Magical Beings of Haida Gwaii by Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson, Sara Florence Davidson, et al.

Based on ancient Haida narratives, this vibrantly illustrated children’s book empowers young people and teaches them to live in harmony with nature.

Haida Gwaii is home to a rich and vibrant culture whose origins date back thousands of years. Today, the Haida People are known throughout Canada and the world for their artistic achievements, their commitment to social justice and environmental protection, and their deep connection to the natural world. Embedded in Haida culture and drawn from ancient oral narratives are a number of Supernatural Beings, many of them female, who embody these connections to the land, the sea, and the sky. Magical Beings of Haida Gwaii features ten of these ancient figures and presents them to children as visually engaging, empowering, and meaningful examples of living in balance with nature. Developed by renowned Haida activist, lawyer, performer, and artist Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson and Haida educator Sara Florence Davidson, this book challenges stereotypes, helps advance reconciliation, and celebrates Indigenous identity and culture.

Softcover
Book Dimensions: 8 in. x 10 in.
64 Pages

Age Range: 4 - 8 years

About the Authors:

Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson is a multi-award winning Haida musician, an artist, and lawyer, well known for her work in Aboriginal-environmental law and as a keeper of traditions. She is the author of Out of Concealment: Female Supernatural Beings of Haida Gwaii. Born and raised in Haida Gwaii, Terri-Lynn has dedicated herself to the continuation of Haida culture. On the front lines of Indigenous Rights, she strives to open new vistas to her audiences rooted in Indigenous world views, Haida language and laws, music, and oral traditions, and branches out to explore their relevance to contemporary society.

Alyssa Koski is an illustrator and member of the Kainai Nation. She holds a BA in Visual Communications from the Alberta College of Art and Design. Koski is the recipient of the Janet Mitchell Award and the Harley Brown Artistic Endowment and the winner of the 2017 Applied Arts Magazine design award.

Sara Florence Davidson (sgaan jaadgu san glans) is a Haida/Settler Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University. She completed her PhD in Literacy Education at the University of British Columbia, and her research focuses on Indigenous pedagogies, literacies, and stories. With her father, she is the co-author of Potlatch as Pedagogy: Learning through Ceremony and the Sk’ad’a Stories, a picture book series which is based on family stories and highlights Indigenous pedagogies and intergenerational learning. Sara is passionate about reading, writing, and listening to stories. She lives on unceded Stó:lō Territories with her partner and their two dogs.

Judy Hilgemann is a first-generation Canadian artist and illustrator with roots in Norway, Sweden, and England. She has lived on Haida Gwaii for many years. Hilgemann’s work reflects her deep reverence for the natural world