Their stories.
Your family’s book.
The Elders in your community have stories to tell. Important stories. Together, turn them into a book.
A family memoir begins with time together: a question, a memory, a voice you know. Our Elders, Our Stories helps children and families carry the stories an Elder chooses to share into a book for future generations.
Explore Our Elders, Our Stories ↗A project shaped with care.
The Our Elders, Our Stories website is a beta website for cultural review and approval. Its wording, illustrations and program materials remain subject to review and revision. Contact the team to discuss the current arrangements for your family, school or community.
A memoir grows one conversation at a time.
A memoir can gather selected memories rather than every event in a life. Childhood adventures, family traditions, favourite places, lessons learned and people who made a difference can become chapters in a family book.
Ask with curiosity.
Start with a journal prompt or your own question. What was life like when you were my age? Who taught you something you still remember?
Listen with care.
Let the storyteller set the pace and choose what to share. Record only with permission, or take notes together.
Create together.
Review the words with the Elder, copy an approved story into a journal, and add drawings, reflections or family photographs you have permission to use.
From spoken memories to printed pages.
The project website offers optional live transcription on supported browsers. Spoken words can appear as text, giving families a starting point for their writing. Read the transcript together and correct names, language and meaning before using it.
Gather the approved stories into a collection, decide their order and review the finished pages with the storyteller. Printing arrangements, project scope and timing are confirmed with the project team.
See how the process works ↗Explore Capture a Story ↗The storyteller chooses.
Some stories are only for listening. Elders choose what may be recorded, included in a book or shared with others. Family ownership, community protocols and cultural permissions guide each decision.
A family book can remain private. Creating a printed memoir does not require posting stories publicly or selling the book online. Agree together on who will receive copies.
Learning across generations.
Children practise asking questions, listening, writing and revising with a meaningful purpose and a real audience. The Elder is the storyteller; the child helps bring the book to life. Families gain both a keepsake and time spent learning from one another.
Our Elders, Our Stories is part of Our Story Warriors, from Tahltan Knowledge Keepers Publishing House. Schools and community groups can contact the team about a guided project.
Explore our story journalsBegin with one storyteller.
Tell us who would like to take part and whether you are planning a family, classroom or community project. We can discuss the next steps with you.
Ask about a family memoirFor families & Elders ↗