The Sechelt Nation, a division of the Coast Salish family of First Nations, originally occupied the southern portion of what is now known as the Sunshine Coast of BC. At the time of contact with Europeans, the shishalh (Sechelt people) were a populous and peaceful people occupying some 80 scattered village sites. Estimates of original population range from 5,000 to 20,000, but by the time of the first official census in 1881, the Sechelt population had plunged to 167, mainly due to introduced diseases. In this century, the band staged a remarkable comeback. Today the Sechelt are one of Canada's most progressive First Nations groups, running a number of successful businesses. In 1986 the passage of Bill C-93 made the Sechelt Indian Band the first in Canada to achieve self-government. The band now numbers more than 1,000 members, about half of whom live on band lands. Jamie Jeffries, who illustrated Ch'askin, was born in Sechelt, British Columbia, and has lived there all his life. He grew up in an artistic family; his mother, Corinne Jeffries, weaves Native baskets, and it was his cousin, Arnold Jones, who first taught him the art of carving wood twenty years ago. His career as a carver has continued since then, and he has worked on many carvings and totems in the Sechelt area, including those that stand in front of the Sechelt Community Hall. In the past ten years, he has also become an accomplished engraver of silver and gold.
"The story is simple but beautiful in its description of the close
relationship of Ch'askin and his chosen people...The illustrations
enhance the story without overwhelming the sparse, flowing
text."
-Linda Irvine, Resource Links
"Told in the style of the oral tradition and beautifully
illustrated in black and white, the story of Ch'askin comes to
life."
-BC Parent Magazine
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