Remind Me

My goal this season is to sample the nominated books for this year's Manitoba Book Awards, such a rich array of writing. I just completed This Hidden Thing by Dora Dueck (CMU Press), a wonderful illustration of how a work of fiction can document the deeper life of a particular community in a particular historical time through the life of one woman, even as that woman conceals life and remains emotionally muffled.

I am also re-reading, or more accurately, re-experiencing, Seven Sacred Teachings, Niizhwaaswi gagiikwewin by David Bouchard and Dr. Joseph Martin, published in 2009. They have spent a lifetime imbibing the Grandfather Teachings of Humility, Honesty, Respect, Courage, Wisdom, Truth, Love, each Teaching rooted in a plant, a tree, an animal, a direction, a season, a time in life. No abstraction here.

The book is written in both English and Ojibwe. An accompanying DVD adds a choice of French, Bush Cree, Chipewyan or South Slavey as well as the haunting music of Swamp Fox who created seven flutes of seven different woods, each in a key consistent with the particular Teaching, and then dreamed seven songs to accompany the Teaching. As a reader I seem to have no choice but to slow down. Sometimes I listen to the cadence of one of the languages unfamiliar to me while breathing in the exquisitely colourful paintings by artist, Kristy Cameron.

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Dorothy Friesen, formerly of Winnipeg, partnered with Marilen Abesamis, Philippines, to collect and edit the writings of Dorothy's husband Gene Stolzfus, the founding director of Christian Peacemaker Teams in the book Create Space for Peace. Also filled with the poignant reflections of others impacted by his life, the book was designed to aid those who wish to travel further on the road to global peace and was recently launched on March 23rd at our Grant Park store.

Join Dorothy on May 16th at 7:30 pm in the Art Alcove in our Saskatoon store where she will be speaking on Gene's work and his legacy. Click here for more information.