A powerful story of belonging and the lengths we go to seek our truths.
Indigenous author, oral storyteller and mentor Karen Whetung is releasing a new children’s book titled, Four Fallen Eagles, and published by island-based Medicine Wheel Publishing.
Inspired by the students and communities Whetung has worked with, Four Fallen Eagles follows four eaglets who, in tumbling suddenly from their nests, must now journey across Turtle Island and rediscover where they belong.
This story contains great power in its prose, encapsulating a stunning metaphor for cultural assimilation and the desire to discover who we are in this world.
Plus, the illustrations by E. B. Sunflower add a brilliant vibrancy and depth to Whetung’s words.
“Four Fallen Eagles has come from an oral story that I created for a certain purpose,” Whetung said in an interview with Victoria Buzz.
As a gift for her students, it captures both her own experience in seeking belonging and growth, and acts as a stark allegory, designed to ask the bigger-picture questions, including ‘what does it mean to be displaced as an Indigenous person?’
“It’s layered, ‘A dark cloud’ [for example] is a euphemism that was used by our own Prime Minister. That was their word for residential school legacy, it’s a ‘dark cloud’ on our history,” she said.
“When we think of places where we land, the idea of the schools being the first home…a foster home, a residential school, a hospital, all of these different places. Where we go from there makes us the hero in our stories.”
She added that in these stages of seeking our truth and identity, facing challenges and frightening decisions make us brave, and can ultimately carry us towards further understanding.
“No matter where you go, you don’t stop being an eagle, that doesn’t change. Belonging is amazing…[and] there’s no wrong place to land if there’s a story…but we need ‘home’.”
We must give ourselves grace, ask questions, seek community and test our understanding.
When asked where her oral storytelling journey began, Whetung traced her inspiration back as far as she could remember.
“I’ve been a storyteller for many, many years now, so I could talk forever,” she laughed.
She added that her storytelling became intentional when she became a mother, and from there, this medium continued to progress in priority, which eventually led to her going back to school.
Through her schooling, she became a trained Indigenous family support worker and completed her practicums in schools and alternative ed., where she began storytelling more and more.
From there, a rich and illustrious career awaited her, bringing encouragement, support, knowledge and joy to the lives of many—especially those who believed they were otherwise limited by any number of factors.
“Lots of us limit ourselves because we don’t write words we can’t spell, and so in alternative education, oral language and knowledge was a way to break those barriers…it’s a vehicle for literacy,” she said.
And working collaboratively to morph the wonders of oral story, Four Fallen Eagles into a physical manuscript was a magical way to bring both mediums together into something that can be continuously passed down for generations.
“I feel so grateful…it’s been good work [and] I feel excited to be a part of it,” she said.
“As a support worker…I like to be a small part of people’s big experiences…[and] it means a lot to be on a bookshelf.”
She noted the wonders of the creative process, from the initial development of the manuscript to picking the colours that E.B. Sunflower was going to use, having such wonderful people by her side makes the process that much more community-focused.
“It goes back to the idea of oral storytelling, how it’s not just one person’s—it belongs to everyone.”
Four Fallen Eagles will be officially released on Tuesday, September 3rd and is available for pre-order for $19.99 (before tax). After its release, it will be available in local bookstores and Toys R Us.
An official book launch event will be held on September 21st with the Bruce Parisian Library, located in the Victoria Native Friendship Centre.
At the end of September, Munro’s is having an author signing event, so stay tuned for that as well!
Whetung’s previous work, also transcribed from an oral story, includes The Corn Chief, which is told with the help of traditional corn husk dolls, and follows young Linny, who dreams of being picked as the chief’s replacement.
She plans on continuing to bring her oral stories into a physical format, and is currently working on the third of ten, which she hopes to release as soon as possible.
A creative nonfiction piece, most likely a memoir, may also be on the horizon!
Additionally, she’ll be participating in this year’s Victoria Festival of Authors—specifically the “Writing for the Next Generation” panel on October 16th.
