Topic: NEWS

Joe Pastion, Dene Tha’ First Nation Chief

Members of The Dene Tha’ First Nation recently elected Joe Pastion as their new chief and expect him to represent them in more decision making over the next four years. At 40-years-old, Pastion is one of youngest elected Dene Tha’ chiefs but says the timing was right to run for election. “I was going to run in the last election, but decided it wasn’t the right time,” Pastion said. “I will bring my experience in economic development to the leadership as well as involving the community in decisions that will directly affect them.”

Pastion says he will continue implementing yearly up-front accountability that drives Dene Tha First Nation toward progress into the future, and he hopes to involve the community in investments. Other programs that will continue include projects that began at Bistcho Lake this year at archeological digs to get the children and youth involved in their traditions. “I want our leaders to emphasize our Dene culture and traditions because our history and roots are so important, and the programs that began this year at Bistcho Lake are a step in that direction,” said Pastion.

The Bistcho Lake project was initiated by Dene Tha’ First Nations from northern Alberta and managed by Director of Education for Dene Tha’ Perry Molton and Marc Stevenson, Project Main Archaeologist. Archaeologists from Taiga Archaeology Ltd. were invited to participate in the unique project this summer. Project goals were directed at getting high school students from the local Dene Tha’ communities interested in their own history and land and involve them in archaeological surveys conducted in nearby areas. The project also brought in elders to share information about local history and traditional sites, and they participated in a research survey to find archaeological sites indicating the significance and importance of Dene Tha’ lands in this part of the province.

In early July 2013, project manager Marc Stevenson, along with Perry Molton and Grzegorz Kwiecien, conducted archaeological surveys from boats along the shore of the lake. Several historic sites and settlements (including Jackfish Point and Indian Cabins at the southeastern portion of the lake) were surveyed, in addition to several traditional use areas and three precontact archaeological sites (two on the north side and one on the south side). One of the sites on the northeastern shore yielded a projectile point made of quartzite that could be associated with Taltheilei Shale Tradition. This tradition is considered ancestral to Dene people. Another site yielded a chithos (a large hide-working tool), and on the south side they found a multifunctional tool made of chert; they call it a “prehistoric Swiss Army knife.”

The archeologists learned from Dene Tha’ elder William Yatchotay about the Dene Tha’ history of the Bistcho Lake. The information and stories provided by William and other elders during the course of the project gave them an opportunity to understand the rich and interesting lives of Dene Tha’ in the area and how they coped and lived in this beautiful land.

A second trip for the project was conducted in August, 2013. The archaeological reconnaissance was concentrated around the Hay and Meander River and the community of Meander River. Again Taiga archaeologists along with Marc Stevenson, Perry Molton, and the students from the Meander and Bushe communities conducted the survey. The major focus was in areas near the community of Meander River. Two precontact archaeological sites were recorded, and locations of old Meander settlements on the west side of the Hay River were also visited. One of the precontact sites was of a major importance. Shovel testing programs conducted at the reserve with students from Meander and Bushe reserves revealed a stratified site located on the floodplain at the junction of the two major rivers that spans a long period of time, going back to precontact times with numerous artifacts from all periods.

Participating students learned how to excavate shovel tests, record information, clean and catalogue the artifacts, but more importantly, they discovered their own past first hand in the material remains left possibly by their own ancestors and were able to reconnect with their own cultural heritage.

The last part of this project was also conducted at Bistcho Lake. In the first days, Taiga archaeologists conducted tests at Indians Cabins and Jackfish Point locations. Both areas revealed large, precontact campsites of high archaeological significance, particularly at Jackfish Point where historic traces of the old settlement were found above the remains of the prehistoric campsites. One special find at this site was a small side-notched projectile point (arrowhead). This very small artifact, crudely made of chert, could be a toy arrowhead, which is a rare find.
The project initiated by the First Nation of Dene Tha’ was one of the first of its kind in northern Alberta and unique in the way it involved youth (with the presence of elders) from the Chateh, Bushe, and Meander communities to reconnect them with their own past and heritage and showed them how old, interesting, and rich it was. Preliminary archaeological research was conducted in areas never or rarely investigated and gave another opportunity for the Dene Tha’ to show how strong their ties are to this land and its past, providing an opportunity to shed new light on the prehistory of this part of Alberta and the great archaeological potential of the area for the future.

A northern Manitoba First Nation is hoping a new contraceptive chip will help keep wild dog populations under control and stop the need for culling (selective killing). Debra Vanderhove of Norway House’s animal rescue program said the community is looking at a contraceptive chip implanted into female dogs as a cheaper alternative to a spay and neuter program. “[The contraceptive] definitely helps get down the aggression level when females are in heat,” said Vanderhove. “That’s when they [males] get aggressive and attack children.”

The chip costs only $80, compared to about $300 for spay and neutering, and is more expensive in northern communities because veterinarians have to be flown in to do the procedure. Vanderhove explained the chip is inserted under the skin between the shoulder blades of female and stops them from getting pregnant for 22 to 24 months, which is about the average life span of a reserve dog. “It’s nothing to get a veterinarian on a plane with a couple of suitcases to implant those things,” said Vanderhove.

The convenient chip is a better alternative to the controversial mass dog culls that take place in a number of northern First Nations communities. Dog culls came under fire earlier this year when Sally Hull of Hull’s Haven in Stonewall, Manitoba was forced to euthanize a badly injured dog during a cull on a northern First Nation in early April. The dog named Trooper had 17 shotgun pellets in his head that shattered his skull bones destroyed some of his teeth. Hull said Trooper had been left lying in someone’s yard for several days before he was flown to Stonewall for emergency care. Hull set up a Facebook page petition asking people to support bylaws governing dog ownership in northern communities and calling for an end of the practice of dog culls.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) Grand Chief David Harper said dog culls are necessary for safety reasons. “It’s for the safety of the children and the community,” said Harper at the time. A search of CBC archives revealed eleven dog mauling deaths of children under 8 between 1998 and 2007 on First Nations reserve communities.

The Whitecap Dakota First Nations have posted a $2000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of their former accountant Hugo Gallegos. Chief Darcy Bear and members of the tribal council discovered that a large amount of money from their communal account was missing, and the trail led to their accountant. Gallegos had been employed by the band for the past six years and somehow managed to steal $2.5 million and leave town. Chief Darcy Bear expressed the feelings of the band council: “Our community is the victim. I’m very frustrated.”

The Whitecap Dakota are one of the most entrepreneurial Bands in Saskatchewan. They own a casino and a golf resort, and a hotel is under construction. They have reported earnings in excess of a $100 million, which reflects solid management and a visionary business sense. Hugo Gallegos, came with excellent references and was respected by his peers. Exactly when he started his scam hasn’t been established, but at some point, he began issuing cheques to himself or aliases he had created, then he would cancel the cheque entry in the ledger but still cash the cheque. Since he was the senior accountant in charge of deposits and responsible for all ledger entries, he was able to avoid scrutiny. Gallegos managed to embezzle over two million dollars before people started realizing there were certain discrepancies in the accounting department.

Hugo Gallegos, in the vain hope of avoiding capture, left for a vacation—perhaps to El Salvador where he was born—thus avoiding any confrontation with the band’s business directors. When he was reached by e-mail, his reply seemed a little left from the truth. “I was close to a heart attack, will take care of this matter first,” Gallegos wrote, not mentioning what hospital or his location. “Doctor doesn’t want me to deal with anything which triggers any stress or worries.”

In early September, there was enough proof to lay charges of fraud and embezzlement against Gallegos. He had returned to pick up personal effects, but had not shown up at work. Dennis Kammerer went to Gallegos’ house and found him all packed and ready to leave town. When Kammerer informed him the police knew he had stolen the money, Gallegos had no intention of dealing with the police and drove away in his Cadillac with Kammerer in close pursuit. Kammerer wasn’t able to catch Gallegos. It is believed now that he might have left Canada.

The RCMP have charged Hugo Gallegos, but the chances of him still being in Canada are slim, and if he is in El Salvador, he would have to be extradited ,which won’t be easy considering the politics in Central America. Chief Bear has hired a new accounting firm to check out the books to make sure there aren’t any other financial irregularities. Was Gallegos the only guilty one? It is hard to believe it took so long to discover that the money was missing. Could there be others who have worked with him? It’s a question that Dennis Kammerer and Chief Darcy Bear will want answered to make sure this never happens again.

A delegation of about two dozen chiefs, veterans, elders, and aides from the Federation of Saskatchewan First Nations (FSIN) travelled to London, England to mark the 250th anniversary of the Royal Proclamation of 1763 on October 7, 2013. “The Royal Proclamation is important to us because it marks the first time that the Crown recognized our title to and jurisdiction over lands and territories as Indigenous peoples,” said FSIN leader Chief Perry Bellegarde. “We decided to go to London because that is where the original document rests and from whence the original relationship emanated.”

During a four-day trip to London, the FSIN delegation took part in a number activities including a public dialogue at Oxford University about the ongoing struggle for treaty and Aboriginal rights in Canada, a wreath-laying ceremony at the Royal Military Chapel to honour First Nations veteran’s loyalty to the Crown, and the anniversary of the Royal Proclamation itself. FSIN leaders hope the journey represents an opportunity to reinforce the treaty relationship between themselves and the Canadian and British Crown and to highlight the continuing existence and importance of the Royal Proclamation.

The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was issued by King George III after the British conquest of New France (Quebec) following the Seven Years War, to officially claim North America. It has been called the “Indian Magna Carta.” It established guidelines for the European settlement of Aboriginal territories and was the first constitutional act recognizing First Nation’s rights to their territories, establishing the principle that only the Crown can seize First Nations lands through the negotiation of treaties.

Chief Bellegarde pointed out that the proclamation is fundamental to the legal framework for First Nations in Canada and is part of the nation’s constitution. “We want to promote awareness and common understanding of the importance and relevance of relations between First Nations and the Crown and talk about those relations globally,” said Bellegarde.

FSIN leaders hope the trip will invigorate ongoing attempts to renew treaty implementation talks with the Harper Tories who have yet to move forward. “We are here to demonstrate that treaties are still alive and that the terms have yet to be honoured according to their spirit and intent.”

The Fort McKay First Nation of the Athabasca Wood Buffalo area has pulled out of a joint federal-provincial oilsands monitoring program because their concerns and input were being largely ignored. As of October 8th, the First Nation withdrew from the Joint Oil Sands Monitoring (JOSM) program because the First Nation’s leadership felt they were not valued in the watchdog’s consultation process. The First Nation was particularly interested in becoming involved in the technical details of the program, such as monitoring air quality and contaminants.

The MacKay First Nation is at the centre of the oil sands field north of Fort McMurray and is home to 700 Cree, Dene, and Metis. It is the only First Nation to drop out of the JOSM, which was announced in 2012. Daniel Stuckless, manager for environmental and regulatory affairs for the First Nation, told Fort McMurray Today that leaders were providing input into the engagement process but weren’t seeing any results from the information they were providing. “We were looking for full participation across the program,” said Stuckless. We wanted to be more utilized. Stuckless said the monitoring ideas leaders proposed were rejected. They felt they were there to provide traditional and cultural knowledge only.

The First Nation, however, understands the workings of the oil patch. Chief Jim Boucher has served as chief of Fort McKay for 23 of the last 27 years. In that time, he served as chairman of the board for the Fort McKay Group of Companies (FMGC), 100% owned by the First Nation and operating eight limited partnerships involved in the oil and gas industry.

Under Boucher’s leadership, the FMGC has grown into one of the most successful First Nations-owned business ventures in Canada with annual revenues in excess of $100 million. The First Nation is still willing to talk to the federal and provincial governments and are not opposed to rejoining the program if their concerns are met. Government representatives are meeting in early November with First Nations and industry stakeholders to address their concerns.

Fort McKay won a judgement allowing them to appeal a ruling by Alberta Energy Regulator (AER). In August, the AER approved a bid by Brion Energy Corp. to extract 50,000 barrels of bitumen per day using Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) technology in the Moose Lake area known for its abundance of wildlife. Fort McKay wanted a 20 kilometre buffer zone to protect the area’s wildlife.

“We have always called this area Moose Lake because of its abundance of wildlife,” said councillor Raymond Powder. “Many of our families have traplines here, and our ancestors were married and buried here. We still consider this area home, and it has, until now, provided a safe and clean refuge for us to hunt and fish and escape the noise and pollution of the mines that surround our community.”

After spending a few days in this remote area located on the north western corner of Alberta, one can see why the Dene Tha’ people call Bistcho Lake “the last frontier.” Perry Moulton, Director of Education for the Dene Tha’ First Nation (DTFN) included Bistcho Lake in the “Science and Culture on the Land Project,” part of the five-year Dene Tha’ Education Plan. “This is the second trip we’ve made to the lake with the original intent to educate the children and youth,” Moulton said. “What better way but to show them this pristine and undisturbed area that is the traditional territory of the Dene Tha’ people.”

On Monday September 16, 2013, representatives from Taiga Archaeology, Dene Tha Community School, North Peace Tribal Council, University of Alberta (U of A), and a writer of the First Nations Drum were invited by the DTFN on a three-day trip to Bistcho Lake to examine and explore new areas surveyed this past summer, review the wolverine research project, and continue more archaeological digs. The U of A and the DTFN are working together on the wolverine research project starting this winter, and U of A is hoping to assist the Dene Tha’ in conducting an environmental monitoring project on their traditional lands.

The geologists and biologists are there to research and explore Bistcho, but as experts with the environment, they are also assisting with education ideas that could make the lake an important virtual tool for many generations to come. They also share similar goals and interests with the Dene Tha’ people: protecting the land and environment.

Greg Kwiecien, geologist for Taiga Archeology, says this project is unique for DTFN because students have the opportunity to see where their ancestors once lived and are able to embrace their culture and history. “When we first came on the first trip, I was so impressed to see the kids take such an active interest in the archeological digs on their traditional lands,” Kwiecien said. “It is so unique and exciting on so many levels, not only for the children and youth learning of their culture, but for us as well, because we’ve found artifacts that could well date at least a thousand years.” In their first trip, archeologists found an artifact they called a “prehistoric swiss-army knife,” and on this second trip they found more artifacts including an arrowhead, which will be examined to determine its age.

Kwiecien said he hoped this project would prove that potential developers must take extreme caution on the DTFN lands of Jack Fish Point and Bistcho, including the entire area around the lake. “We are impressed with their chief and councillors because they’re taking matters into their own hands and sharing their history and lands with us, and as archeologists, this is an opportunity we are grateful for,” Kwiecien said. “We are discovering a lot of interesting finds on the digs, and this place needs to be protected so that everyone can enjoy this area at its most natural state.”

Surrounded by the lake’s natural beauty, the boat ride to the backwaters or tributary was a serene moment. As we drifted around one corner, we could barely see cabins in the distance. Once we got off the boats and walked up the riverbank, we could see the Dene Tha’s old log cabin village, also known as Bistcho Lake Indian Reserve #213. As we walked through the abandon village, one could imagine a time when the area bustled with activity: Dene Tha’ men fishing, women skinning or cooking outdoors, children eating cranberries and playing, running from cabin to cabin. But why did the Dene Tha people leave this beautiful area tucked behind the great Lake?

Harry Metacat is Dene Tha’ and one of two elders who accompanied the group on this trip. He recounted stories about growing up in the log cabin village and swimming in the lake. “We did everything on our own here. It was a tough life, but we didn’t know it was tough because that’s all we knew,” Metacat said. “But we all moved away from here when people got sick.” In the 1930s and early 1940s, the Dene Tha’ people began moving away from from Bistcho Lake because of a major flu outbreak that devastated the area. A lot of the people died, including Metacat’s Father who passed away in 1942. The group visited and paid their respects to the “spirit houses” or Dene Kih Kohoanh. These houses are placed on the grave in a ceremony one year after the actual burial. Archeologists were able to dig in the area and found artifacts that proved people had been living in the area for a long time.

Day two included a visit to Jack Fish Point and the discovery of an arrowhead by Ashley Dixon of Taiga Archeology. “We are just amazed at all the finds we’re discovering,” Dixon said. “It sometimes takes an archeologist years to dig up a find, but here we’ve been finding so many objects, and it’s exciting to know there is a lot of history here, and we want to discover that.”

With every artifact collected, the group shared ideas that could benefit the DTFN education plan. Matt Munson, DTFN lands and environment director, shared his idea that all the areas could be included in a Google map website. “There are so many education possibilities here that we can do with artifacts that are being discovered,” said Munson. “We can create pop-up interactive sites for kids to locate key areas of the Dene Tha land.” For example, if a student wanted to see where the “swiss army knife” was found, they could click a link to open a Google map, and it would include information describing what the tool was used for and how old it is. The log cabin village could also be included in the educational virtual tour of Dene Tha Traditional lands.

Great education ideas that would benefit the culture and traditions of the Dene Tha people, the archaeological discoveries, the wolverine research project, and the discovery of this beautiful Canadian frontier would not have been possible without the invitation from the DTFN people. In future issues First Nations Drum will feature the Five-Year Dene Tha’ Education Plan and look at their management areas, including Culture & Education, Social & Health, Economic Development, and future developments that could affect the environment of Bistcho Lake and the Dene Tha’ people. Bistcho Lake covers about 415 kilometres and is the third largest lake in the province. It is one of the only large lake in North America that is pristine and free of any contaminants of human development.