peepeekisis ātayōhkēwina is a collection of Plains Cree cultural stories collected by Eleanor Brass, a member of the Peepeekisis community, to share the worldview, values, and spiritual beliefs of the Plains Cree. With artwork created by Plains Cree visual artist Aleigha Agecoutay and accompanying translations in the Plains Cree y-dialect by Cree translators Darryl Chamakese, Inez Deiter, and Solomon Ratt, peepeekisis ātayōhkēwina shares familiar stories such as “The Little People,” “The First Horses,” and “The Water Serpent” that any community under the Cree Nation would recognize. The collection is a valuable resource to teachers that demonstrates the role that story and language play in the cultural identity of the Cree Nation. Teachers can also use any one of the stories presented in peepeekisis ātayōhkēwinaa to introduce oral storytelling processes with their students. Overall, this book would be a wonderful addition to any teacher’s resource collection.

96 pp., 11 × 8.5", colour illustrations

Eleanor Brass (Peepeekisis Cree Nation) • Aleigha Agecoutay (Peepeekisis Cree Nation), illus.

Source: Association of Book Publishers of BC - Canadian Indigenous Books for Schools (2021-2022)

Eleanor Brass (1905–1992, née Deiter) was born on the Peepeekisis Reserve on May 1, 1905, and her ancestors included two signers of Treaty 4: Chief Gabriel Cote and Chief Okanese. Eleanor worked her whole life to foster friendship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, and helped establish Native Friendship Centres to assist young Indigenous people making the transition from reserve to urban living. Her career encompassed various government jobs, and she wrote extensively for magazines and newspapers, including a column in the Leader-Post called “Breaking the Barriers.” In an effort to bridge cultural diversity with understanding, Eleanor also became a puppeteer, storyteller, and writer. After retirement, she wrote two books: Medicine Boy and Other Cree Tales (1978) and I Walk in Two Worlds (1987), her autobiography. Eleanor received an honorary degree in literature from the University of Toronto in 1991. She died on May 20, 1992.

Eleanor Brass' profile page

Aleigha Agecoutay resides on the Peepeekisis First Nation in Treaty 4 territory where she attended school. As a Plains Cree visual artist, all creations of kise manito provide her with endless inspiration. A big influence comes from her mosōm, Robert Bellegarde, an artist himself, Indigenous artist Alex Janvier, and Métis artist Christi Belcourt. Aleigha continues to express herself through her art work, painting in acrylics and watercolours, using pencil, and also beading and sewing. Aleigha sends a big nanaskomoh (thank you) to everyone who inspired and helped her to put these pieces of artwork together, especially her former high school teacher, Patricia Deiter; this would have not happened without you! Hiy hiy ekosi.

Aleigha Agecoutay's profile page