During the cold winter period, parents and elders would educate their children with ancient stories that were passed down for generations.

Last year February was designated Aboriginal Storytelling Month in Saskatchewan and the centuries-old tradition continues, but now with recognition from the whole province.

So why February, and what is storytelling?

Our tradition was that after the buffalo hunts and the winter solstice, our people would go to their winter camps and wait out the cold weather until the healing winds of spring arrived.

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During this period the parents and elders would educate their children with ancient stories that were passed down for generations.

These were stories that could only be told during the winter when there was snow on the ground.

Sadly, the residential schools kept the children away from home during the important winter months when they could have heard the stories. Now they would have to wait until they left school, but by then they would no longer be children and the magic would disappear.

My father, Stan Cuthand, recorded some of these stories in Cree and my........

© Saskatoon StarPhoenix