From screens to prose: Storytelling in Indigenous Communities

Indigenous people have always kept our storytelling talent and reputation. These stories are rich and diverse in nature- from powerful and heart-breaking statements plastered on the pages of best-selling novels, to quiet and authentic strength hidden in the minutiae, our people have documented dreams, lives, and tales of survival since the dawn of self expression. 

But what exactly makes storytelling so personal and passionate? Why is it so important?

Indigenous people historically used oral communication as a means to transmit cultural and traditional knowledge, passing it from each other to their descendants- also known as oral tradition. The knowledge and stories vary through each nation, influencing worldviews and ways of living.

Storytelling today takes on various forms. It has branched off from oral tradition, and has unfolded in many ways- such as through writing, acting, and technological innovations. 

In the Canada Reads 2021 competition, Devery Jacobs championed Joshua Whitehead’s novel Jonny Appleseed. Through an emotional and moving declaration, Jacobs speaks about how they relate to the character, and how the novel is making history by being the first Indigenous and Two-Spirit book on the stage. She speaks about how this book and character resonate with her, saying how her being Queer is just as important and integral to their identity as being Mohawk. 

Angeline Boulley is an Anishinaabe author who has also recently stepped into the storytelling spotlight. Her debut novel, Firekeeper’s Daughter, was released in 2021. Since then, she has published sister novels Warrior Girl Unearthed and Sisters in the Wind. In an interview with Daybreak Star Radio, Boulley recollects when her publisher originally wanted her to provide a glossary of Ojibwe terms in her book. Boulley declined, saying that if she were to add a glossary, it would centre “mainstream society” instead of keeping the book Ojibwe-centred. She also encourages Indigenous youth who want to pursue writing to “write anything,” as it is an expression of freedom. In another interview, Boulley also expresses that she is careful picking and choosing which parts of her culture to share within her writing, saying she “writes to preserve her culture, and edits to protect it.” 

Tenille Campbell is an Indigenous poet and photographer. She is the author of Indian Love Poems and Nedi Nezu: Good Medicine. Her eloquent prose embraces many, from experiences as a mother and an Indigenous woman, her life growing up in the North, and poems that embrace femininity and sexuality. Her poems are reminiscent of the stories you can hear from a mother’s best friend.

Storytelling isn’t limited to words poured out onto pages, it is shown through body movements and body language. With how star-focused media is today, acting is another way many Indigenous people tell their stories. 

Anna Lambe is an Inuk actor most known for her role as Spring in The Grizzlies, and as Siaja in North of North. Both projects take place in Lambe’s homeland- the arctic. She effortlessly brings her characters to life, embodying their unique life, perspectives, and personalities. Lambe appears on CBC Kids Reads, sharing why she thinks reading is important. She says that the ocean is her favourite thing about the arctic, and her favourite part about reading is being able to experience new things and go to different worlds through a book. When asked why she thinks telling stories is so important, she says “it’s important to see how other people live their lives, what other people’s experiences are like, where they come from, and maybe they just have a little bit different look on life than what you have.”

Paulina Alexis drew audiences to Reservation Dogs through her character Willie Jack. Her humour and presence couldn’t be ignored, and the witty, rezzy, loyal friend became a fan favourite. Alexis also starred in the movie Beans, a story about the Oka Crisis in 1990. This film explored coming-of-age while living through a violent time. This film is a great stepping stone to learning more about what happened in Kanesatake. 

Storytelling carries on through creation- beadwork, paintings, and technological breakthroughs.

Danielle Boyer is an Anishinaabe woman who created SkoBots, useful and adorable robots who speak Anishinaabemowin. Boyer created these SkoBots for the purpose of keeping and revitalizing language. She created The STEAM Connection because of how technical education continues to be inaccessible. She joined the robotics team in high school, and felt as though she needed to fight for respect as a girl who’s interested in robotics and STEM. The goal of The STEAM Connection is to help bridge the gaps between the inequities minorities and girls face when wanting to pursue science. Boyer created a space for Indigenous youth to enjoy and pursue science and technology, and through this, SkoBots were born.  

These accomplishments are the story of endurance. From books to movies, to songs and robots that speak back to us, it is our claim in this world of the tenacity and adaptability our people have used for thousands of years- our survivability turned into inherent creativity. 

Sources:

Smithsonian (n.d.). Celebrating Native Cultures Through Words: Storytelling and Oral Traditions. National Museum of the American Indian. https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/informational/storytelling-and-oral-traditions

[CBC]. (2021, March 11). Canada Reads 2021 Finale [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/live/AJYAkROwLXU?si=dpyCwdiOwHfltw3-

[Daybreak Star Radio]. (2025, January 13). Interview with Angeline Boulley: Firekeeper’s Daughter, Warrior Girl Unearthed, and What’s Next [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzaRXKY5Lbs

Dankowski, T. (2022, January 22). ‘We Are Not Relics of the Past’ Angeline Boulley talks representation and perseverance at LibLearnX. American Libraries Magazine. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/we-are-not-relics-of-the-past/

[CBC Kids]. (2025, September 16). Anna Lambe and Gary Talk About Reading | CBC Kids Reads 2025 [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kxfFQiieCE

Boyer , D. (n.d.). About- The STEAM Connection. Steamconnection.org. https://www.steamconnection.org/about