Call for Indigenous Cartoonists: Seabird Island Comics: Bringing the Stories of Sq’éwqel to Life
Project Title: “Seabird Island Stories” Graphic Novel Project
About the Project
Sq’éwqel (Seabird Island) is home to stories that carry the spirit, history, and lived experiences of the Stó:lō people. In her final years, Elder Ts’ats’elexwot (Elizabeth Herrling), shared her memories of growing up on the island: from life in a reconstructed longhouse and encounters with the land and its creatures, to childhood adventures and everyday moments that capture the essence of community. Stories include “The Doll Story,” “Maggots,” and several others, many of which have already been preliminarily storyboarded for this project.
We’re now inviting applications for artists and cartoonists to translate and interpret these stories into comic art.
In collaboration with Stó:lō Shxweli and the UBC Comics Studies Cluster, the Seabird Island Comics Project will produce a bilingual graphic novel based on several stories by Elizabeth Herrling that were collected by the Stó:lō Shxweli Halq’emeylem Language Program. The project prioritizes the Halq’eméylem language and will also include Herrling’s own English translations, preserving and amplifying the cultural knowledge and lived experience embedded in these narratives.
This project has been developed under the direction and guidance of Stó:lō Shxweli and its Stó:lō Editorial Committee—Kayólemot (Mary Stewart), M.A., Siyámiya (Dianna Kay), M.A., and Teqwótenot (Roxanne Dool), and is facilitated by Dr. Sonja Thoma, Language Resource Developer for the Stó:lō Research and Resource Management Centre, and the UBC Comics Studies Cluster Project Team: Dr. Strang Burton, and Dr. Biz Nijdam. It is funded through the UBC’s Indigenous Strategic Initiatives (ISI).
Artist Commitment
We are seeking up to 6 local, Indigenous cartoonists to visually interpret these stories.
Artists will:
- Illustrate 1–2 stories each, approximately 3–5 pages per story, working from preliminary storyboards but adding their own unique interpretation, visual language, composition, and style.
- Capture ~50 phrases per story, blending faithfulness to Elder Herrling’s voice with your own creative vision
- Explore visual and narrative strategies for bilingual presentation, prioritizing Halq’eméylem while supporting the incorporation of English translations
- Consider creative approaches that allow for an immersive experience (i.e., using QR codes to link to audio of Halq’eméylem readings or for integrating ambient sounds from Seabird Island—birds, wind, water, longhouse interiors— into the stories
Compensation
$1,500 CAD per 5-page story. Payment upon submission of completed pages.
Timeline
- December 10, 2025: Deadline for artist application
- December 2025/January 2026 – Site Visit
- February 2026 – First draft / thumbnails due
- March 2026 – Feedback for revision from the UBC Comics Studies Cluster Project Team and the Stó:lō Editorial Committee
- May 2026 – Final comics due
- September 2026 – Publication event and exhibition at Coqualeetza Cultural Education Centre (TBD)
Application Process
- Letter of Interest (max. 1 page) describing your artistic background, connection to Indigenous storytelling, or interest in Halq’eméylem culture, and your approach to visual storytelling
- 3 examples of comic or graphic art (published or unpublished, max. 10 pages total)
- OPTIONAL: A brief creative statement on interpreting oral histories, collaborative storytelling, or immersive multimedia elements (sound, QR codes, etc.)
Send applications via the link below or submit via email to indigenous.comics.initiatives@ubc.ca by December 10, 2025.
For more information, please contact Drs. Sonja Thoma, Sonja.Thoma@stoloshxweli.org, and Strang Burton, strang.burton@ubc.ca, and cc Dr. Biz Nijdam, biz.nijdam@ubc.ca.