Join the Odawa Native Friendship Centre as it partners with Ottawa StoryTellers for its 29th annual Ottawa Children's Storytelling Festival!
Families of all generations are welcome to the storytelling circle to hear traditional stories and stories of family relations. The Storytelling will take place at the Odawa Native Friendship Centre and will be shared on the traditional unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin People by Indigenous storytellers from many First Nations communities: Louise Profeit-LeBlanc from the Nacho Nyak Dän First Nation (First Nation of the Big River People) in Mayo, Northeastern Yukon, Mary Gunner from the Cree community at Moose Factory, Ontario, and Doreen Stevens from Kitiganzibi, Quebec.
For families and children ages 6 and up.
Not able to come? Watch the event here: https://www.youtube.com/@BiblioOttawaLibrary
About the storytellers:
Doreen Stevens is a local Algonquin artist from Kitiganzibi, Quebec. Her spirit name Anamitagize-Odaying means “One who speaks with the heart.” She is an actress, singer-songwriter, spoken word poet, and visual artist, who studied at the Indigenous Theater school in Toronto, Ontario. She has been featured in various films and performances throughout Europe, Australia, the U.S. and Canada.
Mary Gunner is the Indigenous Healthy Babies Healthy Children program coordinator at the Odawa Native Friendship Centre. She is originally from Moose Factory, Ontario, an island at the mouth of James Bay. She is Cree, a mother of 3 grown boys, and a proud grandmother of 3 grandsons. She graduated from the Early Childhood Education Program at Algonquin College many years ago. Mary has always enjoyed working with children and their families. She is excited about sharing her stories with you.
Louise ProfeitLeBlanc's name in her language is “T’se Däna” which means Beaver Woman. Louise Profeit-LeBlanc is as Traditional Storyteller from the Nacho Nyak Dun First Nation (First Nation of the Big River People) in Mayo, Northeastern Yukon. Many of her stories are about the strength and importance of women within the community and their significant role as first educators of children. Louise learned her craft from her Kookum, her aunties and the many elders in her community. Louise Profeit-LeBlanc went on to take on the responsibility and honour of keeper of stories from the Nacho Nyak Dän First Nation in northern Yukon. Louise presently lives in Wakefield, Quebec on the unceded lands of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg people.