Jane Modeste Print

Jane ModesteJane Modeste’s expertise and knowledge of Dene language led to an evolution of her work into the area of terminology development research, curriculum development and publication of literacy materials for school boards. She worked with one of the original Teaching and Learning Centers (TLC) in the Sahtu region in 1987 and produced numerous publications in Dene language, including Dene language learning tools, which are still actively being used in the community today. She is a co-author of the two-volume series Sahtuot’ine Long Ago (1991), and assisted with development of the Dene Kedǝ curriculum.
As a former member of the Délįnę First Nation Council and Délįnę District Education Authority, she has had an opportunity to lead ongoing discussions about the importance of researching and promoting Dene culture and language in the community. She has been asked to interpret at countless workshops and meetings, and have translated numerous texts for publication in Dene language. She has been a leader in traditional knowledge and language research in Délı̨nę and in the Northwest Territories through work with various organisations, including the Délı̨nę Knowledge Project, the Traditional Knowledge Practitioners Group, and the Sahtú Traditional Knowledge Research Guidelines Working Group. In 2010, she served as the Sahtú Coordinator for the NWT Aboriginal Languages Conference, and played a leading role in conference planning, leading to guidance for language policy development and implementation within the Northwest Territories.
Jane is currently an independent consultant involved in a variety of research and translation projects. She continues to play a leading role as interpreter-translator for the Délı̨nęgot’ı̨nę Government, facilitating involvement of Délı̨nę elders in governance. She remains actively involved in establishing traditional knowledge and language policy and standards in the Northwest Territories.