Includes bibliographical references (p. 127-135) and index.

Introduction -- First Nations Identity Through a History of Struggle -- The Poetics of Self and Land; A Phenomenological Explanation -- Poe tics and Stories Among the Coastal First Nations -- The Poiesis of Land in Interior "Storyscapes" -- The Poiesis of Enfoldment Within the Stei n Valley "Storyscape" -- Conclusion -- Glossary -- Appendices -- Select ed Bibliography -- Index.

"The Poetics of Land and Identity is about the meaning of land for t he many diverse First Nations within British Columbia. The work offers a study of the folklore and symbolic traditions within many Aboriginal regions and illustrates how these traditions emphasize the importance o f orality and poetics as the defining factor in the value of land. Chri stine J. Elsey offers a deft, scholarly discussion of these "storyscape s," providing us with a point of access for understanding First Nations ' perspectives on the world and their land. She provides an important a lternative to the monetary, exploitative, resource-driven view of natur e and land ownership and highlights the conflicts between the colonial, Western perspective of nature and the holistic view of First Nations p eople."--Publisher's website.