Elizabeth Jancewicz

Châhkâpâs: A Naskapi Legend shares the story of Châhkâpâs, a heroic figure in First Nations storytelling, who performs feats of strength and skill in spite of his diminutive size.

The book shares this traditional legend as originally recorded in the Naskapi community in northern Quebec in 1967 when it was narrated by John Peastitute, a Naskapi Elder and accomplished storyteller. Transcribed in the Naskapi language and syllabic orthography, the book offers a literary resource for the Naskapi language community, and the English translation enables those unfamiliar with the language, or the story, to discover this important legend.

The book also contains extensive analysis of stories about Châhkâpâs, notes about the provenance of the recordings, a biography of the storyteller, and a history of the Naskapi people. Lavish illustrations from Elizabeth Jancewicz—an artist raised in the Naskapi community—provide a sensitive and accurate graphical account of the legend, which has also been approved by Naskapi speakers themselves.

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the First Nation Language Readers series. With a mix of traditional and new stories, each First Nations Language Reader introduces an Indigenous language and demonstrates how each language is used today. 

By John Peastitute
Edited by Marguerite MacKenzie
Translated by Julie Brittain and Silas Nabinicaboo 
Illustrated by Elizabeth Jancewicz 
Contributions by Bill Jancewicz

Additional Information
264 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Paperback

The story of how the world came to be on the turtle's back can be found in Indigenous cultures throughout North America/Turtle Island. It has many variations. This moving version of the tale—a story of resilience, sacrifice, and friendship—is one that Annie Picard was often told as a child by her maternal grandmother while they lived in nutshimit (on the land) in the Labrador/Quebec peninsula. Picard's lovely re-telling of this traditional Innu story of how little muskrat makes an enormous sacrifice to help the wolverine and his other friends rebuild the world after a great flood is brought vividly to life by Elizabeth Jancewicz's stunning illustrations.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Bilingual: English and Innu-aimun.

Translation into Innu-aimun by Anne Nuna. 

Additional Information
36 Pages | 9" x 8" | Hardcover | 2nd Edition