Kamloops-based Indigenous artist, Chris Bose poses in front of a mural in Kamloops in this undated photograph.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Interior Health

An Indigenous storyteller in Kamloops was chosen to be the 2025 Indigenous Storyteller in Residence at Vancouver Public Library where he will bring his highly interactive performances to new audiences for the next three months.

A member of the Nlaka’pamux and Secwepemc Nations, Chris Bose is multi-disciplinary artist who has told Indigenous stories at festivals and at schools throughout Kamloops-Thompson school district over the years bringing drums and rattles for audience members.

“People of all walks of life have listened to my stories,” Bose said. “One time I had a thousand kids and I was running around being crazy. I had a thousand kids cawing like crows and howling like coyote, it was unreal. I do trickster stories because that’s my thing.”

During his residency, Bose will spend part of the time developing a series of Nlaka’pamux and Secwepemc short stories and working on a new digital project featuring works in the horror, comedy and traditional genres.

He applied for the position months ago, and didn’t expect to get the job, but was contacted for a phone interview in December.

“They asked me to do an interview that day,” he said. “I was in the middle of running an art workshop and when I told the kids I had to do an interview, they decided to sabotage me. They were making silly faces at me while I was interviewed.”

The "cultural wall" at Royal Inland Hospital was lead and designed by Kamloops-based Indigenous artist Chris Bose.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Chris Bose

Bose learned he got the position in February and has been in Vancouver working at the library setting up film nights, and storytelling and music workshops he’ll run for the next three months.

He credits his storytelling to his late grandparents who travelled to festivals and conferences across the country telling traditional stories.

“I went with them every summer all over the place and heard the stories and met other Indigenous leaders,” he said.

"A lot of the stories I have are culturally significant and I talk about placing myself on the land, going to sacred places, singing songs and telling jokes. Stories are all over the world, every culture has them. Stories that place them in their territory, that’s the beauty of it.”

Bose is a writer, musician and artist and has painted murals all over Kamloops, including in the Phil and Jennie Gaglardi tower at Royal Inland Hospital, and hosted art and music workshops for numerous local organizations.

He also tours with his band Funeral Horse who play music he described as a “Johnny Cash, acoustic punk band.”

Bose won second place at a short film festival with the Kamloops Film Society for his band's music video called Hungry One that depicts a shared human emptiness and photographs from residential schools.

Regardless of the artistic medium, Bose said working in collaboration and inclusivity are at the heart of it all.

“When I’m painting a mural people come up and ask to try adding something and I say 'give 'er,'" he said. “With music I get people to join me on stage. The kind of spirit I like to carry is inclusive. Life is harsh enough, we don’t need to be judged, and it’s more fun where more people are involved.”

Bose's new role at the Vancouver library is a chance for him to expand as an artist.

“I have an office on the eighth floor and access to everything,” he said. “I’ve been going floor to floor looking at the Indigenous stuff, the art and music, it’s mind blowing how epic that library is.They have a creative lab, three recording studios, a video editing studio and good tech team. It’s nice people want to utilize the skills I have.”

Bose said his new position of Indigenous storyteller is an honour.

“It’s about carrying these stories forward to new audiences and teaching them a bit about Indigenous culture, language and ceremony,” he said.

The VPL Indigenous Storyteller in Residence program has played a valuable role at the library since it began in 2008. Using storytelling and other narrative tools as a way to highlight and share Indigenous traditions and contemporary culture, the program seeks to honour Indigenous cultures and promote intercultural understanding and communication between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. 

Go here to see all of Chris Bose multi-disciplinary art projects through his Patreon account.

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