This report covers the period of January 1st to March 31st, 1983. It documents accessions, including cassette recordings (many of interviews with Dene and English summaries), photographs, printed materials, and artifacts. The research team also recorded numerous place names in locations such as Fort Smith and Colville Lake. Keren Rice and Lucy Ann Yakaleya ran a workshop in Dene language and translations from February 7 to 18 for the research project team. The group was, at the time of writing, preparing to transition to curriculum development and gathering information about appropriate language teaching pedagogy. They also developed partnerships with the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Center and other organizations to pursue professional development and contribute to language and placename documentation.

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This document is accessible from the NWT Archives.

NWT archives accession no. 2007-14  (Cynthia Chambers Collection). 

Dene Community Council. Final Report: Dene Language/Historical Research Project. Fort Good Hope: NWT Department of Education, 1983.

This text includes a list of bird-related vocabulary words, in English, with some accompanying pictures. While there is no North Slavey visible in the document, it was likely intended to be used as a Dene teaching tool.

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Available from the Ɂehdzo Got’ı̨nę Gots’ę́ Nákedı archives. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for access and see the Release and User Agreement form on the database home page. 

Pellissey, Vivian, Mary Ann Clement, and Betty Harnum. Chųą hé Túrı łǫ. Fort Norman: Slavey Language Project, 1983.

This text includes a list of beaver-related vocabulary words, in English, with some accompanying pictures. While there is no North Slavey visible in the document, it was likely intended to be used as a Dene teaching tool.

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Available from the Ɂehdzo Got’ı̨nę Gots’ę́ Nákedı archives. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for access and see the Release and User Agreement form on the database home page. 

Pellissey, Vivian, Mary Ann Clement, and Betty Harnum. Tsá ɂerı̨ı̨tł’é. Fort Norman: Slavey Language Project, 1983.

This is a unilingual story with hand-drawn illustrations and Dene Kedǝ text. From the illustrations, it looks like there is a conflict between bear and dene people, wherein a bear has taken the sun and put it in a pouch. Raven somehow solves the problem and unties the pouch, freeing the sun. The story begins:

Yahnı̨́ı̨ ts’ę sah dene ts’ę hıché dúwé t’á dene ghá sa nerı́chú redı.

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Taneton, Louie, Jane Modeste, Fibbie Tatti, Sheila Hodgkinson [Illustrations]. Tatsǫ́ Sa Naarı́chú. Yellowknife, Programs and Evaluation Branch, Department of Education, Government of the Northwest Territories, 1983.

This is a unilingual story with hand-drawn illustrations and Dene text. It involves Fox, Raven, and Bear, and has a questionnaire for students in Dene at the end of the story. It begins a long time ago:

Yahnı̨́ı̨ ts’ę́ Sah ɂı̨́hts’ę ts’ę nǫgére gǫ́né dene ghá nerıchú. Eyıı t’á nǫgére eyáı̨lı̨ zǫ t’á wetı̨ zǫ redı.

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Taneton, Louie, Shelia Hodgkinson [Illustrations], Fibbie Tatti and Jane Modeste [eds.] Tatsǫ́ Nǫgére Gǫ́né Naarı́chú. Copyright Fort Franklin Band Council. Programs and Evaluatıon Branch, Department of Education, Northwest Territories, 1983.

This is a unilingual story with hand-drawn illustrations and Dene Kedǝ text. At the beginning, it contains a vocabulary page with images and Dene Kedǝ terminology. The story begins a long time ago:

Yahnı̨́ı̨ ts’ę́ Tatsǫ́ ɂı̨hbé náts’edé ta nágwe redı. Dene łée sı̨́ı̨ betúé bédaarat’ı̨ dúwé t’á ɂehke ke yegereké dúwé redı.

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Taneton, Louie, Jane Modeste, Fibbie Tatti, Sheila Hodgkinson [Illustrations]. Tatsǫ́ Dek’árı́hkwelé Yáı̨́hts’é. Yellowknife, Programs and Evaluation Branch, Department of Education, Government of the Northwest Territories, 1983.

This is a unilingual story with hand-drawn illustrations and Dene text about a giant lake creature, and a time where Dene could change from dene to animal and back. The story begins a long time ago:

Yahnı̨́ı̨ ts’ę́, too yatı̨ ekúhye ejo, Delıne dene Neshıkwıh héradı sı̨́ı̨ be hé tę́ neréhwé redı. Suré dnee edárıyeh ǫ́t’e. Jú ts’ę́ réya ekǫ́ be hé tę́ nı̨hkw’e.

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Taneton, Louie, Jane Modeste, Fibbie Tatti, Sheila Hodgkinson [Illustrations]. Neshíkwı́h. Northwest Territories Department of Education, Programs and Evaluation Branch and Fort Franklin Band Council, 1983.

This is a unilingual story with hand-drawn illustrations and Dene text. A Dene man goes hunting and shoots bear cubs. The bear’s mother sees this and is very angry. She comes after the man, but he puts a stick in her mouth so she cannot close her jaw. She was stuck, and he got away safely. There is a quiz in Dene for students to complete once they have read the story. The narrative begins:

Yahnı̨́ı̨ ts’ę́ sah gode góı̨lé redı, Saoyu k’e, beyaa nákee yé hé k’énaɂá, jı́ı yágıdé.

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Taneton, Louie, Jane Modeste, Fibbie Tatti, Sheila Hodgkinson [Illustrations]. Kwı́gah. Northwest Territories Department of Education Programs and Evaluation Branch and Fort Franklin Band Council, 1983.

This is a unilingual story with hand-drawn illustrations and North Slavey text. From the illustrations, it appears to be about the different ways to hunt and eat ducks.

Túrı wegéhkw’ę. Túrı denadé wegéhkw’ę. Túrı denadé ghágeda.

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Modeste, Jane, Cynthia Chambers hé Gloria Lafferty. Túrı Ɂerı̨ı̨htłé Dı̨ı̨. Northwest Territories Department of Education. Programs and Evaluation Branch, 1982.

This study was commissioned by the GNWT to assess levels of service and demands within the NWT and make recommendations to the GNWT executive committee for steps which can be taken to “overcome problems experienced by non-English-speaking Dene in obtaining government services” with regard to the GNWT as a communicator, as an employer, and as a provider of services. (2)

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This study is held in the NWT Archives, see G-2003-001.

Ross, James. Dene Languages Study. Yellowknife: Executive Committee, Government of the Northwest Territories, 1981.