February is Indigenous Storytelling Month and even the littlest people had a chance to get in on the act in Prince Albert.
Lyndon Linklater, a Saskatoon-based prominent Knowledge Keeper and Storyteller, was at the Prince Albert Early Years Resource Centre in the Gateway Mall on Saturday to tell stories as part of Indigenous Storytellers Month.
Linklater he has been invited to the Early Years Resource Centre before because of the Office of the Treaty Commissioner.
“The Office of the Treaty Commissioner has many departments. And one of the departments is called the Speakers Bureau. Which is comprised of knowledgeable individuals,” Linklater said.
He said that organizations get in touch with the Speakers Bureau for events.
“The intent is to promote education and awareness about Indigenous culture, history, traditions, treaties,” Linklater said.
In the past, Linklater was at the Early Years Resource Centre teaching about making birch bark baskets. This was an arts and crafts component for young children.
He said he was invited by the Centre for National Indigenous Storytelling Month, which is being celebrated across Canada from Feb. 2 to Feb 28.
“There’s been a flood of requests to the Office of Treaty Commissioners Speakers Bureau for Indigenous Storytellers,” he said. “That’s what’s happening right across Canada right now.
“I’m here today and I’m just, sharing stories, all sorts of different stories. Some of the stories are personal stories. Other stories are make-believe stories, like fairy tale stories. There’s all sorts of stories,” Linklater added.
Education is one of Linklater’s goals, but so is inspiration. He said everyone is a storyteller in their own way, even if it’s something as simple as telling your friends what you watched on TV last night.
“You’ll tell the story. ‘I watched the Olympics, the curling, whatever.’ You tell your story, and that is how we are all storytellers in a sense,” Linklater said.
Linklater explained that during his first storytelling session the parents were more attentive but that makes an impact as well
But if you make an impact on the parents, you make an impact on the kids.
“Without a doubt, those parents really enjoyed the little story session I did with them, they really enjoy it and they want some more.”
Linklater did the interview on a break between sessions. After the first part was done in a crowded section of the Centre, it was moved to a second location.
Linklater said the whole exercise was great to be a part of.
“I’m honoured to have been asked to come and do storytelling today. (I’m) quite busy this whole month.”
Linklater will also be in Moose Jaw on Feb. 12 and said that Indigenous Storytelling Month gives him a chance to travel around the province.
“I get requests to go all over the place,” he said. “Actually, I’m off to Turnor Lake. That’s quite a drive from where I live. It’s a good five and a half hour drive.”
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
