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Dene K'ę́ę́, 402 Fox Road, Hay River, NT (2026)

09/23/2026

The land and forests captures the summer sunlight. In the fall the land releases the sunlight in the trees.

09/23/2026

Ndeh Gotenéh - Permafrost

Denendeh had Ndeh Gotenéh (permafrost) covering most of the land. The Dene had traditional knowledge of the permafrost, they called it ndeh gotenéh.

Ndeh gotenéh was the foundation of everything on the land. It made the land feasible for forests to grow.

Ndeh gotenéh acted as an aquifer and the Denendeh water table was dependent on it.

The whole land was soaked in ground water that ndeh gotenéh made possible.

The water table, on the ndeh gotenéh, was replenished with melting snow every spring and with rain water in the summer.

During the winter the snow covered the Denendeh. The cold weather and the ndeh gotenéh froze the active matter. In the spring the snow and ice melted, flooding the land, literally creating huge lakes on the land. In the spring the frozen active matter also acted as an aquifer and the melted snow water flooded the land.

When the active matter melted all the snow water soaked into the ground replenishing the ground water. The cycle of snow and melting snow water and rain water maintained the water table on the Ndeh gotenéh for time immemorial.

Dene traditional knowledge of Ndeh gotenéh enabled them to access water everywhere they went on the land.

The water table, Ndeh gotenéh created, soaked the land. In the summer, when out on the land, the Dene would access ground water by digging a shallow hole in the forest floor and lining it with spruce boughs. In a few minutes the ground water filled the hole. This was pure clean mineralized water. They drank it and cooked with it.

The water table was close to the surface or deep in some places based on the land scape.

The Dene used to do cultural burning in the spring, knowing the water table and Ndeh gotenéh would not permit ground fires. The cultural burns took place in the early spring, when the active matter was still frozen.

The Ndeh gotenéh was several feet thick, about 3 feet plus underground, based on the land scape. There was a layer of earth matter on the ndeh gotenéh, that is referred to today as active matter. This layer of active matter would freeze in the winter and thaw in the spring and summer.

In the early spring this active matter is still frozen. The Dene did the cultural burning, knowing the frozen active matter would prevent ground fires. If ground fire did occur, the Dene ensured it was extinguished. In this way the Dene controlled the wildfires mostly due to the fuel that made fires possible being removed.

If fires did occur the high water table prevented the fires from getting too big. The rain water, added to the water table protecting the land, even more. The rain would quickly put out the wildfires.

The Ndeh gotenéh and ground water also created ponds, lakes and swamps across Denendeh. Also based on the land scape these bodies of water were created in the low lands. The Ndeh gotenéh acting as an aquifer resulted in bodies of water throughout Denendeh.

The global warming is impacting Ndeh gotenéh by melting it. The resulting aquifer from ndeh gotenéh is slowly disintegrating and the water table is dropping further underground. This is resulting in land scape changes that have not been seen ever before.

Where once the water table stopped wildfires, today wildfires can actually go on past one year.

The ground fires are going deeper into the dry active matter. These ground fires smoulder all winter, reigniting in the summer the following year.

The water table created by the ndeh gotenéh has dropped, going deep underground leaving the active matter that was once soaked in water, dry.

When a fire starts, the ground fires start smouldering, goes deep under ground, into the active matter.

When it rained, the rain water quickly disappeared deep underground, although adding to water table it no longer soaked the active matter near the surface.

The rain may douse the fire above ground, however, it does not put out the ground fire underground. As soon as the rain stops and the forest floor dries the fire reignited and the wildfire continues to burn.

Back when the water table was high, fire fighting was efficient. When the firefighters engaged a fire, they fought fire in the evenings when the land cooled and the fire reduced.

Crews were sent out, to put out the ground fires. They patrolled the perimeter of the fire looking for fire.

When they found a hot spot they look for any bodies of water or creeks nearby. If there was no surface water, they used ground water.

They dug a hole in the forest floor into the moss, about two cubic feet. Water filled these holes from the ground water.

While one firefighter dug the hole the other crew members began breaking up the ground fires smouldering with axes and shovels.

When the water filled the hole, they filled up the water backpacks they all packed. Hand pumps were attached to these water backpacks. They soaked the grounds fire until it was totally doused in water.

They worked all night until early morning. The water table being high, just below the surface, controlled the grounds fires near the surface. The firefighters used ground water to douse the ground fire which was mostly on the surface.

When the ground fire was too deep and big for a fire crew to put out, there was a pump crew that was brought in to douse the fire.

The fire crew searched for a body of water or creek for water source for the water pumps. When the pump crew arrived they set up the pumps at the water source. They strung water hoses to reach the ground fires smouldering. They totally doused the ground fire to prevent the fire from reigniting.

All the firefighting and pump crews stopped working in the morning. They slept during the day.

They reengaged the fires in the early evening when the land cooled.

The high water table controlled the ground fires from going to deep under ground. This enabled the fire crews to put out the ground fires easily.

This form of firefighting was very efficient. In some cases the wild fires were put out in a couple of days. This was only possible with the water table being just below the surface.

With melting ndeh gotenéh the water table has gone deeper underground leaving the active matter dry. The water table being just below the surface created moister in the evenings that reduced the fires. With water table being absent the fires continue to burn into the night making it impossible to fight the fire in the evenings. 😑

This is from the impact of global warming and melting Ndeh gotenéh.

09/07/2026

Dene Orphans, Widows and Elders

In the Dene ways of being, the Dene highly honoured orphans, widows and Elders.

Dene widows were considered sacred when they become a widow. If the widow does not remarry, one of her female relatives implored her husband to take her relative widow as a second wife. If there was orphans they were also taken in as children of the family.

Sometimes other relatives or community members take the orphans. Orphans were considered a blessing and loved, shown kindness, respect and care.

Sometimes a widow will choose to remain as a single mother in the hope of remarrying. If there are children, she may have relatives and other community members take her children. Thus increased her prospects of remarrying.

In some cases she opts to keep her children.

Dene had a way of honouring all widows, orphans, no matter what the widow chose to do.

When food was harvested and shared, all widows who remained single will get the choice food. The choice food was the first to be set aside for the widow.

Any families raising orphans were next to receive choice food. The food is also set aside for them.

This choice food distribution also included Elders. Whether couples, widows, or widowers, the choice food is set aside for them.

Single widows, spinsters and elders had all their needs fulfilled by the community. They also did the best they can to fulfill their own needs and contributed to other community members’ needs.

In this way the widows and older single women and Elders were cared for in the Dene communities.

In this way, Dene showed love, kindness, and honoured cared for the widows, orphans and Elders in the community.

09/05/2026

We did a Fire Ceremony at the Chief Sunrise Education Centre Cultural Camp for the opening of the 2026-2027 school year.

Dene once raised every Dene child born to become a Dene Elder. They ensured that every Dene child developed their personal power by enhancing their Dene traditional beliefs, values, knowledge, and skills.

Today, we begin our children’s journey, in enhancing their Personal Power. We pray that these children will be loving, kind, respectful, and caring during their growth.

We also pray that the school staff all be blessed with love, kindness, respect, and care while passing on beliefs, values, knowledge, and skills.

Dene performed Fire Ceremonies and other ceremonies giving thanks to the Creator for blessing Dene with Mother Earth. The Creator when creating Mother Earth fulfilled all Dene holistic needs. Dene through relationship with Creation developed their ceremonies, language, culture, and customs. We give thanks with Fire Ceremonies and pray we will be fulfilled with personal power during the coming year. Pray that we will be blessed until the same time next year.

09/03/2026

Dene Traditional Leadership Versus Contemporary Leadership

Dene raised every child born to become an Elder. All the Elders in the community in unity were the leaders of the community.

When there was something specific issues the community was experiencing, all the Elders together made decisions to address the situation.

The Elders chose, one Elder, from among themselves, to lead in addressing the issue. They chose the Elder who was most knowledgeable of the situation. An elder thought to be most knowledgeable of whatever the issue was being dealt with, was chosen to lead in resolving the issue. This chosen Elder was in essence the chief for that issue and period in of time until the issue is resolved.

Back in 1922, Chief Lamalice passed away. His son Gusemere Lamalice was the headman then. The KFN Elders chose him to be Chief in dealing with The British Crown when addressing Treaty 8 issues.

The Elders chose not to select a headman to replace him when he became Chief. All the Elders together acted as headman giving direction to the chief on Treaty 8 and all community issues.

When other issues arose they appointed an elder to address those other issues.

From 1928 to 1935 there was no headman. All the Elders acted as Headman.

At the Treaty 8 annual meeting in 1934, with the British Crown, the Government insisted that KFN Dene appoint two headman according to the Indian act. The KFN Elders consented and chose two Elders to be headmen.

This was to satisfy the British Crown. The two headmen were just figureheads to fulfill all Treaty issue. All the Elders together continued to lead the community as before.

This process continued and the Elders selected the chief and headmen when required. The Elders all together continued to lead the community.

This continued until 1974, when the Elders chose to select a Reserve according to Treaty 8 to protect the community and the land.

Although an election took place according to the Indian Act in 1975, the Elders continued to lead and met with the newly elected Chief and council when any issues arose.

A Band Manager was appointed to administer the Band Council according to the Indian act.

The Elders leading continued. All issues arising in the community required the chief and council to deal with the issues. However, they brought the Elders together and they decided how to address each issue.

The Chief and Council would meet and make motions to approve what the Elders decided. The Band Manager’s role was to develop the BCRs to address the issues to meet the Indian Act stipulations.

In this way the Elders continued to lead the community.

Slowly the KFN community began to implement the Indian Act. As colonization increased the role of the Elders began to diminish. For a while there was an Elders’ Committee to act as advisors.

This Elders’ committee continued to be active until 2018.

A new chief was elected in November 2018. The Elders’ Committee played a small role in leadership.

The Covid 19 epidemic played a big role in doing away with the KFN Elders Committee. With no gathering allowed even the Chief and Council could not gather to hold meetings. All Chief and Councik meetings took place by phone for a while.

The Elders’ Committee role was diminished more and they rarely met and advised by 2023.

When the Chief and council began operating according to the Indian in 1974 the elders were still fully respected and called upon to help make decisions.

The Chief and Council and administration’s role was to ensure BCRs were enacted to fulfill the Elders’ decisions. The Elders were still loving, kind, respectful and caring. The decisions they made were made accordingly based in love, kindness respect and care. The BCRs were worded in this way, trying to carry forward love, kindness respect and care.

As colonization took hold the role of the Elders diminished. In the 1980s the KFN Dene Traditional Elders number began faltering. The Elders’ meetings began to change and soon became General Band meetings. Where once only the Elders spoke and participated, any KFN Dene of any age can now participate in these General Band meetings.

The young Dene began to take over the General Band meetings. They began applying colonial meeting methods, like the Robert’s Rules of Order.

Where the KFN Elders once operated based in Dene Traditional Ways of being, with Love, kindness, respect and care, the Younger KFN began operating colonially in fear, cruelty, contempt and neglect.

There being no trust the KFN leadership began applying colonial decision making processes.

With the Elders Dene leadership methodology the following generations still tried to apply Dene Ways of Being in leadership. There was still a lot of trust and the community was still by and large operating in Dene ways of being.

Today, all the Dene ways of being, are diminishing. Where, once everything was done with love, kindness, respect and care, the KFN Chief and Council are meeting in secrecy with no communication with the KFN membership.

There are indications that the Chief and Council are arguing among themselves and verbally abusing one another and coming close to physical abuse at times. This is not healthy leadership.

As a Dene Elder, I am still loving, kind, respectful and caring when in the community. However, it is difficult for people living with colonization and dysfunction to recognize it. The distrust and dysfunctional ways of being makes people always in the defensive and seeing every interaction as threats no matter how loving, kind, respectful, and caring that intetaction

08/20/2026

Dene Spiritualist Nick Black

Back in 1970, the Tlicho Spiritualist, Nick Black and his supporters came to Hay River Old Village to share their Spiritual, beliefs, values, knowledge, and skills with Katlodeeche (KFN) Dene.

The KFN Dene were still living the Dene Ways of being. Although there was an alcohol problem it was still in the early stages.

Most of the KFN adults were still practicing Dene spirituality when on the land. They practised Christianity when in the community.

This generation of KFN adults experienced, being raised to become Dene Elders. They still applied their Personal Power when on the land and in the community.

Dene personal power was developed through enhancing Dene traditional beliefs, values, knowledge and skills. This also included Christian principles.

Most KFN adults were still applying their Dene traditional beliefs, values, knowledge and skills on a daily basis.

Dene in applying Dene traditional beliefs, values, knowledge and skills lived to be of service to Creation and other Dene.

The adults were still aspiring to the land and living according Dene Traditional Ways. So, when the time came most families still harvested the land on seasonal basis.

In the late sixties the women, children and Elders began to stay in the community. They ensured their children attended school.

In the winter, most of the men went trapping. The men would regularly come back to the community, bringing traditional food, they harvested, while trapping.

Dene ceremonies were still being held on regularly on seasonal basis. Feasts, tea dance, and hand games were still being held along with thanks giving ceremonies.

During times of bereavement the whole community focused on the bereaved family. During times of bereavement the Dene fully supported the family by being with them, supporting them with necessities like food, wood, and just being present.

Because alcohol issues were still in the early stages the KFN Dene put it aside to support the grieving family.

The KFN Dene were still strong living the Dene traditional way of being, when Nick Black came to visit in the summer of 1970.

Nick spoke in Dehcho Dene when he began sharing. He spoke about Dene Traditional ways of being. Dene spirituality was vital and all relationships were based on it.

He talked about the Dene traditional beliefs, values, knowledge and skills. The KFN Dene understood what he was talking about. He reminded the KFN Dene the importance of living with integrity according Dene traditional beliefs, values, knowledge and skills. To adhere to the personal powers based on Dene beliefs, values, knowledge and skills. The adults understood.

He spoke about putting aside alcohol so that they can effectively apply their Dene personal powers. He told the KFN Dene to revitalize their Dene traditional spiritual ways. He also encouraged the KFN Dene to adhere to the Christian ways and continue to attend church regularly.

The KFN Dene flocked to the various ceremonies Nick performed. Every night his drummers drummed and the KFN Dene drum danced. Occasionally the Elders lead Tea Dances. The drummers drummed and the KFN Dene danced until the early morning hours. When the sun rose the Elders led with sunrise tea dance song. The last I ever participated in. It was a powerful night.

Many KFN people spoke during the ceremonies saying they would stop using alcohol. It seemed like the whole community responded to Nick Black’s teachings.

When Nick left back to Fort Rae KFN Dene joined him to visit Fort Rae. We filled the bus.

More KFN Dene arrived in Fort Rae on the scheduled buses that followed. The Dene Tha Dene from Meander River also came to Fort Rae.

The Tlicho responded by opening their doors and billeted the visitors. Fort Rae was still by and large a strong Tlicho community at the time. I don’t recall seeing anyone intoxicated during our visit there.

We stayed for about a week. Every day Nick spoke to the visitors and his people. Ceremonies were held, drum dances nightly and hand games during the day. It was a very spiritual and festive occasion.

After about a week the KFN Dene returned home. They began holding Dene ceremonies and held dances and hand games.

KFN Dene during the following months visited Fort Rae to listen to Nick Black. He also visited Hay River.

It seemed that alcohol was no longer a problem. But as time passed KFN faltered and the aspirations Nick Black started began to fail. The KFN Dene community began to return to alcohol.

With economic upturn in the early seventies in Hay River, the KFN Dene, began working. With the increase of income made from increased wages, alcohol consumption increased.

The Dene traditional pursuits also began faltering. KFN Dene began abandoning the land that enabled their personal power. As alcohol problems arose the KFN Dene began selling their harvesting and trapping equipment. Soon the local second hand merchant had most of the KFN traditional equipment and tools. Many KFN Dene could no longer harvest and occupy the land.

Only a few KFN Dene, continued to practise their Dene Traditional ways of being continued to occupy the land. They maintained their Traditional ways of being.

My father was the KFN Chief at this time. Nick Black’s influence helped him to stay sober for a while. Our family continued to visit Nick Black during Christmas, Easter and for a week in the summer.

My father started drinking again two years later. We stopped going to Fort Rae.

I over the years wondered about Nick Black and what he started. My thoughts is colonization had its toll on him and his effort to revitalize Dene Personal Power and living Dene ways of being.

Dene turning to modern economy of wage earning, education, social services and housing had had a negative impact. Settling into communities made us Dene like refugees on our own land.

What Nick Black tried to do was to maintain Dene traditional ways and strengthen Dene personal power. God bless him and his descendants.

08/19/2026

Dene Spring Diet Change

Based on the Knowledge and skills developed in relationship with Mother Earth, the Dene knew to change their diet from red meat to aquatic food in the early spring.

Aquatic animals were considered healthy and sacred, mainly from not only living on the land but also in the water.

As the sun warmed the land the first place for ice to melt was the beaver ponds. The beaver throughout the winter gnawed on the ice in the passage way leading to their lodges. The ice being thin here, will open earlier, as the sun melts the ice and snow on the land. The ice on the beaver lodge entrance passage way and pond open up.

The Dene began setting snares, to harvest beaver, in the water, in the beaver lodge entrance passage ways. When they caught beavers they began to change their diet.

All hunting, for other land animals stopped when this occurred.

As the land warmed and ice and snow melted other aquatic food became available like muskrat and waterfowl. By mid-June in late spring the Dene changed their diet to primarily fish.

This was one of the ways Dene maintained their holistic well being.

08/13/2026

Dene Loss of Traditional Ways of Being

As a Dene from Denendeh in the NWT I am mostly confused by all this pretence.

I lived most of my childhood life on the land, my family occupied. I was raised to become a Dene Elder as a child until I was 9 years old.

When I was on the land with my family I experienced love, kindness, respect and care. We applied our Dene traditional ceremonies, spoke the Dene language, lived our culture and applied our customs. When on the land my family was thriving.

When we were in Hay River, my family changed. Alcohol was already prevalent and the adults in my family consumed alcohol. My mother was the only one not to drink.

As a child I experienced the impact of alcoholism not only in my family but also in the community.

As a child I experience fear, cruelty, contempt and carelessness from within my family and community when in Hay River.

I saw my drunken father beat my mother with a cast iron frying pan. I don’t know how my mother was still alive after this beating.

I saw my paternal and maternal uncles in a drunken fight. These uncles were hardened land occupants that were holistically capable. When they fought no one could stop them and they couldn’t best each other. I recall standing there watching them roll around in blood soaked snow fiercely fighting.

Yet, when we returned to the land, all the violence disappeared and the family lived in harmony. I hated going to Hay River as child knowing what will take place.

Now I realize that the alcohol was a colonial process along with education, wage economy, social services and settlements. Dene were colonized and were shamed and became fearful, cruel, contemptuous, and careless.

My father insisted we get an English Education and built us a house in Hay River when I was nine. I began attending school full time at this time.

I experienced the full fledge colonization through racism, dominance and fear, cruelty, contempt and negligence. I experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse and spiritual and emotional abuse. My being raised to become a Dene Elder stopped.

The shame and guilt I experienced, replaced my Dene traditional beliefs, values, knowledge, and skills. I abandoned my Dene traditional ceremonies, language, culture and customs. I became an English colonized Dene full of shame and guilt being a Dene.

Today. I look at my community and see colonization in full force. Very weak Dene traditional beliefs, values, knowledge and skills. A community in fear, cruelty, contempt and carelessness.

Corruption is prevalent and and where the Dene once consulted with one another in times of challenge, today the leadership simply do what they think is good for the community.

Once the Elders as leaders understood the value of service, ensured the youth developed capacity to be of service to oneself and being of service to others, their family and community.

Based on the development of Dene traditional beliefs, values, knowledge and skills the Dene ensured every child was strong in a sense of purpose, hope, belonging, and meaning. The young developed sense of humility, harmony, honour and being humane. With these values the Dene youth aspired to the land and to living a good life.

Dene believed that God is manifest in creation, therefore present in creation. They related based in divinity. Seeing the spirit of God in everything they related with everything sacredly with love, kindness, respect, and care. In this way they upheld creation and mankind.

Today as colonized Dene we live in fear, cruelty, contempt, and carelessness

08/13/2026

Dene Fish Pemmican

Dene people ate the left over bits of boiled bear fat and meat. It was a delicacy. I recall eating it with bannock.

The Dene women made dry fish at fish camps in early to mid August. The dried fish were kept for the fall. Every family got a bear for the meat and grease.

They also picked cranberries in early to mid September.

The dry fish were pounded into a fish meal. Hot bear grease and cranberries were added to the meal. The outcome was fish pemmican that men carried when hunting and trapping.

Moose dried meat was also used to make pemmican.

Dene K'ę́ę́

09/23/2026

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