The Gift of the Little People

The Gift of the Little People begins with the telling of a story about the Rocky Cree. One fall, a long time ago, there were reports of a new people with large boats and amazing tools that had come to the Hudson Bay to trade for furs. When the spring thaw arrived, the Rocky Cree sent a delegation to the Bay to trade. There was great excitement on their return, and they looked forward to further trading with these visitors. But days later, several people began to fall ill and die. The elder Kakakiw worked tirelessly with the help of a young medicine woman and her apprentice to care for the sick and dying. Kakakiw continued to pray for help, and one night one of the Little People appeared and told Kakakiw to follow his instructions in order to find the medicine that would help his people. The journey proposed seemed impossible: Kakakiw and his oskatis (apprentice) were to canoe to the rock face, and, once the sun had set, they were to paddle as hard as they could directly into the rock to get to the other side. Kakakiw knew that he had to overcome his fears and doubts to save lives.

Storytelling is a powerful form of communication. It is not merely a means to entertain an audience. It brings language alive and invites the listener or reader to learn, participate and think in diverse ways. In The Gift of the Little People, author, educator and Rocky Cree storyteller William Dumas masterfully uses storytelling to teach indigenous youth about their culture and their identity. This story does that and so much more. It translates a traditional oral story into a picture book, melding the rich narrative of the author with the engaging artwork of Rhian Brynjolson. Her illustrations skillfully add a flow to the story and depict the cultural elements of the Rocky Cree people.

The key message of The Gift of the Little People is that there is hope in the face of adversity. By creating this illustrated short story for all ages, Dumas shares not only a traditional story of the Rocky Cree people, but a story that includes elements of their culture, their language, their beliefs and their values. It tells a story of their past, their skills, their kindness and perseverance, thereby creating a story that will engage readers of all backgrounds and cultures. For Indigenous youth, The Gift of the Little People is an opportunity to learn, question and celebrate their roots. For other youth, it is an opportunity to learn, question and grow in their understanding and appreciation of Indigenous peoples. And everyone gets to enjoy a good story.

The Gift of the Little People is part of the “Six Seasons of the Asiniskaw Īthiniwak Series” which is about the Rocky Cree people, the Asiniskaw Ithiniwak of Northern Manitoba. The text contains some Cree words, and there is a glossary that provides a pronunciation guide and explanations of the words