Trails, Tales, and Spruce Tea

Travel with us through time as Frank shares his thoughts and stories about the L's+tkuk (Bear River) and area. To see some Mi'kmaw Place Names in NS, check out: https://placenames.mapdev.ca

Inspired by Elder Opolahsomuwehs, many of my friends came together digitally to sing a few rounds of a Friendship Song. Sharing our voices and our hearts. Wela'lioq to all of the contributors: Hannah Martin, Ashley Moffat, Ursula Johnson, Atsuko Tomita Poirier, Daniel Poirier, Tamami Poirier, Bliss Rae, Soul Rae, Bleu Rae, Cedar Meuse-Waterman, Rose Meuse, Theresa Meuse, Chris O'Neill, Christina Chui, Erin Welch, Heather Castleden, David Huebert, Natasha Bastien, Rose Huebert, Janet Larkman, Laura Hunter, Marilyn Ouellette, Megan Crowley, Nanci Lee, Sam Sternberg, Mel Mills, Susanne Chui, Sylvia Moore, Tamim Arabi, Yuki Inoue, and the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts' youth leaders of 2020: Eamonn Schwartz, Hannah Gold-Apel, Andrew (Andy) Waite, Avery Crowe, Jacob Hazelwood, Max (Alfie) Gros, Maya Vaz-Gibson, Ruby Gill, Samara Whitelaw, Marah LaForge, Max Miller, Claire Embanks, Jonah McKay, Zach MacDonald, Juliana Sepe, Kay Murgatroyd, Roza Zalot, Felix Belanger, Cassie Taylor, and Bella Steeves. Thanks to audio editor Nathan Waterman and to Arts NS for the project support.

We're grateful to Wolastoq Elder Opolahsomuwehs to have shared this teaching and song with us. I hope more people will sing with us.

In this episode, mompreneur and motivational speaker, Savvy Simon talks with shalan about the Red Road, free public hugs, self care and more. Spreading good vibes! The song mixed in is "No Native Person is Ugly" by Talon the Rez Kid Wonder (feat. Lil B)

An original poem by shalan joudry, re-voiced as 13 languages interwoven together to tell this story. The poem’s meditations on grief, truth-seeking, and communal healing are echoed in the landscape’s own healing. The poem was translated into other languages so that there are a total of thirteen - to fit on the back of a turtle. Translators and voices include: Tamim Arabi (Arabic), Christina Sai Yin Chui (Cantonese),  paulo da costa (Portuguese), Gurinder Dhillon (Punjabi), Andor Gjesdal (Norwegian - vocals), Leah Horwood (Norwegian - translation), Yuki Inoue (Japanese - translation), shalan joudry (original poem and vocals), Sabina Kasheke (Swahili), Irene Kasianov (Russian), Lodaidh MacFhionghain (Gaelic), André Muise (Acadian French), Opolahsomuwehs (Wolastoqey), Arlene Stevens (Mi’kmaw - translation and vocals), Barbara Sylliboy (Mi’kmaw - translation), and Atsuko Tomita (Japanese - translation and vocals). (The thirteen written versions will be compiled into a forthcoming book published by Running the Goat Books and Broadsides.)

In this intertales episode Frank's brother-in-law, Nathan, tells us about his house key. And shh, don't tell Rose about this silly mistake.

We welcome back spring this week with a walk in the forest to collect a good "Basket Tree" and follow Frank into his workshop to find out about basketry.

During a live storytelling event in the village of Bear River, Frank tells us about his day with one of his granddaughters. (Special thank you to Fernwood Publishing, ArtsNS, and Sissiboo Coffee Roasters.)

We spend time with archaeologist Roger Lewis in the museum in Halifax talking about our ancestors' long history here in this landscape we call Mi'kma'ki.

During a live storytelling event in the village of Bear River, Brett Hannam tells us how not to make rabbit stew. (Special thank you to Fernwood Publishing, ArtsNS, and Sissiboo Coffee Roasters.)

Frank takes shalan on "a great hunt" through the early winter landscape. They discuss the forest, medicines, and steep tea back home. (And no animals were actually harmed in this recording.)

In this Inter-tales episode, shalan shares a personally-crafted story. Although some details were also inspired by work with the Endangered Blanding's Turtles, this story is about reclaiming language to pass onto the next generation.

With so few fluent Mi'kmaw speakers in rural Kespukwitk, it is a long road to reclaiming our Indigenous language. In this episode host shalan joudry speaks with neighbour Rose Meuse and her daughter Cedar.

In this inter-tale (in between regular episodes) Frank tells us the story of his first encounter with a bear.

Just as the landscape of Kespukwitk prepares for the beginning of winter, hosts Frank and shalan welcomed eight friends over for a sharing circle to talk about hope.

In this inter-tale episode, Frank tells us the story of his luckiest shot as a young hunter. (No animals were harmed in the recording of this story. However, some tea was spilled.)

In this episode artist Cathy Martin shares an array of conversation, including her inspiration from basket-makers, the challenging recent history we should keep in mind, her background in theatre and how she became a filmmaker, and other stories.

In between regular podcast episodes, we bring you interlude storytelling. Today Frank tells us about his pet trout.

Shalan and Frank go cranberry picking, travelling first by kayak to find their favourite spot. Shalan reads her poem, "su'nl" and they talk harvesting.

In this episode Tim Bernard from the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq joins shalan in the basket shop to share some of his personal stories and thoughts.

Welcome to shalan and Frank's first episode in our new series. Join us as we chat about the reasons we'd love to share some thoughts and conversations with listeners. Together we find the purpose and name for our show.