone.
害羞草研究所�(A legend) isn害羞草研究所檛 preachy, it isn害羞草研究所檛 instruction, it isn害羞草研究所檛 prescribed lessons,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淵ou listen to the story, you watch the storyteller tell the story and you take away from it whatever it is, the lesson that you feel like you need to learn.害羞草研究所�
Besides sharing traditional stories, Thomas is also working on an original piece that will have a similar style to a legend, but has a more modern spin to it. The piece will be co-written with his mentor Billy Cohen.
He said they害羞草研究所檝e been working on it for more than two years and it will feature traditional characters.
害羞草研究所淭he piece will contain the animal people, like Coyote and Brother Bear. They害羞草研究所檙e going to see what we call the People Eaters. Long ago, they were creatures that devoured us humans,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淚n our piece, we害羞草研究所檙e naming the People Eaters Greed, Money, Corporation, things like that, because those are the things that we see as the People Eaters now.害羞草研究所�
But more than teaching and inspiring, he said that sharing these stories now shows the strength and the triumphs of First Nations.
害羞草研究所淚f you think about what害羞草研究所檚 been happening, especially here in Canada with all the children being found near the residential schools害羞草研究所�, the whole concept of the residential schools was to kill the Indian to save the child.
害羞草研究所淲hen I害羞草研究所檓 telling stories, I like to remind the students that these stories, the language that comes with these stories, and the connection to the land, all that was supposed to be annihilated,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淲e weren害羞草研究所檛 supposed to have these stories but fortunately the stories persevered and they害羞草研究所檙e here today. We need to keep sharing these stories to say 害羞草研究所榯hese stories belong to me and to the land and I害羞草研究所檓 going to share it with you today.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
Thomas害羞草研究所� performances are scheduled for Sept. 25, and Oct. 1 and 2, and will be held at the trail just off 800 First Nations Rd.
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