Ch?hk?p?s: A Naskapi Legend Paperback ? October 23, 2021

<p><b><i>Châhkâpâs: A Naskapi Legend</i> shares the story of Châhkâpâs, a heroic figure in First Nations storytelling, who performs feats of strength and skill in spite of his diminutive size</b><br><br> The book shares this traditional legend as originally recorded in the Naskapi community in northern Quebec in 1967 when it was narrated by John Peastitute, a Naskapi Elder and accomplished storyteller. Transcribed in the Naskapi language and syllabic orthography, the book offers a literary resource for the Naskapi language community, and the English translation enables those unfamiliar with the language, or the story, to discover this important legend.<br><br> The book also contains extensive analysis of stories about Châhkâpâs, notes about the provenance of the recordings, a biography of the storyteller, and a history of the Naskapi people. Lavish illustrations from Elizabeth Jancewicz—an artist raised in the Naskapi community—provide a sensitive and accurate graphical account of the legend, which has also been approved by Naskapi speakers themselves.</p>

<p><b>John Peastitute</b> (1896&#8211;1981) was a Naskapi Elder who was not only well respected as a story-keeper, but also a storyteller. His repertoire of both tip&#226;chim&#251;na and &#226;tiy&#251;hkinch (stories from a distant &#8220;time before now,&#8221; often called legends) was extensive, and his performances engaging. The tapes of his stories that have survived to be processed and studied are a precious legacy.<br> &#160;</p>

John Peastitute (1896–1981) was a Naskapi Elder who was not only well respected as a story-keeper, but also a storyteller. His repertoire of both tipâchimûna and âtiyûhkinch (stories from a distant “time before now,” often called legends) was extensive, and his performances engaging. The tapes of his stories that have survived to be processed and studied are a precious legacy.