News Release
Tetl'it Gwich'in Welcome 37 Paddlers from Three Rivers Journey and Send Strong Message on Importance of the Peel Watershed
August 12, 2003 – Peel River, Yukon – With customary gun salutes and a chorus of cheers, members of the Tetl'it Gwich'in welcomed paddlers from the Three Rivers Journey on August 7 as they arrived on the banks of the Peel River in northern Yukon. Participants in the gathering feasted on fresh moose meat and grayling, then heard forceful messages from members of the First Nation on the importance of protecting the lands and waters of the Peel watershed.
Over 100 people participated in the extraordinary celebration including a guest delegation of Nacho Nyak Dun from Mayo with former Chief Robert Hager; Member of Parliament for the Yukon, Larry Bagnell; MacKenzie Delta MLA, David Krutko; the Mayor of Mayo, Shannon Cooper; and a large contingent of Fort McPherson people who all made the eight-hour journey by riverboat up the Peel River to the Gathering at the Snake River confluence.
For the 37 Three Rivers paddlers – nationally prominent artists, Canadian and US writers and journalists, photographers, First Nation community members and conservationists – it was inspiring to hear Elders and First Nation members speak so eloquently about the importance of the land, wildlife and waters of the Peel watershed. Declarations on conserving the watershed were made by a Gwich'in youth delegation, the Ft. McPherson Renewable Resources Council, the Tetl'it Gwich'in Council and many Elders. The importance of land use planning in the watershed was stressed by many, including former Nacho Nyak Dun Chief Robert Hager.
Elaine Alexi, making a statement on behalf of Gwich'in youth said, “We, the youth of the Tetl'it Gwich'in, a generation of tomorrow, are here today to express our profound concern for the well being of our sacred and ancestral lands within the Peel River watershed and our right to maintain our cultural way of life.”
Gwich'in spokespeople and elders highlighted the Gathering as a powerful and emotional experience that brought back memories and stories of their ancestral connection to the Peel River. Many Elders had not seen this part of the Peel watershed since their childhood.
“This wonderful gathering was unprecedented in Canada. Having two First Nations delegations meet on the banks of a remote northern river, 200 km from the nearest community, in order to meet paddlers from across Canada who participated in three separate river trips, was a sight to behold,” said Juri Peepre, Executive Director of CPAWS-Yukon. “For the Gwich'in, it was a celebration of their traditional lands – every one of us was honoured and privileged to witness this memorable event.”
The artists, writers and photographers who participated in the Three Rivers Journey and Elders’ Gathering will interpret their experiences through a variety of media which will be part of a national touring exhibit and book celebrating the Peel watershed and northern Canadian wilderness.
The Three Rivers Journey was part of the national Boreal Rendezvous, co-sponsored by CPAWS, the David Suzuki Foundation, Canadian Boreal Initiative and Mountain Equipment Cooperative. The Yukon Chapter of CPAWS will have hosted four of the 10 rivers paddled across Canada, with the final trip on the Southeast Yukon’s Coal River commencing August 18.
Partners in the Yukon’s Three Rivers Journey and subsequent touring art exhibit are the Tetl'it Gwich'in First Nation, Wilderness Tourism Association of the Yukon, and the Yukon Arts Centre.
For more information, please contact:
Juri Peepre
CPAWS Yukon Chapter
Telephone: (867) 393-8080
E-mail: cpaws@cpawsyukon.org
|
