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31TuesdayJune42013TalesshockprovokeandentertainatNorthWordsFortSmithhostsYellowknifeliteraryfestivalsrstbranch-outPhotoDonJaqueByDONJAQUEThreeauthor-raconteursentertainedasmallaudienceattheMaryKaeserLibraryinFortSmithThursdayeve-ningaspartoftheannualNorthWordsNWTfestivalincludinglocalsPattiKayHamiltonandJimGreenplusSylviaOlsenaveteranstorytellerandauthorfromVictoriaBC.Thethreepresenterscouldnothavebeenmoredifferentinstorycontentandaudienceimpact.Hamiltondrewtheshortstrawandhadthechal-lengeofwarminguptheaudi-ence.HerstorywasagrittysoberingtaleofthetravailsofahomelessAboriginalmanonthestreetsofYel-lowknife.Hisdimmemo-riesofahappypastashedthroughhismindtroublinghimashegatheredcansandekedoutameageralcohol-fueledexistence.Theendofthetalewasshockingandtheaudiencewasleftstunnedevenhor-ried.Thestorywaswellpresentedandrealisticbe-layingthedeepknowledgeofunseenaspectsofNorth-ernlifeHamiltongarneredinheryearsasaCBCradiojournalist.Typicalofherwritingstherewasamessagesim-meringbelowthesurfaceinthiscaseaprofoundpleathatthelivesofstreetpeopleindicatesomethingisbrokeninoursocietythatwesimplycannotignore.JimGreenthentookoverthecomfyleather-boundarmchairinfrontoftheaudi-enceandchangedthemooddramatically.Heofferedabriefexplanationofhishis-toryasastorytellerandtooktheopportunitytoannouncehisnewCDcalledTheOwlandtheTeacupacompi-lationofmanyhispopularCBCDogRiverstoriesthatranoverthreeyearsnearlyadecadeago.Hisrststorywasframedinalettertohisdaughteryearsago.Anapproachingtornadowasinvolvedbutwewillnotgiveawaytheplotofthedelightfulstory.GreenssecondtalewasfromhisnewCDarollickingstoryofapreciousteacupbrokenduringabizarreencounterwithagiantsnowyArcticowlandamanwithngersthesizeofdillpicklesandaschnozthatwouldmakeamooseproud.Whathap-penedwithaverylargen-gerthesupersizednoseandtheteacupthatencounteredthegiantowlwashilariousandendearing.Thedetailsagainwillbeleftforyoutondoutinfuture.Therewasnodeepmes-sageinhisstoriesandGreendidnotlookatapieceofpaperduringthenarrative.Itwaspureentertainmentandhehadtheaudienceinstitches.Greenafteryearsasacowboypoethasemergedasaveteranentertaineramasteroflevityandatrueaudiencepleaser.SylviaOlsenthethirdpre-senterisbyvocationahistorianspecializingincolonizationbutherlifehasbeenimbuedwiththecultureoftheCoastSalishpeoplewholiveonthesouth-ernpartofVancouverIsland.Itisobviousasshespeaksthatherheartiswiththem.Olsenhaswrittenanum-berofchildrensbooks.Dur-ingherone-dayvisittoFortSmithshespenttimeintheschoolsandwithyouthgroupsgivingreadingstoeageryoungaudiences.HerbookonCowichanknitterstellshowCoastSalishwomeninpastcenturiesherdeduniquesmallwhitedogsweavingtheiramazinghairmixedwithwoolofmountaingoatstocreatespecialblan-ketsandsweaters.Hermainstorywasafan-tasybasedonallthatataleofaherdofspecialwhitedogsthatdwelledonalovelyis-landlivingalifelledwithbeautyandbounty.Theirhu-manscameonceayeartoshearthemandcoolthemoffharvestingtheiramazinghair.HerstorywasanallegoryoftheimpactofcivilizationonAboriginalsocieties.Theattractionoftencompellingofbuyingintotakeadvan-tageofthebenetscontrastswiththeneedtovaluewhatyoualreadyhavethatiswon-derful.Themessageattimesyouhavetoresisttemptationandsavewhatyouhavesoitremainspure.Hersecondstorymoregearedtochildrenbuten-joyedbytheadultsnonethe-lesswaswhimsicalentitledWhydontbutteriessingItwasapoignanttellingofhowagrandmotherwantingtoleaveagifttotheworldinherpassinggatheredto-getherthecoloursofow-ersthewingsofbirdsandthesongsofchildrenandcreatedbutteries.NorthWordshasbeenaYellowknifefeatureeventeveryJunesince2006.ItsmissionistopromoteandsupportNorthernandAb-originalwritersandtofa-cilitatethedevelopmentofaNorthernliteraryculture.ThesatelliteeventinFortSmithwastherstsuchhap-peningoutsideYellowknife.OrganizersplantogrowitintootherNWTcommuni-tiesnextyear.ArtsCultureNorthWordsThersteverNorthWordsstory-tellingeventinFortSmithlastThursdayfeaturedenter-tainingpresentationsbyPattiKayHamiltonJimGreenandfromVictoriaSylviaOlsen.