Dreamers & The Land | DREAMERS
Nááchįį / Oker
Born 1881 or 1878. Died in 1951.
Nááchįį means "Main Dreamer." The name Oker comes from our Dane-zaa pronunciation of his nickname, Sugar. Oker was the brother of Chief Succona. Oker had three wives over his lifetime and fathered eighteen children. He also raised Billy Makadahay, who became a remarkable singer. Two of his daughters married Aku, son of the Dreamer Azáde. His daughter, Annie, is the mother of Chief Gary Oker.
Oker's last wife, Alice Moccasin, married the drummer and songkeeper Albert Askoty after Oker passed away of old age in 1951 at Alááʔ S̱ato. His grave is in our cemetery there. Oker had settled at Alááʔ S̱ato, and "Oker Flats" is the area around his camp where we would gather for our Dreamers' Dances. Other Dreamers such as Charlie Yahey and Gaayęą would come to Oker flats to visit, share songs and stories, and dance with our people.
Billy Attachie recalls the death of Oker at Alááʔ S̱ato in 1951.
As one of the last of our Dreamers, Oker was instrumental in passing along our songs and traditions to our younger generations. Our Doig River Drummers continue to sing his songs at our Dreamers' Dances and community gatherings.
Stories
Billy Attachie, talking about the Dreamer Nááchįį/Oker, 2005.
Click to Watch
Billy Attachie talks about the Dreamer Nááchįį/Oker, who lived and died at Alááʔ S̱atǫ (Petersen's Crossing). Alááʔ S̱atǫ, 2005.
Billy Attachie, talking about the Dreamer Nááchįį (Oker). Nętl'uk, 2005.
Billy Attachie talks about the Dreamer Nááchįį (Oker) and other Dreamers from Alberta who travelled through this area. Nętl'uk (Osborne River).
Songs
Albert Askoty singing a song by the Dreamer Nááchįį/Oker, 1994.
The late song keeper Albert Askoty sings a song dreamed by one of his mentors, the Dreamer Nááchįi/Oker. This was recorded at the memorial Tea Dance for Alice Moccasin (Albert's wife) at Doig River, BC, in 1994. Alice Moccasin settled at Petersen's Crossing in the 1940's with her first husband, the Dreamer Nááchįį/Oker. After Oker died in 1951 Alice remarried Albert Askoty and they continued to live at Petersen's Crossing until the late 1980s. This performance is a powerful tribute to the woman who connected the lives of the Dreamer Oker and Albert Askoty so intimately.
Doig River Drummers singing a song by the Dreamer Nááchįį/Oker, 2001
Doig River Drummers Tommy Attachie, Sam Acko, Edward Achla, Leo Acko, Gary Oker, Jack Askoty and Clarence Apsassin sing a song by the Dreamer Nááchįį/Oker. Doig River cultural days, 2001.