Dene invited to attend gathering

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The Tsuu T'ina Nation of southern Alberta is gearing up to host the second annual International Dene Gathering from July 22 to July 28. The purpose of the gathering is to encourage Dene leaders from across North America to find ways to work together for the betterment of all Dene people.

The gathering is expected to attract people from Dene communities from as far north as the Northwest Territories and throughout Alberta. Representatives are expected from California and Oregon, as well as from Apache and Navajo territory in the American Southwest.

Elders will speak about the creation, separation and re-unification of the Dene. The conference will address Dene history from the earliest living memory to the present day.

The Dene are considered to be the largest First Nations group on the North American continent, as well as one of the largest landowners.

"We've been on this continent for thousands of years, but we still don't know one another," said gathering organizer Bruce Starlight.

To make the conference a success and to continue the education of youth, conference organizers are asking that a youth delegate be sent along with each leader and Elder. This will provide the youth with the opportunity to witness the occasion, to participate in the discussions, as well as to learn the Dene traditions, languages, music, games and history.

The organizers are putting out the call to all Dene to attend, and enjoy traditional dancing, food, games, and music, and to get to know one another better.

Organizer Raymond Yakeleya said a similar gathering held in October 2004 was attended by about 225 people.

"We had representation from 13 or 14 Dene tribes from as far away as the Apache and Navajo. It was really an amazing thing. I remember one of the Apache Elders spoke on the last day and started crying because he had heard he had relatives to the north and he had never had the opportunity to meet them. And when he met them he realized that we are all the same people."

This July, organizers hope to attract even more people to the event.

"A number of years ago, Chief Roy Whitney of the Tsuu T'ina Nation spoke about the North American Dene coming together and uniting for political reasons, economic reasons, social reasons, cultural reasons. That was about 10 years ago," said Yakeleya.

"We have worked to try and unite and bring back the people of the Dene Nation together again. There are about 70-odd tribes of North American Dene, distinct Dene tribes, in three countries-Canada, the United States and Mexico," he said.

The northern Dene, which range from Alaska to northern Manitoba and Hudson's Bay, is the largest Dene group, he said. There is also the southern Dene that include 11 Apache tribes and the Navajo, which are the largest tribe in North America. A third group contains Dene from California and Oregon.

"The dream is to bring the people back together again. We know that some of our languages are in danger. In the Yukon they have stated that two languages have only a handful of speakers left. We also know that some of the Pacific Dene, the ones from California and Oregon, are now extinct. They were wiped out by American settlers. So there are cultural things that we are losing that we really have to be concerned about," Yakeleya said.

"We have to come together on all levels. Where will the status of our languages be in 10, 25, 50, the next 100 years? It is really important that we retain and protect that culture.

"One of the things we need to talk about is our place on the North American continent, like where was the place of creation? Why did the Dene separate? There is a prophecy that the Dene are coming back together again, will be together again as one people. I think that the spark has been lit, the fire has been lit," Yakeleya said.

"I remember when the Apache were talking at the last conference and other delegates were saying 'I can understand him. We are speaking the sme language.' There was something quite special about our being together, some kind of a wonderful feeling that we all had."