Oolichan Moon: Sisters Learn Traditional Foods

Traditional knowledge of British Columbia’s First Nations is celebrated through language, history and culture in this attractive picture book. Two young sisters visit their Nisga’a grandmother during the last crescent moon of winter—the moon of the oolichan—hoping for a meal of the tasty fish. Along with the food, they are treated to sacred knowledge about oolichan, prized not only for eating, but also for its oil used as medicine. The story is presented in a relaxed question/answer style as Grandmother relates the details of why the fish was considered “a great source of wealth” for the Nisga’a who harvested them from the Nass River.

Following the storytelling, a page of Nisga’a vocabulary is included with the option to hear the words read aloud at the author’s website. This is a great idea to help non-indigenous readers appreciate the sounds of the language. There’s a short history of the oolichan’s life cycle, its cultural significance as the “saviour fish” in hungry times, the fishing camps and the current status of oolichan that now return to their spawning grounds in fewer numbers. Descriptions of how the catch was rendered for oil and methods of catching them complete the book.

Eye-catching illustrations in vivid colors capture the spirit of the topic. Images depict the sisters’ dreams, the kaleidoscope of dense oolichan schools, the wild Nass River setting, and the decorative bentwood boxes built to store the oil.

Readers of Oolichan Moon will learn not only the intriguing details of this little fish that could be dried and used as a candle, but they’ll also feel part of the celebration of oral tradition enhanced with authentic art as Nisga’a elders pass the sacred knowledge to the younger generations.