The award-winning story of a young Cree man blessed with the skills of a great hunter, who learns not to take his talents for granted.
Kayâs is a young Cree man blessed with a gift that makes him a talented hunter. He knows the ways of the animals he hunts and can even talk with them in their own languages. But when he becomes arrogant and takes his abilities for granted, he loses his gift. Without his ability to hunt, his people grow hungry. But with the help of the Elders and the Beings that inhabit the water, Kayâs learns to cherish and respect the talents and skills he has been given. Illustrated with the powerful paintings of the late Dale Auger, this new edition of the award-winning Mwâkwa Talks to the Loon teaches valuable lessons and includes a Cree glossary and pronunciation guide.
A Cree tale about pride and gratitude. Mwâkwa Talks to the Loon tells the story of a young man who loses his talent for hunting when he takes it for granted. When his people are hungry and Mwâkwa can no longer provide for them, he goes to the Elders for help. The send him to Loon where an old debt is paid and a new one undertaken. Cree words are interspersed in the story without detracting form the content. A glossary at the end of the book provides definitions. Colour illustrations support and expand the text.
This book won the The Aboriginal Children’s Book of the Year. Auger is a Sakaw Cree.
Source: The Association of Book Publishers of BC. BC Books for BC Schools. 2008-2009.