Voices from the Skeena
An Illustrated Oral History
- Publisher
- Harbour Publishing Co. Ltd.
- Initial publish date
- Nov 2019
- Category
- Native American, General, Post-Confederation (1867-)
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781550178838
- Publish Date
- Nov 2019
- List Price
- $36.95
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
The Skeena, second longest river in the province, remains an icon of British Columbia’s northwest. Called Xsien (“water of the clouds”) by the Tsimshian and Gitksan, it has always played a vital role in the lives of Indigenous people of the region. Since the 1800s, it has also become home to gold seekers, traders, salmon fishers and other settlers who were drawn by the area’s beauty and abundant natural resources.
Voices from the Skeena will take readers on a journey inspired directly by the people who lived there. Combining forty illustrations with text selected from the pioneer interviews CBC radio producer Imbert Orchard recorded in the 1960s, the book follows the arrival of the Europeans and the introduction of the fur trade to the Omineca gold rush and the building of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad.
Open the pages to meet Robert Cunningham, an Anglican missionary who would later become the founder of the thriving Port Essington. Here too is a man called Cataline, a packer for whom no settlement was too remote to reach, and the indominable Sarah Glassey, the first woman to pre-empt land in British Columbia. At the heart of these stories is the river, weaving together a narrative of a people and their culture. Pairing the stories with Roy Henry Vickers's vibrant art creates a unique and captivating portrait of British Columbia that will appeal to art lovers and history readers alike.
About the authors
Roy Henry Vickers is a renowned carver, painter and printmaker whose Eagle Aerie Gallery in Tofino, BC, has become a provincial landmark. Roy was appointed to the Order of British Columbia in 1998 and to the Order of Canada in 2006. He is the co-author of the immensely popular children's Northwest Coast Legends series, of which three books were shortlisted for the Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Award: Raven Brings the Light in 2014, Cloudwalker in 2015 and Orca Chief in 2016. He is the author of several other books that showcase his art, including Storyteller (Harbour Publishing, 2014). He currently lives in Hazelton, BC.
Roy Henry Vickers' profile page
ROBERT « LUCKY » BUDD est un auteur canadien, spécialiste de l’histoire orale et animateur de radio. Il est connu pour ses récits sur les pionniers de la Colombie-Britannique ainsi que pour ses collaborations avec l’artiste Roy Henry Vickers.
ROBERT BUDD is an author, oral historian, and radio host who has written more than a dozen books for children and adults, many of them in collaboration with renowned artist Roy Henry Vickers. When he is not writing he can often be found playing baseball or hockey, coaching kids, or playing his guitar. He lives in Victoria, B.C. with his family and rescue dog.
Awards
- Short-listed, Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award, BC Book Prizes
- Nominated, Jeanne Clarke Local History Award
Editorial Reviews
“...a diverse range of readers, from the curious public to the academic community, should welcome this publication.”
Ted Binnema, <i>BC Studies</i>
“This book is B.C. regional history as it should be, grounded in the authentic voices of those who lived it and presented in a context of compelling visual beauty.”
Tom Sandborn, <i>The Vancouver Sun</i>
