A good person and Elder by the name of Saul. Blondin lived in the community. He was the Chief. During that summer, getting food and enough to eat was not easy.
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Legends and Stories from the Pastby George BlondinA Teaching Resource for Dene Kede Grades K-9 Illustrations by Gloria Lafferty MillerChristine Lacasse ClarkePhotos by Bren Kolson April DesjarlaisDepartment of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Government of the Northwest Territories Published by Department of Education, Culture and Employment Government of the Northwest Territories October 2000
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LEGENDS AND STORIES FROM THE PAST iiWhen the world was new, the Creator sent two individuals, Yamoria and Yamozah, who had gifts of medicine power, to help the aboriginal people to survive. The twin brothers were born unlike any other newborn. A young girl found them, in a hole, in the bush. The two babies were crying, so the girl took them home to her parents. The young girlÕs parents were experienced in medicine power. They lived according to the laws of medicine power. The parents advised their daughter to raise the babies in the best way that she could. They believed that babies were special and, because they had a lot of medicine power, that people should never interfere with the babies if they act differently than their peers. They might use their medicine power at a very young age. The parents of the young girl acted as grandparents and the young lady became their mother. They lived alone in isolation in the bush because they believed that the babies were special and thus had to be raised in such an environment. If they had power from a spirit being, they became partners with this spirit and they could talk to the spirit being even if the being was an animal, a bird, the moon, the sun, the wind or another thing. They had the ability to talk to and communicate with anything. Medicine Power Legend
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LEGENDS AND STORIES FROM THE PAST iiiThe stories in this book are very old stories that have been handed down from generation to generation from when the world was new. I am proud to dedicate this book to those Storytellers. I am grateful that they have shared their stories with me since I was a child. We tell these stories as First Nations People from the North because we are proud of who we are and where we have come from. The stories in this book are very different from other books that are normally found in schools. I am pleased to provide these stories so that many students can learn about our culture. It is my wish that these stories from the past will be an inspiration to all northern aboriginal students, as a reflection of their parentsÕ way of life and culture. I am pleased to make these stories available to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment so that they can be widely used in the schools for everyone to learn and enjoy. George Blondin Acknowledgement
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LEGENDS AND STORIES FROM THE PAST ivIt is suggested for the lower grades K-6, the teacher should read the legends and stories to the students as most of the legends will be above their reading levels and understanding. Grade 7-9 students should be able to read the legends without too much difficulty. The legends have been cross-referenced with their related thematic units K-9 to support lesson planning and classroom discussions. Colour illustrations have been included in the resource book to help illustrate the legends visually. The main theme of this resource book is Medicine Power. Elder legends and stories can go back in time up to 50,000 years. The legends relate how a person with medicine power for an animal or bird can talk to a specific animal or bird with no problem. It is important that teachers teach about Dene Spirituality, the receiving of Medicine Power and its implications, thus allowing the children to comprehend the legends more easily. A short narrative and legend explaining ÔMedicine PowerÕ is on page ii.Medicine power was a gift from God/Creator to the early aboriginal people. The legends and stories will explain how communication occurs between a person with medicine power and an ordinary person. It is necessary to have medicine power from a certain spirit, being, item, material or element; then one is able to communicate with their particular medicine power source. For example, a medicine person who has the spirit of a caribou will have no difficulty speaking to the caribou.HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE Teacher Background Information
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LEGENDS AND STORIES FROM THE PAST viTable of Contentsby Thematic Units K-9Spirituality K-6: Spiritual Power..Story 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20 Living Force .St ory 2, 6, 9, 11, 12, 15 One who Circled the Earth .St ory 4, 12DrumSt ory 5, 6, 20Prayer..St ory 6, 9, 11, 14 Fire..St ory 10, 14 The Land and the Sky K-6: Water and Rivers ..St ory 1, 4, 8, 10, 14 Camping..St ory 1, 14Trees..St ory 4, 10 Geography and Land Use St ory 8Earth Medicine..St ory 10 Plants ..St ory 10 Animals K-6: MooseSt ory 1Fish.St ory 1, 14Rabbit St ory 1, 10 BirdsSt ory 2, 5, 14, 22Beaver.St ory 4, 7, 8BearSt ory 8WolfSt ory 8Muskrat St ory 8, 14MiceSt ory 8, 13Caribou..St ory 11, 20 Raven..St ory 16, 21 Trapping ..St ory 7People K-6: Elders St ory 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 15, 19Leaders .St ory 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 16, 19Family St ory 8, 11, 14, 17 The Child.St ory 8, 10, 11, 15, 22 ParentsSt ory 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 22 Grandparents .St ory 14, 17Eating and Food .St ory 1, 7, 10, 14, 20 Traditional Games ..St ory 5Arrival of Non-Dene ..St ory 9, 13
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LEGENDS AND STORIES FROM THE PAST viiGrade 7: Passage to Womanhood St ory 22Fish Camp..St ory 1, 14, 20Oral Tradition ..St ory 9, 14, 17, 18My People, My Identity St ory 9, 19Developing Dene Skills St ory 5Grade 8: Strong like Two People ..St ory 18Hunting Camp..St ory 1, 10, 14, 20 Birch Bark Canoes ..St ory 8, 14Leadership ..St ory 7, 8, 9, 17, 19Discovering our Dene Talents ..St ory 5Grade 9: Passage to Manhood ..St ory 11, 22 Winter Camp..St ory 10, 14, 20 Spirit of the Land St ory 2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18 Self-Government .St ory 7, 19Developing our Talents St ory 5
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LEGENDS AND STORIES FROM THE PAST 1round 1910, in the Fort Norman area, the country was very poor. There were two stores but they did not sell food, and there were no freezers at that time to preserve meat for bad times. It was a poor time of year for fishing and rabbits were scarce that summer, so people couldnÕt stay in Fort Norman for the usual length of time. There was a priest in the community, so they were able to have mass everyday. In those days, the Dene were very religious. A good person and Elder by the name of Saul Blondin lived in the community. He was the Chief. During that summer, getting food and enough to eat was not easy. Saul had a big canvas canoe. He would invite about twelve children, eight- to twelve-year-olds, and take them down the river to set fishnets. He carried four short fishnets that could be set in the eddies of the river. He also carried a fairly large tent for shelter, in case of rain. At that time, there were no outboard motors and no leisure travelling like we do today. The people had to paddle or track their canoes and boats if they wanted to go somewhere. To get back to the story, Saul was one of the best moose hunters in the area, as he had hunted all his life. Saul and the children paddled down the river. It was easy, because the current pushed them along. As the group drifted along at a leisurely pace, they constantly looked at the riverbanks, searching for good rabbit country. They wanted STORY ONE An Elder, ChildrenÕs TeacherA
400 KB – 68 Pages