Empowering Indigenous voices through the healing power of storytelling.
The Mission
The Soft As Bones Storytelling Foundation is dedicated to uplifting Indigenous voices and nurturing healing through the transformative power of story and art. We create sacred spaces for Indigenous storytellers, artists, and creatives to gather, express, and connect—beginning with our annual Indigenous storytelling festival and creative retreat.
Rooted in culture, resilience, and community, our mission is to restore, reclaim, and reimagine the stories that shape our identities and futures. As we grow, we aim to expand our reach, supporting Indigenous healing and empowerment through workshops, mentorship, and programs that honour the past while inspiring the next generation of storytellers.
The inaugural Woven Skies Storytelling Festival is a vibrant, all-Indigenous storytelling festival that brings together the many ways our stories are told—through word, movement, music, film, and creation. Rooted in the rich literary traditions of Indigenous authors and knowledge keepers, the festival honours both ancestral and contemporary Indigenous storytelling through traditional dance, live music, spoken word, and live art demonstrations.
Over the course of this weekend gathering, visitors can experience author readings, panel discussions, book signings, and immersive conversations with Indigenous writers and storytellers from across Turtle Island. A curated craft market showcases books by Indigenous authors alongside handmade clothing, jewellery, and art by Indigenous creators.
More than a festival, Woven Skies is a cultural homecoming—a celebration of Indigenous creativity, connection, and the stories that continue to shape who we are and where we’re going.
This festival will take place in a new location across “Kanata” (Huron-Iroquois word for Canada, meaning village or settlement) each year and welcomes everyone from all backgrounds and walks of life to participate in the celebration of Indigenous voices and stories, inspired by Chyana Marie Sage’s lived and challenging experiences navigating the literary scene as an Indigenous woman.
Where: TBA
When: April 10-12th, 2026
Woven Skies Storytelling Festival
The inaugural Woven Skies Creative Retreat is an intimate, four-day experience designed to nourish the creative spirit of Indigenous artists, writers, and movement-makers across generations. Held separately from the festival, this annual retreat invites attendees into a land-rooted, community-centered space for reflection, expression, and growth.
Through a series of immersive interdisciplinary workshops in writing, art, and dance, participants are guided by Indigenous facilitators and knowledge keepers who honour both traditional and contemporary practices. The retreat offers a chance to explore personal and collective stories, reconnect with the body through movement, and experiment with new forms of creative expression in a supportive, decolonial environment.
This gathering is not just about craft—it is about connection: to land, to lineage, to one another, and to the stories that shape who we are. The Woven Skies Creative Retreat is a space for restoration, exploration, and bold creation—for those who carry stories, and for those ready to find their voice. This retreat will take place in a new location across Kanata each year to provide opportunity for all regions to attend.
Where: TBA
When: Summer 2026
Woven Skies Creative Retreat
Reaching For The Stars Scholarship
presented by the Soft As Bones Storytelling Foundation
💫 $10,000 Award
The Reaching for the Stars Scholarship is awarded to one Indigenous student pursuing post-secondary education who exemplifies resilience, vision, and the courage to dream beyond limitation. Whether their path is rooted in art, science, community, storytelling, or innovation, this student carries the strength of their ancestors while boldly shaping the future.
This $10,000 scholarship supports an Indigenous student who is reaching for more—within themselves and within the world. It recognizes that education is not only academic, but spiritual, creative, and deeply connected to the journey of becoming.
Eligibility:
Open to Indigenous students (First Nations, status or non-status, Métis, or Inuit, within Kanata)
Must be enrolled or accepted into a post-secondary program in any field of study
May be studying in any country
This scholarship honours those who rise, reach, and inspire.
Application window: January 01, 2026 - June 30th 2026.
Award disbursed in September 2026.
Where stories soften what history hardened.
Contact
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Email
chyanamariesage@gmail.com