Library Presents Second First Nations Storyteller-in-Residence: Jackie Timothy
For Immediate Release, April 6, 2010
(Vancouver, British Columbia) – Vancouver Public Library’s second First Nations Storyteller-in-Residence Jackie Timothy remembers when visitors would come to his grandparents’ home to share mesmerizing traditional stories.
“I was very privileged to learn the old language and with that the old stories,” said Mr. Timothy. “I cherish those moments with my grandparents.”
Mr. Timothy, who shares the ancestral name La-Sah with his brother, is a storyteller, cultural presenter, master carver and residential school survivor from the Sliammon First Nation near Powell River. He descends from the Hereditary Chief lineage of his village and his grandparents identified him as a traditional storyteller.
When he was four years old he was taken to the Sechelt Indian Residential School. However, because he already identified strongly with his culture and retained his grandparents’ advice to “remember who you are and where you are from”, he endured residential school and succeeded through difficult times.
Today, Mr. Timothy shares his profound gift for traditional storytelling with children, youth and adults of all cultures and ages. The stories handed down to him through generations of his Coast Salish heritage are largely unknown outside his culture.
“Storytelling is at the heart of who I am,” he explained. “It is a privilege to be able to mentor and encourage other storytellers and to share my cultural heritage with everyone at the Library.”
The First Nations Storyteller-in-Residence program was created to enhance and establish new relationships with the Aboriginal and First Nations communities in Vancouver and to make the Library a more-inclusive and welcoming place for people of Aboriginal and First Nations heritage. This is the first such program at a public library in British Columbia and only the second in Canada after Regina Public Library.
Mr. Timothy’s first event is at the Mount Pleasant Branch on April 14 and events and programs will be held at the Central Library and neighbourhood branches through June. Information will be available at all branches and at www.vpl.ca.
The First Nations Storyteller-in-Residence program is generously supported by the Vancouver Foundation and the Vancouver Public Library Foundation.
Founded in 1887, Vancouver Public Library is one of Canada's largest library systems dedicated to meeting the lifelong learning, reading, recreation and information needs of the people of Vancouver. Each year, the Library’s 22 branches serve over six million visitors and offer over 2.5 million items, including books, CDs, DVDs, magazines and countless online resources.
(Vancouver, British Columbia) – Vancouver Public Library’s second First Nations Storyteller-in-Residence Jackie Timothy remembers when visitors would come to his grandparents’ home to share mesmerizing traditional stories.
“I was very privileged to learn the old language and with that the old stories,” said Mr. Timothy. “I cherish those moments with my grandparents.”
Mr. Timothy, who shares the ancestral name La-Sah with his brother, is a storyteller, cultural presenter, master carver and residential school survivor from the Sliammon First Nation near Powell River. He descends from the Hereditary Chief lineage of his village and his grandparents identified him as a traditional storyteller.
When he was four years old he was taken to the Sechelt Indian Residential School. However, because he already identified strongly with his culture and retained his grandparents’ advice to “remember who you are and where you are from”, he endured residential school and succeeded through difficult times.
Today, Mr. Timothy shares his profound gift for traditional storytelling with children, youth and adults of all cultures and ages. The stories handed down to him through generations of his Coast Salish heritage are largely unknown outside his culture.
“Storytelling is at the heart of who I am,” he explained. “It is a privilege to be able to mentor and encourage other storytellers and to share my cultural heritage with everyone at the Library.”
The First Nations Storyteller-in-Residence program was created to enhance and establish new relationships with the Aboriginal and First Nations communities in Vancouver and to make the Library a more-inclusive and welcoming place for people of Aboriginal and First Nations heritage. This is the first such program at a public library in British Columbia and only the second in Canada after Regina Public Library.
Mr. Timothy’s first event is at the Mount Pleasant Branch on April 14 and events and programs will be held at the Central Library and neighbourhood branches through June. Information will be available at all branches and at www.vpl.ca.
The First Nations Storyteller-in-Residence program is generously supported by the Vancouver Foundation and the Vancouver Public Library Foundation.
Founded in 1887, Vancouver Public Library is one of Canada's largest library systems dedicated to meeting the lifelong learning, reading, recreation and information needs of the people of Vancouver. Each year, the Library’s 22 branches serve over six million visitors and offer over 2.5 million items, including books, CDs, DVDs, magazines and countless online resources.
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For more information, please contact:
Jean Kavanagh
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Vancouver Public Library
jean.kavanagh@vpl.ca
604-331- 3895
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Vancouver Public Library
jean.kavanagh@vpl.ca
604-331- 3895
