As we mark Indigenous History Month, we take this time to honour the voices, traditions, and stories that have shaped generations.
At Tellwell, we are proud to work with authors whose words reflect the deep resilience, cultural strength, and identity of Indigenous communities. Their powerful stories not only preserve history, they spark dialogue, inspire learning, and remind us of the importance of listening and remembering.
Through storytelling, these authors share truths that need to be heard—truths that continue to guide us toward understanding, empathy, and reconciliation.
This month, and always, we invite you to explore these meaningful books and reflect on the stories that shape our shared history.
The Lucky Ones: A Survivor’s Story by Jimi Delorme
Judging by the comments posted all over social media, this discovery has caused a lot of division within the First Nations community. Seeing people argue over such a sensitive topic can bring back a lot of painful memories within individuals who are already fighting to survive in a very hostile and vulnerable lifestyle, people often living on the streets and battling substance abuse and homelessness.
Despite all of the negative news reports, this book is not meant to be just another bash-the-church-and-government type of project. This book focuses primarily on the often difficult healing journey which followed the school experience. It is meant to show other survivors that there is a way to heal and let go of their painful pasts.
This biography shows that by returning to our own cultural and spiritual teachings we can find the hope that we are all so desperately searching for in a world that can often seem both foreign and uncaring. I hope that I have not offended anyone by the words that I am sharing with the world. If I have offended you in some small way, I am sorry.
All my relations.
My Family, My Relations, My Friends by Frederick John Turner
Fred holds an Interdisciplinary Studies Diploma from the University of Regina. He was the music director for the Onion Lake Log Church, where Martin Naistus is Pastor, until he was sidelined by kidney complications in August of 2020. Now he spends his time writing from his office at his home in Onion Lake. His life’s story, titled, “My Family, My Relations, My Friends,” will be his first book published. These days Fred spends most of his time tending to his grandchildren. He has accumulated much knowledge throughout his lifetime, and he is not shy about sharing his experience with his readers.
SOME OF THE STORIES YOU WILL READ IN THIS BOOK:
Hoss calls fire down from heaven in Pikangikum, Ontario.
The night Fred meets Jim Felix on an old country road.
The lessons learned from the old Blackfoot preacher, Hartwell North
Peigan. The day Kene Jackson from Sonrise Gospel Band comes for a visit.
The bionic preacher, Ross Maracle, invites us to Deseronto for the
R. W. Schambach campmeeting.
Getting blamed for a walkout at Faith Alive Bible College.
Courage and Complicity by Claudette Languedoc
At the end of her first day of teaching, Mary was horrified too. This was not the exciting adventure she had imagined. But Mary wasn’t one to give up. Buoyed by her ideals and pragmatism, she kept showing up.
She lasted the academic year. When she boarded the train for home, she knew she had failed, in every way that mattered. The ideals she had come with had shattered on her classroom floor, and a big piece of her heart lay buried behind a small log cabin in the woods.
Sixty years later, two unexpected gifts forced her to take a second look back and a more hopeful look forward. Maybe her ideals weren’t so naïve after all.
I Remember: Memories from Lejac Residential School by Marian Lynn Duncan and Michelle Miller-Gauthier
In 1965, at the tender age of four, Marian Duncan was taken to Lejac residential school. She arrived wearing the new blue dress and velvet shoes her grandmother had bought for her that very day. Within the first minutes of her arrival, the clothes were taken, her hair was cut short and her unforgettable, unforgivable experience of residential school life began. The next nine years of her life were to be filled with longing for her parents and grandparents, learning to endure endless harsh punishments, sneaking moments and hugs with older siblings, creating supportive friendships and an attempted escape.
Marian continues to heal and brings a forgiving, loving approach to life. She sends love and good wishes to all she encounters, despite the lasting impacts of her residential school experiences.
We hope readers of Marian’s story develop a deeper sense of empathy and respect for Indigenous people in this country. We hope they see strength in Marian and others in similar circumstances. We know readers will feel great sorrow for the children and families impacted by residential schools, and we hope they feel admiration for the way many are overcoming their past trauma and leading lives that are making a better future for the next generations.
The Name of my Blanket is Hlbin Hlox: The Killer Whale that Blocks Our the Moon by Matthew Harvey Moore
Tscwinúcw-k: The Stars of the Secwepemc by Stanley Daniels
But when Kye7e journeys to the spirit world, Malakai is left with an ache in his heart and questions that only the stars might answer. As he searches for comfort, his mother, Setse7, shares the wisdom passed down through generations: the stars are not just distant lights, they are their ancestors, always present, always guiding. Through stories of courage, of warriors like T’ult and of the Secwepemc people’s enduring words, Tscwinúcw-k (“We made it through the night”), Malakai discovers that Kye7e is never truly gone.
A powerful story of love, loss, and the strength of ancestral connection, Tscwinúcw-k: The Stars of the Secwepemc honours the wisdom of generations, the resilience of the Secwepemc Nation, and the sacred teachings that carry their people forward. More than a children’s book, this is a story for all who seek belonging, who look to the stars for guidance, and who find comfort in the knowledge that we are never alone.
