Placenames

Buffum Family Collection from Tlicho Government on Vimeo.

The Tłı̨chǫ Chimney Project was created by the partnership between the Tłı̨chǫ Government, De Beers Canada and the University of British Columbia. The goal of the project was to produce documentation that will assist in the future reconstruction/replication of a traditional  chimney by the Tłı̨chǫ people. 

that the Dogrib Treaty 11 Council is directed to continue to negotiate a comprehensive claim and self government agreement - Resolution #93-05

In the canoe - the men are Harry Wedawin and Jim Drybones with the poles, and Philip Nitsiza at the kicker. Mary Rose (Mrs Isadore), Charlot and baby Leo are in the middle.

Reference:

CREDIT: NWT Archives/June Helm fonds/N-2003-037: 0348

The location is on the portage between southend of Tikwo tì (Brown Water Lake) and Weyedii tì. Find portage on Maps.

The hill in the background is called Woyi hàkè. There is a long story of the creature that lived in the hill, who has been chased out to hills further east. 

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• View location on Maps

Xaeli K'ogola (Marion Village), a collection of cabins at the north end of Indahk'eti (Marion Lake).  Xaeli K'ogola was a thriving community at one time, until all the residents moved to more permanent communities in order to be closer to their children while they attended school.  People still come here on a seasonal basis to fish, hunt and gather plants. 

There is a trail to the village gravesite.  One grave has a plaque attached for Thomas Tami Rabesca, who was born on the 22nd of July 1886, and had died on the 9th of December 1961.  There are over thirty gravesites.

The area around Wekweètì was a common boat and sled route as the Tłı̨chǫ travelled towards the nearby barren lands every fall in search of migrating caribou. Wekweètì came to be seen as a perfect location for those who wanted to live a life more closely associated with the land and caribou. Johnny Simpson  was the first Elder to build a house at Wekweètì, around 1960. Soon after, ten more houses were built and today there are approximately 30 households living in this still traditional community. Wekweètì means ‘His rock lake’ (Snare Lake).

The father of the late Johnny Arrowmaker was the first to build a house at Gamètì. In addition to being an important place for caribou, it was also known as a fine place for furbearing animals and for its good fishing. There is also a fine whagweè (a sandy area) at Gamètì. Gamètì is named after Gamè, and tì means ‘lake’. It was known to be a beautiful area, surrounded by many islands and hills, and people began to move there.

Whatì is a place where conflict occurred long ago between the Tłı̨chǫ and the Chipweyan. It was Mǫwhì’s brother-in-law who was the first person to build a house in Whatì. The area has been a good trapping area – Whatì means ‘marten’. Nearby is the Nìı˛lı˛ı˛ (waterfall), where sometimes one can see a rainbow over the falls, which is taken as a sign and a reminder of the history of the Tłı̨chǫ.