Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS), together with community partners, Elders, knowledge holders, University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) researchers, and Caitlin Press, is proud to celebrate the release of TS’IYEWH TS’HILHTUS: Strength for All, a landmark publication that shares the stories, teachings, photographs, and lived experiences of Carrier and Sekani Elders.
The book is currently available for purchase across various vendors.
TS’IYEWH TS’HILHTUS offers a powerful collection of teachings rooted in culture, language, identity, community, and connection to the land. Through personal stories of resilience and healing, Elders share wisdom that has guided their people for generations and continues to offer strength for families and communities today. The publication represents a significant contribution to preserving and sharing Indigenous knowledge for future generations.
“This book reflects the strength, knowledge, and generosity of the Elders who entrusted their stories to this project,” says Dr. Warner Adam, CSFS CEO. “Their voices carry teachings that have sustained our Nations through tremendous and tumultuous change. By sharing these stories, we honour our Elders and help ensure that future generations can continue learning from their wisdom and live to their fullest potential as Yinka Dene.”
Dr. Travis Holyk, CSFS CAO and Principal Investigator on the Strength for All research project notes that “…the idea for the book came roughly 20 years ago when we first started discussing the importance of having local teaching materials to accompany healing services we were developing. It was the vision of our research advisory committee, made up of individuals from 11 area First Nations, that a book recognizing the stories of Elders, and something future generations could be proud of, was needed.”
This publication is part of research funded by the Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health (part of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research) and was developed through a collaborative effort involving Elders, authors, community contributors, and research partners at CSFS and UNBC. The book highlights the enduring importance of storytelling within Carrier and Sekani cultures. For generations, stories have served as a way to pass on history, values, teachings, and ways of being. This publication helps preserve those teachings while making them accessible to future generations.
“These are some of the most phenomenal and inspiring Elders that I’ve ever worked alongside,” says Dr. Sarah de Leeuw, one of the book’s authors and a UNBC professor in UBC’s Northern Medical Program. “It’s amazing to see these powerful voices and stories on the public record. During my many years of working with CSFS, I’ve seen first-hand a huge gap in First Nations’ voices and knowledges on the record about North Central British Columbia. This book is one step towards closing the gap.”
