Ladysmith Maritime Society – Book Launch
Please join us in support of the Book Launch of “Pulling for Stz’uminus: The Pearl Harris Story”
Pulling for Stz'uminus - book launch
Date: Saturday, September 4th 2010
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Venue: LMS Community Marina – on the docks
Address: 610 Oyster Bay Drive, Ladysmith, B.C.
Buffi David - Welcome and Prayer
BBQ Lunch - Salmon BBQ, salads, light refreshments
Pearl Harris - Reading of “Pulling for Stz’uminus: The Pearl Harris Story”
(Book signing after the reading)
Elmer Sampson - Canoe paddle display
Edward Seymour and John Jim - Artists
Mona Sampson - War canoe racing coach
Extract from the Stz’uminus news letter Julu 2010
. . . . . . Pulling for Stz’uminus: The Pearl Harris Story – will be read in homes around our community this summer. But the just-published book is a lot more than the story of Pearl Harris, our Hul’qumi’num language teacher. It is a story of champions and heroes… of training and discipline. It will also be used as part of the cur- riculum at Stu”ate Lelum secondary school. “It is quite an honour,” Pearl said about her featured role in the full- colour book that was written by instructor Donna Klockars. “It started out when I was talking to Donna about canoes and how we are not Tribal Journey people, we are war canoe racers.”
High hopes… it all links back
Pearl has high hopes for Pulling for Stz’uminus. She said the contents of the book “all links back and I hope that our children will see that we have our own culture and history. I am hoping this will help bring it out.”
Donna Klockars agrees that the book will be a valuable addition to the SLSS curriculum.
We want to have as much Stzu’minus material as possible,” she said. “When students see their own stories, there is more of a connection.”
Donna said that having a role model like Pearl should motivate not only SLSS students, but the whole community.
We have our own champions
“It is important that we have our own champions, she said, rather than people such as Jim Thorpe or Billy Mills.
The book will initially be used in the First Peoples 10 pilot course in which legends and heroes will be the theme. The Pulling book will be used along with two traditional Stz’uminus stories about the seagull and the Wild Woman as well as publications from the Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group.
“The big question will be how does story, in all its forms both present and past, contribute to the devel- opment of a nation,” said Donna.
Students will be encouraged to ask questions and investigate further on their own.
Donna said that she sees Pulling eventually being part of a broader range of study in literature, social studies, fine arts, English and science. Even math and physics students could use the book as the design and construction of canoes is studied.
