This document is one of six appendices from the first iteration of the report From Dene Kedǝ to Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨: Rethinking Resurgence in the Sahtú Region. In it, the team provides a basic historical review of some of the data collected about Dene language speakers and learners in the Sahtú, along with figures on land use, subsistence, and arts. It also includes some qualitative data about Sahtú perceptions or ideologies of language and revitalization. 

About the project: 

From Dene Kedǝ to Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨ is a collaborative project that explores lessons learned through the past fifty years of Dene and Métis language and way of life initiatives. Bringing together knowledge and experience from longtime activists and educators and youth, as well as review of over 275 documents, the aim is to create a resource for decision-makers and researchers as a basis for resurgence in the Sahtú Region. All phases of this project involve a dialogue between today’s initiatives and yesterday’s legacy.

The picture that has emerged is complex, involving at least seven domains of resurgence: speakers and learners; local knowledge; documentation; education; media; law and policy; and ways of life. During this project we saw the emergence of exciting projects like the Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨ School, a cross-cultural on the land learning opportunity for youth. This school became an integral part of the research and learning process.

Read more about From Dene Kedǝ to Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨. Download the appendix using the PDF link at the bottom of this page. 

Cite this resource:

"Appendix D - Speakers and Learners–Data Collection on Language, Practice, and Ideology in the Sahtú" in Faun Rice, Keren Rice, Deborah Simmons, Walter Bezha, Jordan Lennie, Shelby Lennie, Michael Neyelle. From Dene Kedǝ to Dene Ts’ı̨ lı̨: Rethinking Resurgence in the Sahtú Region, Northwest Territories©Ɂehdzo Got’ı̨ nę Gots’é ̨ Nákedı (Sahtú Renewable Resources Board), Tulı́ t'a, Northwest Territories, www.srrb.nt.ca. October 2017 Edition.

This document is one of six appendices from the first iteration of the report From Dene Kedǝ to Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨: Rethinking Resurgence in the Sahtú Region. In it, the team provides a timeline of selected events and projects throughout Sahtú history, contextualized by events in the Northwest Territories and in Canada. 

About the project: 

From Dene Kedǝ to Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨ is a collaborative project that explores lessons learned through the past fifty years of Dene and Métis language and way of life initiatives. Bringing together knowledge and experience from longtime activists and educators and youth, as well as review of over 275 documents, the aim is to create a resource for decision-makers and researchers as a basis for resurgence in the Sahtú Region. All phases of this project involve a dialogue between today’s initiatives and yesterday’s legacy.

The picture that has emerged is complex, involving at least seven domains of resurgence: speakers and learners; local knowledge; documentation; education; media; law and policy; and ways of life. During this project we saw the emergence of exciting projects like the Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨ School, a cross-cultural on the land learning opportunity for youth. This school became an integral part of the research and learning process.

Read more about From Dene Kedǝ to Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨. Download the appendix using the PDF link at the bottom of this page. 

Cite this resource:

"Appendix E - Timeline of Dene Kedǝ and Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨ Events" in Faun Rice, Keren Rice, Deborah Simmons, Walter Bezha, Jordan Lennie, Shelby Lennie, Michael Neyelle. From Dene Kedǝ to Dene Ts’ı̨ lı̨: Rethinking Resurgence in the Sahtú Region, Northwest Territories©Ɂehdzo Got’ı̨ nę Gots’é ̨ Nákedı (Sahtú Renewable Resources Board), Tulı́ t'a, Northwest Territories, www.srrb.nt.ca. October 2017 Edition.

This document is one of six appendices from the first iteration of the report From Dene Kedǝ to Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨: Rethinking Resurgence in the Sahtú Region. In it, Sahtú Dene and Métis co-authors reflect on their lived experiences and share stories that provide important human context for the history outlined in the report. 

About the project: 

From Dene Kedǝ to Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨ is a collaborative project that explores lessons learned through the past fifty years of Dene and Métis language and way of life initiatives. Bringing together knowledge and experience from longtime activists and educators and youth, as well as review of over 275 documents, the aim is to create a resource for decision-makers and researchers as a basis for resurgence in the Sahtú Region. All phases of this project involve a dialogue between today’s initiatives and yesterday’s legacy.

The picture that has emerged is complex, involving at least seven domains of resurgence: speakers and learners; local knowledge; documentation; education; media; law and policy; and ways of life. During this project we saw the emergence of exciting projects like the Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨ School, a cross-cultural on the land learning opportunity for youth. This school became an integral part of the research and learning process.

Read more about From Dene Kedǝ to Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨. Download the appendix using the PDF link at the bottom of this page. 

Cite this resource:

"Appendix B - Co-Author Reflections" in Faun Rice, Keren Rice, Deborah Simmons, Walter Bezha, Jordan Lennie, Shelby Lennie, Michael Neyelle. From Dene Kedǝ to Dene Ts’ı̨ lı̨: Rethinking Resurgence in the Sahtú Region, Northwest Territories ©Ɂehdzo Got’ı̨ nę Gots’é ̨ Nákedı (Sahtú Renewable Resources Board), Tulı́ t'a, Northwest Territories, www.srrb.nt.ca. October 2017 Edition.

Hilyer’s chapter provides a historical overview of higher education in the Northwest Territories, along with some of the challenges to early institutions. The text outlines the history of the Adult Vocational Training Centre, Thebacha College, and Arctic College. In a 1992 survey of Arctic College students, 58% of students were women, 14% of students brought their children to campus, 75% were of Aboriginal origin, and they came from 58 different communities in the territories. For first languages, 65% had English, 8.5% Inuktitut and 2% North Slavey and Dogrib.

Read more about the history of education and curriculum development in the Northwest Territories. 

Access this Resource: 

Hilyer, Gail M. “Higher Education in the Northwest Territories.” Higher Education in Canada: Different Systems, Different Perspectives, edited by Glen A. Jones, 301-323. New York: Garland Publishers, 1997.

The CMEC Aboriginal Educators’ Symposium took place in Yellowknife, NT from June 29-30, 2015. It discussed “how to attract more Aboriginal people to teaching careers; how to encourage existing Aboriginal educators to remain in the profession; how to support Aboriginal students entering the field of education; and, how to support all Aboriginal educators in their training and career development” (1).

Read more about this event: https://www.cmec.ca/530/CMEC_Aboriginal_Educators%E2%80%99_Symposium.html

Access this Resource:

Click the link below for the open access PDF from the CMEC website.

Council of Ministers of Education. CMEC Aboriginal Educators’ Symposium, Summary Report. Yellowknife: CMEC, 2016.

From Report: The Sahtú Environmental Research and Monitoring Forum was initiated in 2013 to support environmental research and monitoring by providing a venue for discussing plans and accommodating the priorities and traditional knowledge of Sahtú communities. Through fostering communications between forum members, which include community, regional, territorial and federal government representatives as well as industry representation, forum members hope to ensure that “environmental monitoring and research programs and projects in the Sahtú are coordinated and conducted in ways that reflect regional and community priorities, engage communities, value both western science and traditional knowledge, and support wise decision-making.” Achievements from this reporting period included environmental research and monitoring workshops, research results workshops, and publications.

Access this Resource:

See the PDF attachment at the bottom of the page

Wenman, Christine. Sahtú Environmental Research and Monitoring Forum 2013-2015 Update Report. Tulıt’a: PlanIt North, 2015.

Every fiscal year, the Government of the Northwest Territories issues a record of measures taken to implement the Official Languages Act. Each report details developments in both French and Aboriginal language programming. Many programs focus on connecting youth with elders, training teachers, developing curriculum, and providing government services in as many languages as possible.

Some events from this reporting period:

• Describes language plan and notes that ECE is currently working on an updated version for 2015-2020.
• The North Slavey member of the Official Languages Board was Theresa Etchinelle, with Jane Modeste as alternate. For the Aboriginal Language Revitalization Board, it was Dora Grandjambe with Anne Kochon-Orlias as alternate.
• The boards are currently developing a process for amalgamation, which will require amendments to the Official Languages Act.
• The report summarizes the TRC Calls to Action specific to language and culture. It identifies points that it is already undertaking and commits to calling on the federal government for Aboriginal language revitalization funding.
• It then presents one page summaries of each language region’s five year plan, with updates and highlights of 2015-16. 

Access this Resource:

The Government of the Northwest Territories makes reports from the last decade available here: https://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/en/services/francophone-affairs-secretariat/official-languages-annual-reports

Government of the Northwest Territories. Annual Report on Official Languages. Yellowknife: 2016.

From Report: “The Sahtú Environmental Research and Monitoring Forum was initiated in 2013 to support environmental research and monitoring by providing a venue for discussing plans and accommodating the priorities and traditional knowledge of Sahtú communities. Through fostering communications between forum members, which include community, regional, territorial and federal government representatives as well as industry representation, forum members hope to ensure that “environmental monitoring and research programs and projects in the Sahtú are coordinated and conducted in ways that reflect regional and community priorities, engage communities, value both western science and traditional knowledge, and support wise decision-making.”” Achievements from this reporting period included environmental research and monitoring workshops, research results workshops, and publications.

Access this Resource: 

Read more about the SERM here: http://www.srrb.nt.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=270&Itemid=843

Download the PDF from the attachment field at the bottom of this page.  

Wenman, Christine. Sahtú Environmental Research and Monitoring Forum 2013-2015 Update Report. Tulıt’a: PlanIt North, 2015.

Every fiscal year, the Government of the Northwest Territories issues a record of measures taken to implement the Official Languages Act. Each report details developments in both French and Aboriginal language programming. Many programs focus on connecting youth with elders, training teachers, developing curriculum, and providing government services in as many languages as possible.

Highlights from 2014-2015:

The Sahtu Dene Council organized numerous cultural and on-the-land programs, such as seasonal hunts, spiritual gatherings and culture camps. All of these provide opportunities for youth to learn from Elders about traditional knowledge and customs as well as learn their language. Dene Literacy Classes were conducted, as were regular language classes at all four schools in the region. The SDC also recorded and distributed 200 USB Drives (memory sticks) with Elders’ stories.

Access this Resource:

The Government of the Northwest Territories makes reports from the last decade available here: https://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/en/services/francophone-affairs-secretariat/official-languages-annual-reports

The 2014-2015 report PDF is available here: https://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/sites/ece/files/resources/official_languages_report_2014-15.pdf

Government of the Northwest Territories. Annual Report on Official Languages. Yellowknife: 2015.

This paper assesses the state of Northern Athabaskan languages internationally, and examines language policy at the federal, state/province, and regional/local levels. It notes Sahtú and NWT policy initiatives such as the regional and territorial strategic plans, but comments that a dearth of evaluation has made it difficult to assess the impacts of these initiatives. The authors present many alternative strategies to address the dangers of language loss, including the following.

For individuals, communities, and regions (p. 15)
1. Athabaskan families should make more use of Arctic Athabaskan languages at home;
2. Communities should create more Arctic Athabaskan language learning environments in which elders, children, and youth can interact;
3. Current and emerging leadership should increase their use of Arctic
Athabaskan languages in public settings as much as possible; and
4. First Nations governments and organizations could require greater use of Arctic Athabaskan languages in their operations.

For territories and states (p. 17)
1. Dedicate long-term funding for Arctic Athabaskan language programs for daycares and pre-schools;
2. Amend territorial and state curricula to make Arctic Athabaskan language proficiency a requirement for high school graduation;
3. Territorial and state governments should develop structures to support public sector employees’ Arctic Athabaskan language learning, through the use of instructors, course material, and leave with pay;
4. Require industry to negotiate the use of Arctic Athabaskan languages in appropriate workplaces.

For Canada and the United States (p. 20)
Write a “Dene Language Accord” that “supports Athabaskan language use as well as French and English.”

 Access this Resource: 

This paper is made available open access by the Gordon Foundation at this link: http://gordonfoundation.ca/resource/northern-dene-languages-use-them-or-lose-them-arctic-athabaskan-language/

Hernandez, Moses, Nina Larsson, Jessie MacKenzie, and Itoah Scott-Enns. Northern Dene Languages: Use them or lose them, Arctic Athabaskan Language Revitalization Plan. Toronto: Walter & Duncan Gordon Foundation, 2015.