Sudbury-based family creates Indigenous children’s book, telling a simple, true story
By Laura Young
SUDBURY – In one story, Keeshig explains in great detail to his mother that Nanaboozhoo the Sleeping Giant cares for all of the Ojibwe Pterodactyls.
In another tale, a family of five writes and draws a book together, complete with paintings on a grand scale.
Both stories are true.
Celeste Pedri-Spade, Robert Spade and their sons Keeshig, Kiniw, and Wakinyan, have spent the last two years creating Keeshig & the Ojibwe Pterodactyls.
Published last fall, the story has all but sold out its first, tender print run of 100 glossy, colourful copies. The stories were printed through Laurentian University where Pedri-Spade is an assistant professor in the School of Northern and Community Studies.
The family is in the process of having the story translated to Anishinaabemowin and French, and in making the book more available and accessible to readers.
Robert Spade is an artist and educator who works part-time by providing Anishinabe cultural support to the Laurentian community through the university’s Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre.
Their sons, all under the age of 10, attend Alexander Public School in Sudbury. In part, the conversations their sons were having helped inspire the family to publish the story on a broad scale. When the boys came home from school, they would talk about what they were learning, including the history of residential schools.
It’s a depressing subject.
“It’s not us,” Spade says.
The parents noticed there not a lot of Indigenous children’s literature is available; what they did find, however, was depressing, Pedri-Spade adds.
“There’s Indigenous children’s lit that is so sad but we’re not based on sadness. We’re funny. It’s beautiful. It’s humour. That’s the culture.”
Their story began during a trip home to northwestern Ontario and Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. As they walked, Keeshig began telling his mother how Ojibwe Pterodactyls live with Nanaboozhoo, and what they preferred to eat. He talked of the sound of thunder and what it really was.
“It’s not a work of fiction in the sense of that’s what actually happened. He told me that story,” Pedri-Spade says. “It’s a pretty powerful story. These stories – there’s more than one – it stuck with me. It was really powerful. I jotted it down and we shared it. We keep things alive by telling people.”
The artwork had been simmering but “it maybe needed (Keeshig’s) story to finish it,” adds Spade.
Kiniw contributed the final painting of the story.
Another book is still in the works but this is not a full-time job, says Spade.
Their children are still small and the family has a lot on the go. This project is one of many on the go.
“We have to look after the house, their school, their extra (activities). We’re always, always busy. It’s a very busy time in life.”
In the end, they are just trying to tell a story.
“It’s just our truth,” says Spade. “The stories are for other children, too. An Elder said one time if the children can’t go, then we can’t go. That’s a really good way to put it.”
“We get to do this with our kids and they really teach us. We just help them out.”
The family creates art together. Pedri-Spade says this book is about honouring their kids and the art they live together as a family.
“We live this life. We’re also honouring the support, guidance and encouragement of our Elders by doing this. We’re not really doing anything different than our ancestors did. Art and storytelling was always the way we lived.”
People are curious, too, Robert says. They want to know.
“Having a book like this is one way to communicate.”
The book is dedicated to Joseph and Art, family members who passed in 2004 and 2018 respectively.
“They were very important teachers to us.”