3 Indigenous storytellers on why we tell scary stories

Indigenous stories often have teachings behind them, and scary ones are no exception, say three storytellers.

Richard Van Camp, who is Tlicho from Fort Smith, N.W.T., has written 30 books in many genres. Two of his most recent are from the horror genre.

Van Camp said traditional storytellers were telling stories to keep children safe, and a lot of the stories youth are told are about respect, empathy, and taking care of themselves.

He said stories about why kids should go home when the street lights turned on were told to keep children safe from things that linger in the dark.

"We were taught, you know, not to look out because you don't know who or what's looking in," he said.

"I close the drapes really early as soon as it gets dark."

Van Camp said that fear can be a teacher, and that used to be a way to teach youth lessons. Van Camp said when your elders are telling you scary stories, it's often coming from a place of love.

"We want to protect our little ones. We want to protect our families, our communities and these are overwhelming and terrifying times," he said.

"I love stories because they pull us closer together, especially the scary ones."

Rueben Martell, a writer, director and producer from Waterhen Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan, said stories are meant to teach people lessons, especially stories from lived experience.

Martell said he had an experience during a ceremony when he was young that made him believe in the old stories he was told.

He said there's a problem that people don't hold dear to the stories they were once told anymore, but things do exist from those old stories, and those teachings are being forgotten.

"I know people that love to tell stories," he said.

"Then I know people that don't want to hear because they have separate belief systems now."