Simon Moccasin told the students who came to his Kids Inc. workshop at the Moose Jaw Public Library on Thursday to leave all their fears at the door.
The workshop kicked off the 13th annual Saskatchewan Festival of Words.
Moccasin was teaching a group of children how to create and tell stories.
"I want them to express themselves, go big and use the tool given to them - their voice - which is powerful," said Moccasin.
Although Moccasin has been telling stories his whole life, he has been working professionally as a storyteller for a year and a half which began through Aboriginal storytelling at the libraries in Regina.
"I am sharing what I know about storytelling with these kids," said Moccasin. "I tell the stories of my people, stories that have been passed down through the generations."
Moccasin is animated when telling his stories and tried to convince the students to be the same.
"At first, everyone is very quiet and tame. By the end of the day, we'll be bouncing off walls and hanging from the chandeliers," he said.
Moccasin said the art of storytelling is important and helps to keep cultures from disappearing.
"It's easy to turn off the television, computer or Wii games," said Moccasin. "We need to keep telling our own stories and using our imagination."
Storytelling runs in Moccasin's family. He was told stories by his mother and she from her father.
"My mother told me family stories about the trickster, the coyote, and I feel I have the inherent right to tell these stories and pass along the meaning and lesson they tell," said Moccasin.
Moccasin said he wanted the children to also learn to respect and love the earth and not to harm anything or anyone.
"With all the craziness that is happening in the world, we need to know we all come from a living breathing culture, all similar at the points of origin," said Moccasin. "I told the kids about my spirit name and told them everyone could get a spirit name. It doesn't matter if you are First Nation, MÉtis, Scottish or German, you just have to seek it out."
Sidney Lebrun, 11, from Coderre, attended the workshop and thought Moccasin's style for storytelling was different from anything she had experienced before.
"He is very optimistic and out-going," said Leburn. " His storytelling style definitely has a point and he makes learning a lot of fun."
Leburn wanted to come to the workshop to become a better writer.
"(Moccasin's) style is going to have a very strong influence on me. It will take my writing to a new level and he has made me think of things I have never thought of before," said Leburn.
Colin Dewar can be reached at 691-1263.
