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Legends of Vancouver
A much-loved Canadian classic, LEGENDS OF VANCOUVER takes the reader back to a time long ago, before the city of Vancouver was built, when the land belonged to the Squamish people. These legends tell the stories behind many prominent natural features in and around Vancouver.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1911
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
October 12, 2020
Oct 11, 8pm ~~ Review asap.
Oct 12 ~~ A collection of fifteen short tales told to the author by her friend Joe Capilano, pictured here in the Wiki article about the Squamish people who live in the area around Vancouver.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squamis...
The two had met in England in 1906 and became close friends beginning in 1909 when the author resettled in the area. Here is the author explaining how she learned the legends:
"These legends (with two or three exceptions) were told to me personally by my honored friend, the late Chief Joe Capilano, of Vancouver, whom I had the privilege of first meeting in London in 1906, when he visited England and was received at Buckingham Palace by their Majesties King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.
To the fact that I was able to greet Chief Capilano in the Chinook tongue, while we were both many thousands of miles from home, I owe the friendship and the confidence which he so freely gave me when I came to reside on the Pacific coast. These legends he told me from time to time, just as the mood possessed him, and he frequently remarked that they had never been revealed to any other English-speaking person save myself."
The stories were originally articles in the local Daily Province newspaper, but were gathered into book form in 1911 by some of the author's friends, who knew she was too ill at that time to take care of the project herself.
Johnson died of cancer two years later. There are two further titles by this remarkable woman at Project Gutenberg, and I will be reading them soon to conclude a personal challenge I set for myself after first discovering her work. From what I can tell by quick early glimpses, both books were published after Johnson's death, and for some reason I am not really sure of, that has kept me from diving into them immediately. I suppose I feel the need to mourn for a time. I know that might seem a strange thing to say about a person who has been gone from the earth for over one hundred years, but there it is.
Mostly these are origin tales of natural features around Vancouver. Anyone who lives there or has visited and paid attention enough while there to be familiar with the area would enjoy this book, since Johnson and Capilano are wonderful travel companions and guides.
There are two great mountains near Vancouver. The English call them the Lions after the two lion statues in Trafalgar Square. But this is the Native story. There were once two sisters. Their father was a great chief. When they became old enough to be considered women, he gave a great potlatch even though he was at war with a tribe to the north. The Two Sisters ~~ The Lions tells what happens next.
In The Siwash Rock we earn about the chief who defied the gods to protect his newborn son, and how he was honored for his bravery. I liked The Recluse as much for the chat between our two narrators as for the story itself. They compared how their respective tribes felt about twins being born. The story is of a warrior whose wife had twins, what he had to do to counteract such a dangerous event, and what happened due to his misunderstanding of just one word.
All of the stories were presented in a simple, lovely manner, but they also were bittersweet. The yearning for the old pre-white man life is evident in nearly all of them, and I could not stop my tears at the end of The Lost Island. Johnson's way of introducing these tales as conversations between herself and her friend works so much better than a bald presentation would have done.
As a matter of fact, while writing this review I have realized that the book deserves a fourth star. I used the literal rating system that GR suggests. Three stars (my first rating) means that I liked it, and is not, in my opinion, a bad rating to give any book. But I can see now that I really liked the book, so up to four we go.
Oct 12 ~~ A collection of fifteen short tales told to the author by her friend Joe Capilano, pictured here in the Wiki article about the Squamish people who live in the area around Vancouver.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squamis...
The two had met in England in 1906 and became close friends beginning in 1909 when the author resettled in the area. Here is the author explaining how she learned the legends:
"These legends (with two or three exceptions) were told to me personally by my honored friend, the late Chief Joe Capilano, of Vancouver, whom I had the privilege of first meeting in London in 1906, when he visited England and was received at Buckingham Palace by their Majesties King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.
To the fact that I was able to greet Chief Capilano in the Chinook tongue, while we were both many thousands of miles from home, I owe the friendship and the confidence which he so freely gave me when I came to reside on the Pacific coast. These legends he told me from time to time, just as the mood possessed him, and he frequently remarked that they had never been revealed to any other English-speaking person save myself."
The stories were originally articles in the local Daily Province newspaper, but were gathered into book form in 1911 by some of the author's friends, who knew she was too ill at that time to take care of the project herself.
Johnson died of cancer two years later. There are two further titles by this remarkable woman at Project Gutenberg, and I will be reading them soon to conclude a personal challenge I set for myself after first discovering her work. From what I can tell by quick early glimpses, both books were published after Johnson's death, and for some reason I am not really sure of, that has kept me from diving into them immediately. I suppose I feel the need to mourn for a time. I know that might seem a strange thing to say about a person who has been gone from the earth for over one hundred years, but there it is.
Mostly these are origin tales of natural features around Vancouver. Anyone who lives there or has visited and paid attention enough while there to be familiar with the area would enjoy this book, since Johnson and Capilano are wonderful travel companions and guides.
There are two great mountains near Vancouver. The English call them the Lions after the two lion statues in Trafalgar Square. But this is the Native story. There were once two sisters. Their father was a great chief. When they became old enough to be considered women, he gave a great potlatch even though he was at war with a tribe to the north. The Two Sisters ~~ The Lions tells what happens next.
In The Siwash Rock we earn about the chief who defied the gods to protect his newborn son, and how he was honored for his bravery. I liked The Recluse as much for the chat between our two narrators as for the story itself. They compared how their respective tribes felt about twins being born. The story is of a warrior whose wife had twins, what he had to do to counteract such a dangerous event, and what happened due to his misunderstanding of just one word.
All of the stories were presented in a simple, lovely manner, but they also were bittersweet. The yearning for the old pre-white man life is evident in nearly all of them, and I could not stop my tears at the end of The Lost Island. Johnson's way of introducing these tales as conversations between herself and her friend works so much better than a bald presentation would have done.
As a matter of fact, while writing this review I have realized that the book deserves a fourth star. I used the literal rating system that GR suggests. Three stars (my first rating) means that I liked it, and is not, in my opinion, a bad rating to give any book. But I can see now that I really liked the book, so up to four we go.
March 14, 2022
A collection of mostly West Coast Aboriginal tales, compiled by the writer and performer Pauline Johnson (told to her by Squamish elder Joe Capilano).
Some of the language used is perhaps not what would be currently used; however, the tales themselves are timeless and evocative.
Some of the language used is perhaps not what would be currently used; however, the tales themselves are timeless and evocative.
June 17, 2010
The legends (with one exception) are Squamish and were told to Johnson by Chief Joe Capilano (also with a few exceptions). Pauline Johnson was clearly a gifted storyteller, and I think a good part of the reason people continue to find the stories so compelling is the way she tells them. However, I think the way the stories came about and are credited brings up some interesting questions/issues with respect to written vs. oral storytelling, as well as the weight we place on the importance of the book. None of the oral storytellers are given co-author credit, and while Joe Capilano is at least mentioned by name, some of the stories are told to Johnson by a woman (or women? it's unclear whether it's the same woman or different ones) who isn't identified.
January 8, 2013
I read lots of old collections of legends and myths, from all over the world, mostly because I love them, but also because I bounce my own writing off them. But I usually dip in and out of the books, guided by the contents page or the index, because I’m usually looking for something specific. I rarely read them from cover to cover simply for pleasure. This book, however, was a joy to read. It has an unusual history: written before the Great War by a woman of the Mohawk nation, retelling the legends of a completely different Canadian tribe, the Squamish, told to her by a tribal chief she had befriended in Edwardian London. And some of the most wonderful passages in the book are comparisons between their tribal legends. The retelling of their two different flood legends, for example, is extremely moving. There are some great stories here, about people turned into rocks, trees or sea monsters, and about the coming of the white man. There is even a story about a tribal talisman being sent to Napoleon across the seas. But what mainly comes across is a sense of a coherent and civilised society, and the tales it told of itself to hold itself together. An amazing piece of Canadian literature, and without doubt the best source book of North American legends I have ever read.
September 13, 2022
A beautiful book filled with deep and rich stories from the Squamish Nation about the wonderful place we live. I felt as if I was listening to the stories rather than reading them.
This is the kind of book that would be fantastic to read with kids and one day I hope to share it that way.
This is the kind of book that would be fantastic to read with kids and one day I hope to share it that way.
Read
February 6, 2020I picked up a vintage edition of this book at a cute used bookstore because the paper felt so smooth and nice with no idea as to what it was about. It was a really nice surprise to find out that these are a collection of indigenous tales from around Vancouver and surrounding areas in BC. By chance, I had traveled to a lot of these places in the summer (like Tulameen) and it gave a me a new perspective on all of these places.
April 3, 2017
The stories here reminded me to Indonesia's legends. It's like the mind of ancient people were the same, or is it just the way humans think? The way the legends say that this big rock or the tall tree yonder were once a person, with the invented stories about how and why they were turned, and of course with uniform moral messages that the good will win over evil; I grew up with such stories of Indonesian legends and folktales.
The stories related here are enjoyable, I'm sure they will be pleasant stories to tell children, just like other folktales from all over the world, I think. The morals are simple, suitable for children's early lesson of morality, although they are rather black and white for my adult tastes.
These legends of Vancouver are precious legacy of an ancient culture, both for the Indian people and the world. The same goes for other legends from other parts of the world, of course.
My favorite quote:
All red races are born Socialists, and most tribes carry out their communistic ideas to the letter.
:D
The stories related here are enjoyable, I'm sure they will be pleasant stories to tell children, just like other folktales from all over the world, I think. The morals are simple, suitable for children's early lesson of morality, although they are rather black and white for my adult tastes.
These legends of Vancouver are precious legacy of an ancient culture, both for the Indian people and the world. The same goes for other legends from other parts of the world, of course.
My favorite quote:
All red races are born Socialists, and most tribes carry out their communistic ideas to the letter.
:D
May 30, 2019
The stories are interesting enough on their own and, without knowing any better myself, I think Johnson did a good job bringing them to life. I've never been to Vancouver, but some of the images from these stories have stayed with me for months, in particular those from "The Grey Archway" and "The Siwash Rock." It's a melancholy read, though. In our century, over one hundred years since this book was first published, its stories are a reflection of a sense of loss for something I feel that we're ever further away from now. And even though I don't fully understand what that something is (be it community, tradition, a sense of place, an entire people, all of the above or otherwise), I sense that its absence is to our own detriment. If you call the West Coast your home, you should know the stories of the people who knew it best.
December 21, 2024
This book holds an extra special sentiment to me because I bought it while on a trip with friends to Vancouver. Specifically, we spent that day exploring the UBC campus and it was absolutely incredible. The intersection between mountains, beaches, and thick pine forests make Vancouver's landscape so enchanting to me. And, what sold me is that this book promises to unveil the secret tales that Indigenous peoples have been telling for generations regarding the unbelievable nature of Vancouver, and in that it does not disappoint.
Short and sweet. It was an engaging and fun read overall. Each story was pretty good, but none hit me more than The Recluse. Just hearing about all these different place names and how they are now part of a thriving metropolis is sad yet fascinating all at the same time.
Short and sweet. It was an engaging and fun read overall. Each story was pretty good, but none hit me more than The Recluse. Just hearing about all these different place names and how they are now part of a thriving metropolis is sad yet fascinating all at the same time.
April 12, 2022
A fascinating book. Almost impossibly I had never before heard of E. Pauline Johnson, named Tekahionwake according to her Iroquois heritage. She was a writer, poet and performer in the late 19th early 20th century in Canada. Her best known book is this one, the Legends of Vancouver. They are a series of takes told to her by Squamish Chief Joe Capilano, and which she transcribes and to which adds her own unique flavour. These stories deal with places in Vancouver which I love, from areas around Stanley Park, Siwash Rock, the treacherous waters off Point Grey, Grouse Mountain, the Two Sisters, and many more. It was thrilling to read of the undergirding stories and teachings of the great, late Chief, and to receive them through the talented hand of Tekahionwake.
September 12, 2019
Really beautiful nature writing and captivating stories which I'm particularly biased toward since I call the Vancouver area my home. Really interesting writing choices from Pauline as she constantly reminds the reader (in literally every introduction) that these stories are being reported exactly as they were told to her. Plus she constantly hypes up the knowledge and character that Joe Capilano brings to the legends (which in turn, I think she hopes, adds authenticity to what she retells). I didn't feel that all the introductory work that Johnson did was particularly necessary to justify the legends' significance, but perhaps that's because I'm reading in 2019, and not 1911.
August 3, 2020
I enjoyed learning these stories and histories of the lands in and around Vancouver and Johnson’s style. But I do wonder about the protocols around her telling of Squamish stories. Did Chief Capilano give permission for her to share these stories? I’d like to read more about Squamish reactions to this book. I’m also quite fascinated by Johnson herself and would like to learn more and read more of her work. Apparently she was buried in Stanley Park and there is a monument for her. I’ll have to go exploring and pay my respects.
November 29, 2021
Fascinating! I don't know much about storytelling traditions but this book was the push I needed to begin understanding how histories are documented and shared here in Coast Salish territory. Each of the 15 stories is anchored in a place, most of which I had wondered about (Deadman's Island! Siwash Rock! The cathedral of trees in the heart of Stanley Park!) but had never delved into how they came to be. I found some stories more compelling than others in the way that they were shaped and contextualized, but I didn't read them in order so perhaps the disjointed experience was on me ;)
September 4, 2025
Like all good cultural mythology, this book of legends gave me so much insight into the way of thinking of the West Coast Indigenous Peoples. And, even a bit of Emily Pauline Johnson’s own Mohawk people’s ways. The thread of Johnson herself as the collector of these stories makes the reader feel closer to the stories despite their being her friends’ stories. And, her surprise family story at the end made for a wonderful close to the book. Would absolutely recommend to anyone interested in writing by Indigenous authors.
February 19, 2023
It was a very interesting experience to "meet Pauline Johnson." She was very intriguing personality, on the edge of two worlds, representing both of them, but not really belonging. The legends tell about part of native mentality, which I have not had a chance to encounter anywhere else, so I even suspect that she just created those tales. They were beautiful, and often related to places which I know.
February 11, 2020
This is a public domain book available on standardebooks.org
As a resident of Vancouver, it was exciting to read a number of legends of so many places and landmarks which I am familiar with. From The Lions, to Siwash Rock. There are now many local sights and places that I won't look at quite the same anymore.
As a resident of Vancouver, it was exciting to read a number of legends of so many places and landmarks which I am familiar with. From The Lions, to Siwash Rock. There are now many local sights and places that I won't look at quite the same anymore.
June 9, 2021
A quick and easy read, beautifully written and evocative. A little melancholy, especially over a century after it was originally written. The legends are simple and poignant.
As a fun aside, one of the legends is about Napoleon Bonaparte and I've become especially fond of stories about Napoleon in the last few years, so that was a pleasant surprise for me.
As a fun aside, one of the legends is about Napoleon Bonaparte and I've become especially fond of stories about Napoleon in the last few years, so that was a pleasant surprise for me.
July 11, 2021
Purchased in the gift shop of the Museum of Anthropology at UBC in Vancouver a decade ago, it's been a joy to finally read this book. Although written from Johnson's perspective over 100 years ago, this has been a wonderful introduction to Native Canadian stories, values and beliefs. I would love to learn more about these peoples but now from a less prejudiced era.
May 5, 2022
While I loved learning indigenous legends about local places, I really didn’t enjoy this book. The stories were told to the author - a Mohawk stage entertainer - about 100 years ago and they have been recounted in a bombastic, exciting way that doesn’t mirror the landscape - the language feels jarring in places.
June 2, 2022
Les Presses de Bras-d’Apic nous présentent cette traduction des légendes de Vancouver de E. Pauline Johnson. La traductrice Chantal Ringuet a su garder le juste ton pour nous faire découvrir cette autrice et son apport dans la littérature canadienne. Dans cette édition, de belles photos des endroits mentionnés accompagnent les légendes.
March 23, 2023
Bon livre que je vais utiliser dans ma classe pour notre unité sur les légendes. Il y a plusieurs histoires que j'aimerais lire à mes élèves, mais pas la dernière wtf is this white saviorism bullshit.
Je pense qu'on aurait pu adapter le langage pour refléter les mots qu'on utilise de nos jours. Mais bon. C'est pas ma décision.
Je pense qu'on aurait pu adapter le langage pour refléter les mots qu'on utilise de nos jours. Mais bon. C'est pas ma décision.
December 27, 2017
"You can see them as you look towards the north and west, where the dream hills swim into the sky amid their ever-drifting clouds of pearl and grey...the Lions of Vancouver." Johnson paints vivid portraits of the Squamish people and the land they inhabit.
March 8, 2020
The Great Archway is a curious variant of the narrative also represented by an ancient European/German tale of the cursed marksman most famously retold by Apel and put to music by Weber as "Der Freischütz".
June 10, 2020
I decided to read this book after coming across Pauline Johnson’s gravesite in Stanley Park, Vancouver. An incredible book to read from this city that was already changing as she wrote well over a century ago. The legends remain.
November 19, 2020
A pleasant enough journey, if not one tempered with questions of its cultural accuracy. Standard Ebooks is great for basic versions, but would have appreciated a bit more context about her history and the region. Still, quick enough and stories well-told.
February 7, 2023
I liked the stories presented in here. Lots of important history that is valuable to record. Lots of dated language though and oh my god that last story is actually so fucking terrible. I get it was a different time, but the implication of genocidal erasure and white saviourism is awful.
August 11, 2018
3.5 stars
August 25, 2018
Beautiful stories of the First Nations peoples of Canada
March 10, 2021
It is great to read the local indigenous legends.
November 5, 2021
A gentle little book writing about nature and place as well as traditional stories of the Squamish people. What an interesting woman in herself, and a lovely way with words.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews