Regions: Sahtu Settlement Area
Tags: social sciences, dene culture, governance, language, culture
| Principal Investigator: | Simmons, Deborah L (22) |
| Licence Number: | 14043 |
| Organization: | Native Studies, University of Manitoba |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2007
2006
|
| Issued: | Aug 01, 2006 |
| Project Team: | Ruthann Gal (Collaborator, Fort Smith Office, Aurora Research Institute), Frances Abele (Collaborator, School of Public Policy and Administration), Denise Bayha (Collaborator, Deline First Nation), Irene Betsidea (Co-Investigator, Deline First Nation), Danny Gaudet (Collaborator, Deline First Nation), Walter Bayha (Co-Investigator, Sahtu Renewable Resources Board/Deline First Natio), Edith Mackeinzo (Co-Investigator, Deline First Nation), Orlena Modeste (Co-Investigator, Deline First Nation), Jane Modeste Goulet (Co-Investigator, Deline First Nation), Marlene Tutcho (Co-Investigator, Deline First Nation), Collin Bayha (Collaborator, Deline Land and Financial Corporation), Mark Modeste (Collaborator, Deline Land and Financial Corporation), Chris Paci (Collaborator, Lands and Environment, Dene Nation), Helen Balanoff (Collaborator, NWT Literacy Council), Thomas Andrews (Collaborator, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre), Christopher Fletcher (Co-Investigator, Anthropology, University of Alberta), Fikret Berkes (Collaborator, Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitob), Keren Rice (Co-Investigator, Aboriginal Studies, University of Toronto) |
Project Description: This participatory action research program was initiated by the Deline First Nation community as part of its vision for research, education and capacity-building for self-government developed through the Deline Knowledge Centre strategic planning process. Accordingly, the goal of this three-year research program is to understand the evolving role of Dene knowledge and culture in governance through examining the intersections of cultural landscapes, linguistics and narrative structures. This year’s work will consist of researching: 1) the livelihoods and land use of Dene women and men during a period of rapid industrialisation; 2) continuity and change in cognitive mapping among Dene women and men through language and narrative; and 3) to develop a paradigm for deployment of Dene language and narratives in governance. Research procedures involving Déline community members for Phase 1 of this research project will include a survey with approximately five elder women and five elder men from diverse clan groups, and a focus group to verify aggregate survey results. The survey will be conducted individually or with family members, and will consist of recording key narratives and detailed mapping of clan areas, including gravesites, place names and other geographic descriptors. Where possible, archival photographs will be used as a means for eliciting discussion on narrative. The focus group will be composed of survey participants, and will involve a participatory process through which reviewing of aggregate mapping results, key narratives, and vocabularies of place will be carried out. Research tools will consist of an audio recorder and a digital mapping tool. Original recordings of the interviews and focus group sessions will be held by the Deline First Nation. The results of the research will be shared on a yearly basis with the relevant community organizations through newsletters and/or booklets, public presentations, conferences (such as the Athapaskan Languages Conference), academic publications, and multi-media DVD. Interviews and focus group sessions will be conducted from August 1-31, 2006 within the municipal bounds of Deline.
