Donna Joe
Donna Joe is a member of the Sechelt Indian Band on the beautiful Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. As a child she used to go fishing with her mother and father, Marjorie and Cyprian August. In 1953 she began attending residential school and went on to complete a Bachelor of Education at the University of British Columbia (NITEP). She went on to earn a master's degree and found work with the Sechelt School District and Sechelt Indian Band as Supervisor of shashishalhem (the Sechelt language). Donna and her husband Vern have three children and five grandchildren.
Kids Books (3)
Synopsis:
These traditional teaching legends come straight from the oral traditions of the Sechelt Nation. Simple enough to be understood by young children, yet compelling enough for adults, they are gentle, beautifully presented cautionary tales. You'll want to read them again and again - and you'll learn a few words of the Shishalh language while you're at it.
Reviews
"Long ago, when groups of people were living in caves to keep their families fed and warm, young men set out to search for food. After days of staying awake to keep the fire going, the grandfather left in charge fell asleep, and the fire grew dim. The resident brown robin found everyone asleep the next morning with the embers barely lit. This traditional story tells how the courageous little gray robin saves the people, and is honored with the color given him." - Oyate
Series Information
This book is part of the Legends of the Sechelt Nation series.
Additional Information
40 pages | 7.00" x 8.50"
Synopsis:
These traditional teaching legends come straight from the oral traditions of the Sechelt Nation. Simple enough to be understood by young children, yet compelling enough for adults, they are gentle, beautifully presented cautionary tales. You'll want to read them again and again - and you'll learn a few words of the Shishalh language while you're at it.
Reviews
"In the naming of his great-grandson, a grandfather relates the story of how Mayuk met his match at the hands of three brothers, and how one, who was wounded, was healed by Indian medicine. To celebrate his survival, the grandfather named his grandson Mayuk so he would have the attributes of that animal. That this book is a story within a story within a story within a story is a common Northwest Coast oral history device." - Oyate
Series Information
This book is part of the Legends of the Sechelt Nation series.
Additional Information
40 pages | 7.00" x 8.50"
Synopsis:
In Salmon Boy: A Legend of the Sechelt People, a young boy is captured by a Chum salmon and brought to the country of the salmon people-a dry land beneath water where "the salmon people walked about the same as people do above the sea." The boy lived with them for one year, and his captivity becomes a source of learning that will ensure the survival of his own people.
After accompanying the salmon people on their run, the Sechelt boy hops out of the river and returns home to teach everything he has learned to his people who, from that time forward, treat the salmon properly and always have enough to eat. The salmon people, now respected by the humans, happily "give their rich flesh to feed the people of the land."
This beautiful story is accompanied by black and white illustrations of the boy and his adventures. Though written especially for children, Salmon Boy, with its simple message of responsibility and respect, will appeal to all ages.
Educator Information
Simple and compelling First Nations drawings illustrate this dynamic story that teaches respect for the environment and describes the life cycle of the salmon.
Series Information
This book is part of the Legends of the Sechelt Nation series.
Additional Information
24 pages | 7.00" x 8.50"