Tag: culture
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First Nations? Why it is a Big Deal
Indigenous Identity — A Necessary Reckoning the picture above is my dad and older brother Freddy Thomas King’s admission that he falsely claimed Cherokee identity forces a hard truth back into the light. And I will say it plainly: Indigenous identity is not an aesthetic. It is not a performance. It is not something you…
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DENE WAYS
Oral Tradition — The Living Heartbeat of Our Denesuline Culture “Myths are public dreams, and dreams are private myths.” – Joseph Campbell In this chapter, I write about oral tradition as the heartbeat of our Denesuline culture. Oral traditions are the living foundation of who we are. Long before our people read or write, we…
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Resilience Through Oral History: The Dene Experience
Oral traditions are the vibrant essence of our Denesuline culture. Long before written words existed, knowledge flowed from mouth to ear, from Elder to child, and from heart to heart. These narratives were not merely for amusement; they were vessels of law, memory, instruction, and prophecy. In our family, storytelling was a means of survival.…
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Isidore Deranger
Chapter 7: Baba’s Traditional Lifestyle and Its Influence on Our Family Baba’s traditional lifestyle profoundly influenced our family dynamics and values. As a trapper and hunter, he was deeply connected to the land, relying on its resources to supply for us. His way of life was rooted in the teachings of our ancestors. They understood…
From the Shores of the Ottawa River 