THAIDENE NËNÉ
Thaidene Nëné, which means Land of the Ancestors in Dënesųłıné, is the homeland of the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation.
Thaidene Nëné is also a protected area of 6.5 million acres (26,376 square kilometres) that spans the transition between boreal forest and tundra, and includes the East Arm of Tu Nedhé (Great Slave Lake), the deepest freshwater source in North America. Thaidene Nëné provides critical habitat for grizzly bears, wolves, moose, and muskox, and protects the wintering grounds of Ɂetthën (caribou).
Designated as an Indigenous Protected Area by Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation, Thaidene Nëné also includes a National Park Reserve and a Territorial Protected Area managed cooperatively, with Indigenous, Federal, and Territorial Governments working together.
Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation’s vision for Thaidene Nëné is: Nuwe néné, nuwe ch’anıé yunedhé xa, which means Our land, our culture for the future.
We visualize our plan for Thaidene Nëné using the process of hide tanning, a sacred cultural practice that supports and maintains our Dënesųłıné way of life. Our vision, the hide, is attached to the denı́ dhë́dh chené (poles), our goals, by bet’á ɂenélką ɂetth’é (rope/sinew), which are our objectives, strategies, and measures.
The moose hide tanning process works best when it is done by a team. Likewise, implementing our vision for Thaidene Nëné will take a concerted effort by all involved. Frontier Lodge is a valuable addition to our vision for the future of Thaidene Nëné, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle.
To learn more about the ongoing work to protect Thaidene Nëné
Please visit – www.landoftheanscestors.ca
