Book Launch on Wednesday – “The McDonalds, The Lives & Legends of a Kaska Dena Family”

Allison Tubman has completed the writing and publication of her book, ‘The McDonalds, The Lives & Legends of a Kaska Dena Family’, and she is planning her book launch.

Granddaughter to the well-known original McDonald family, Tubman is excited to be picking up copies of her books this Friday in Edmonton in preparation for her book launch and signing. The event will be held in the curling lounge on Wednesday April 30th at 7 p.m., and everyone is invited.

Growing up Northern BC, Tubman spent many weekends and holidays at Toad River and along other parts of the Alaska Highway. She has a deep love of her culture and its traditions, and as more of her elders began passing away, she recognized the importance of preserving their heritage.

Tubman wanted to ensure that her children and future generations would understand the hardships their ancestors went through living off the land between Lower Post and Fort Nelson. She decided to compile her documentation of history into a book. Following the death of her grandmother, Elsie McDonald, in 2007 and then the birth of her first child David, she says her desire to preserve history grew even stronger.

Tubman says, “Everyone always talked about wanting more information on the McDonalds and they loved the pictures. We were losing our elders very quickly, and I just thought somebody had to do it so it might as well be me. I’ve been collecting pictures and little tidbits of stories for about 10 years, and finally in January 2013, I made an appointment with Peace Photographics and met with them. I got the lowdown on what needs to be done…I wanted it to be professional; a respectable hardcover coffee table book…I did everything – all of my own layout, my writing, everything.”

As a self-publisher, Tubman went to Dawson Creek every couple of months to have her work critiqued. Wanting final say on her copy and layout, she would approve any adjustments suggested if she felt they were valid.

‘The McDonalds’ is a coffee table book that intertwines photographs dating back to the 1920’s, with biographies and stories pertaining to several family members throughout their lives. It also discusses the building of the Alaska Highway, and explores how life differed before and after the construction. “The book is 10.5 by 12 inches, with 204 pages, all full colour, and I have over 225 photos in it,” says Tubman.

On her passion to write the book, and reflection of the processes she went through to get to her final product, Tubman says, “It was very easy – I loved it. To find the time was difficult because I have a full time job, a son, a husband, and a house to run, so a lot of the time I would work on this book after supper, after the laundry was done, after David was in bed…but it didn’t feel like work to me. It was something that I loved, I wanted to do it and I enjoyed it – it didn’t feel like it was a burden to me – I’m kind of having a hard time not doing anything now!”

At one point Tubman was only going to have 10 books printed for family members, but she was able to get funding from First Nations Bands and several local businesses to support her project in return for advertising in the book. Their logos are shown under acknowledgements.

Four retailers are planning on carrying ‘The McDonalds’; Trappers Den, the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum, Double G Services at Muncho Lake, and Muncho Lake Lodge and RV Park. At the book launch, Tubman plans to have family artefacts on display. The book retails for $59.99 (she won’t have debit machine), so cash is advisable.

Four elder McDonalds still live in the Toad River area tending their horses and drying meat.

Below a photo of a McDonald burial ground on the back of the dust jacket, a description reads: “There is a world out of sight and soon to be out of memory that intrigues and compels us, that of the First Nations who lived in remote, wild places using ingenuity and traditional ways to carve a rich life far from urban comforts. The McDonalds, once one of a tribe of 16 families, lived from the land in the rugged Northern Rockies for many centuries. Allison Tubman, one of the last of her tribe, has gathered her memories and accounts from surviving members, along with a rich cache of photographs to tell the story of this loving and resourceful family. Her stories, rich in detail, humour and humanity, offer a glimpse into a little known traditional way of life that will soon be lost.”

Tubman says that though she learned a lot, she knew much of her family history from her mother and other family members. “What got to me is that I just had my website done by Renee Lomen. I dedicated the book to my grandma, and she had a little quote on the bottom from my opening pages with a picture of my grandma – that really got to me – I was ready to fall down because I just didn’t realise how much it means to other people. I know it means a lot to me but it’s another thing to know that others want this as well.”

“If one Indian has food, everyone has it.”

– Charlie McDonald