I have been fortunate enough to attend a potlatch and other celebrations on Haida Gwaii, an island of First Nations people with a rich culture and history. A highlight of my life was to be invited as the poet laureate for the Peter Gzowksi Invitational for Literacy event. I shared my book Stepping Stones, about Syrian refugees, in schools and libraries around the island. Haida Gwaii is now home to several refugee families. I was asked to write a poem to close the event and celebrate the highlights of my stay on this incredible island on Canada’s north west coast. This is that poem.
Ancient voices whisper
among misty shadows on the shore,
whisper stories
of old and of new.
Haida Gwaii is stories
surrounded by water.
Stories told by Watchmen,
of Bear who married a woman,
who gave birth to cubs
who brought good luck to hunters.
I listen in awe and
watch, watch in awe
as whales spout -
in paintings, in carvings,
in stories and waves.
I listen to Raven.
He clucks me his story
as I clamber on rocks
looking for crabs.
Stories - told by elders
where rocks meet the sea,
stories carved over ages
in wood.
Stories to teach the children
and me
listening, eyes wide.
We gather our own stories
wherever we go:
a new found friend,
a borrowed car.
The clam digger
we give a ride home,
the logger we meet in a pub,
the eagle who caused
a power outage in a whole town
even though Raven is the trickster.
We carve out memories
to hold in our hearts.
At some stories we laugh,
at others we cry.
But they bring us together
through words and through song
as we strum our words together
like beads.
Potlatch poles, sandhill cranes.
Agates, moon shells, frosty foam.
But mostly - the people.
Haida and more.
Yes, the people bring this land to life
with stories and smiles
and with love.
The stories connect us,
like glue,
words bring us together.
The past, the present, right now.
The west and the east.
An island of peace
welcoming those who flee wars far away.
Raven brought light to the world
but the people - they keep it alight
with their love
and their laughter
and stories.
Haida, Syria, Canada -
friendships fuse
into new memories.
Together we celebrate
the power of stories.
Háw'aa, Haida Gwaii.
RESOURCES:
• to read about our adventures by zodiac in Gwaii Hanas National Park, click here: https://www.globetrottingbooklovers.com/blog/exploring-gwaii-hanas
• to read about a potlatch on Haida Gwaii, click here: https://www.globetrottingbooklovers.com/blog/potlatch-on-haida-gwaii
• for information on Haida Gwaii Literacy click here: https://www.facebook.com/LiteracyHG/