2.1 Read About Positive Personal and Cultural Identity Through Stories

2.1H Storytelling and Culture

Culture is shared through a peoples stories. Stories that have been passed on for generations, even before they were written down, have many lessons and teachings that are important to a culture and help to pass on a positive cultural identity.  Stories contain some of the most important, well said, and beautifully told advice. Around the world, there are stories that teach lessons about how to behave, about taking care of each other, about how to treat nature, about respecting our elders, and more. We should treasure the simple lessons in stories, because they always apply. 

In some communities, there are items of great traditional importance. Legends that have been handed down from the past often explain items or events with special meaning. These legends are generally thought to have some truth to them, but because they happened so long ago, they cannot be proven. 

Stó:lō is the Halqemeylem word for "river". The Stó:lō are the river people, a group of First Nations peoples in the Fraser Valley and lower Fraser Canyon of British Columbia, Canada - land in and around Fort Langley, Chilliwack, Hope, and Yale. The Stolo people never had a written language. Story telling has been the way their history, culture, and important lessons have been handed down from generation to generation. Learn more about their story telling in the following video. As you listen, find out the role of stories.

Then, listen to a short story as you watch the next video. Listen and watch to find out:

• What were the young boys in his village learning that the main character was not learning?
• What happened when the boy escaped his captivity and returned to his village?
• What is the message of the mask - of what is it intended to remind people?

While listening to the video a second time, complete the activities in your Learning Guide.