NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Dehcho Region, North Slave Region, South Slave Region

Tags: mining, cultural heritage, anthropocene, pine point

Objective(s): This project aims to engage with the active Pine Point community, the heritage and legacy of the town, and the landscape of Pine Point itself, to explore how a temporary town can have such a lasting impact.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No. 5938. This project aims to engage with the active Pine Point community, the heritage and legacy of the town, and the landscape of Pine Point itself, to explore how a temporary town can have such a lasting impact. The proposed research will use the following methodologies and methods: Archival research: The research team wishes to access, summarise, and analyse records pertaining to decisions about the mine and town—its layout, facilities, amenities, and purpose. It will access archival records housed in the NWT Archives in Yellowknife and the Royal BC Archives in Victoria, BC, and has been in touch with the archivist at the NWT Archives to schedule a visit while in Yellowknife. Field Visit: over a two- or three-day period, the researchers accompanied by a former Pine Point resident (who lives in Hay River and makes frequent trips back to Pine Point), will make day trips to the Pine Point townsite and mine site. The aim is to document (photograph, video) observations about the townsite and mining landscapes. Autoethnography: While at the townsite the researchers will record (audio, visual, or written) their impressions, feelings, and thoughts about Pine Point, especially as they relate to wider environmental, political and social issues. Online Questionnaire: For many years former Pine Point residents have maintained an active Facebook community where nostalgia for a lost town and a lost time compete with newsy reports of contemporary lives. With permission of the page administrator, a voluntary questionnaire will be circulated to the Pine Point Facebook page members, some of whom continue to reside in the NWT. The questionnaire is designed to understand more about how and why former residents (and their families) keep the memory of Pine Point alive. Preliminary phase: The team has sent an email introduction and brief project description to all communities in the Dehcho and Akaitcho (South Slave) Regions. To date, a response has been received from K’atl’odeeche First Nation and Deninu K’ue First Nation advising of their overall support for the project, but asking for further information, which has been sent. During this phase, the team will continue to respond to any requests from communities, and has contacted the Pine Point Mining Co. CEO, Jeff Hussey and he supports the intention to travel to Pine Point. Fieldwork Phase: During this phase the team will travel on day trips from Hay River to Pine Point and have notified (as per CEO Jeff Hussey’s request) Pine Point Mining Limited of the intended field visit dates. The team will maintain ongoing communication with First Nations and Métis communities and organizations regarding our fieldwork schedule. Questionnaire Research phase: Upon permission from the administrator of the Pine Point webpage, the team will send an online questionnaire to the members of the page. The results of the questionnaire will be compiled, and a summary published on the webpage, and sent via email to the communities of the Dehcho and Akaitcho regions. Publication phase: The team intend to publish at least one academic output (e.g. peer reviewed journal article) and at least one accessible output (e.g. infographic, newspaper article, illustrated report). All outputs will be published as research commons so will be accessible online for free to any interested party. Output will be sent directly to all communities of the Dehcho and Akaitcho regions. Future Research Phase: The team recognises that there may be research questions that cannot be addressed within the current scope, or that research outputs may inspire new questions the communities wish addressed. The team are happy to work toward an ongoing relationship with communities who may wish to work with it on the project as currently conceived, or on future projects. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from: September 10 - September 15, 2024