A Special Place

EPISODE 2

A Special Place

Dene singer-songwriter Leela Gilday has worked hard to establish herself in Canada’s music industry, but along with her successes, she’s lost a part of her culture. Leela returns to her home community of Deline to take part in learning the art of making a traditional tanned moose hide. She discovers the practice may have more to do with ancient ways then her modern time schedule.

Deline and Sahtu Region

The town of Deline is located in the Sahtu region of the Northwest Territories on the Western shore of Great Bear Lake. The people of Deline are mainly Dene and Metis, many of which are related to the Hare, Gwich’in and Mountain Dene Peoples.

In 1825 the Hudson’s Bay Company erected an outpost for Sir John Franklin’s second arctic expedition.  The outpost became known as Fort Franklin.  Sir John Franklin wrote about his men playing an ice sport described to be very similar to what we now call Ice Hockey. From this, Deline lays claim to being the birthplace of the sport of hockey. The town changed its name from Fort Franklin to Deline, meaning, “where the waters flow”, in 1993.

During World War II, the government started producing Uranium at the Eldorado Mine located about 250 kilometers from Deline in Port Radium. Many of the Dene men were able to find work here however, because there was little knowledge of the effects of radioactive materials, it is believed that many of the Dene people became sick from the radiation.

Artists in the Sahtu Region are well known for their work with moose hides, making traditionally sewn items such as moccasins, mukluks and mitts that are intricately decorated with beadwork, embroidery and locally harvested fur.

The Sahtu Dene and Metis are beneficiaries of the Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement. This Agreement also provides for the negotiation of self-governing agreements. The parties’ involved aim to have a draft of this Agreement-in-Principal completed in 2015.