The first Christmas tree, by Ovila Fontaine, wins the Governor General’s Award

When I was little, I always wondered, when was Christmas for the Innu? What was the first Christmas tree? recalls the Innu storyteller of Uashat mak Mani-utenam.

In the boreal forest, certain trees are giving up: the leaves of the birch fall in the fall, the thorns of the larch too; it’s as if they refused the task. In his search, the Great Manitou adopts many animal forms, including that of the squirrel.

It’s a nod to Ovila! admits Charlotte Parent. The two artisans were put in touch by their publishing house, La Pastèque. He tells stories, like that of the Innu who discovered birch syrup when they saw a squirrel drinking from the tree.

That’s really the nature of our collaboration. Ovila told me stories, and I found ways to illustrate themsays the designer.

To illustrate the trees, she drew them in a very realistic way to observe their main features, then she schematized them, with the descriptions given by her collaborator in mind.

Mr. Fontaine, for example, describes the birch as a tree full of quality: racket, drum, bowls, plates, tent ropes. Charlotte understood very well!

Ovila Fontaine and Charlotte Parent welcome the Governor General’s Literary Award differently. For him, who was surprised to receive the distinction, it means that even more people will have access to Innu culture. Everyone wants to have it! he enthuses about his book.

For Charlotte Parent, as illustrator, It feels like a big pat on the back, even though we spend all our time alone, in our workshop.

The Innu writer is already working on another children’s story, still inspired by the nomadic life of his people. This is the story of the winds: the east wind is rain; the west wind brings showers; the north wind is cold; the south wind is the one that calms the spiritslists Ovila Fontaine, who intends to instill this knowledge through the story of a father and his son, on a canoe.