Dale Auger,
Mwâkwa - Talks to the Loon: A Cree Story for Children
Heritage House Publishing, 2006

Rating: E

Kayâs is a gifted hunter in the time of long ago. Not only does he know the ways of his prey, but he also knows how to speak the various languages of the animals. He always does well in carrying out his responsibility to provide food, shelter, and clothing for The People - until the praise and attention he receives becomes more important to him than using the talents with which he has been blessed. When The People complain about their hunger, Kayâs sets off to prove to them that he is still a great hunter. However, he quickly realizes that he neither understands the ways of the animals nor knows how to communicate with them; he has lost his gift! Only when he humbles himself before The Elders is he given an opportunity to regain his gift and to once again provide food for The People. He seeks to speak with Mwâkwa, The Loon; and when he does, he learns to honour and respect the talents he has been given, the laws of the community in which he lives, and the laws of all the creatures on the land and in the sea.

This marvellous book has already been named co-winner of the Aboriginal Children’s Book of the Year for 2006 - and deservedly so! It is a beautiful, magical book, visually stunning with its acrylic paintings and with its poetic use of language, including its ability to embed many Cree words in the text. The illustrations and the text blend together in a unique way, instilling in readers a basic understanding of life in a Cree village, of the power of oral storytelling, and of the important, deep connectedness between Cree spirituality and the land and sea. Auger is a Sakaw Cree from the Bigstone Cree Nation in northern Alberta and evidences a deep love and respect for the traditional teachings and spirituality of the Cree. In this book, Auger includes a glossary of Cree words and phrases as well as a pronunciation guide.

Thematic Links: Folklore - Aboriginal/Cree; Culture - Aboriginal/Cree; Spirituality; Environment; Social Responsibility

Ken Kilback
Vol. 12, number 2
December 2006

*Rating System:
E - Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
G - Good, even great at times, generally useful!
A - Average, all right, has its applications.
P - Problematic, puzzling, poorly presented.