A Virtual National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration
June 21 in National Indigenous Peoples Day. We’ve planned a special virtual event for June 19 at 1:00 p.m. to mark the occasion: Raven Tales & Medicine Pouch Workshop. The celebration will begin with an acknowledgement by Musqueam artist Martin Sparrow and will feature storytelling and a hands-on workshop.
Stories based in Kwakwaka’wakw culture
Storyteller Simon Winadzi James will share stories of his people, ancient mariners who used the ocean as their main highway, travelling the coast of BC for thousands of years.
James will also screen an animated story, Raven Tales Dream Dream Dream, about a young boy who dreams of flying and is teased about being different. After he presents his story, James will take questions and guide a discussion about how to overcome the obstacles others place upon us.
Simon Winadzi James has been telling stories about his culture for thirty years. When he was 26 he retired from commercial fishing to go to the Vancouver Film School to become an animation producer and professional storyteller and artist.
Raven Tales Dream, Dream, Dream was created in 2004 and has played on APTN.
Healing Medicine Pouches with Shona Sparrow
After the stories, Shona Sparrow will lead a workshop in the making of a healing medicine pouch. As she shares the traditional knowledge involved with making a medicine pouch, Sparrow will talk about connecting with the land and water and about Indigenous values, connecting the medicines, land, family and bringing community together.
The healing medicine pouches will include hand-harvested medicines:
- Sage
- Sweetgrass
- Cedar
- Tobacco
All were gathered in season with protocols in place, including elder knowledge keepers, youth, and family of all ages. Sparrow will speak about each of the medicines using the four-direction medicine wheel.
The pouches will also include devil’s club, and Sparrow will teach the meaning of the devil’s club and its healing properties
Participants will also be provided with buckskin cut to size for a pouch. Sparrow will talk about hunting practices in which nothing is wasted.
The healing medicine pouches will also include Pony beads hand-picked by the youth in the family. Throughout the workshop, Sparrow will talk about Elder knowledge keepers and stories. She’ll also give advice about how and when to wear your pouch and what you can add that makes it special to you.
Shona Sparrow is Syilx from the Okanagan married to Martin Sparrow artist, carver and fisherman. She lives in Musqueam and is a cedar harvester and weaver. Together Martin and Shona compliment the Okanagan- Interior Salish with the Musqueam Coastal Salish. Shona has been a Kwu Xast facilitator (cultural facilitator) in her hometown. She loves learning coastal protocols and spending time learning from the elders. She has learned about many plants and how, when and why to follow the seasons with the plants, water and fish.
Raven Tales & Medicine Pouch Workshop promises to be an inspiring afternoon. And at the end of it, you’ll have your own medicine pouch to treasure. Tickets for this event are $50. The ticket amount covers the cost of material for the medicine pouches. The workshop materials can be picked up at the Vancouver Maritime Museum about a week before the workshop date.
After you purchase your ticket, you will be emailed a link to the virtual event. If you do not receive the link, please email programs@vanmaritime.com. You will also recieve an email when the workshop materials are ready to be picked up.