Dreamers & The Land | DREAMERS
Gaayęą
Born late 1800s. Died in 1923
Gaayęą was from the Hines Creek/Eureka River area in Alberta. He visited our people each summer and taught many songs to our drummers and singers, as well as to our Dreamers such as Oker and Charlie Yahey. Gaayęą made and painted the double-sided drum that Charlie Yahey inherited from him. Robin Ridington took many photographs of Charlie Yahey with Gaayęą's drum in the 1960s.
Gaayęą's wife, Mali (Molly), was much loved and respected by our people. They enjoyed her company as they camped and worked together at places such as Sweeney Creek and Suunéch'ii Kéch'iige. Gaayęą's son, Aki (Francis Leg), married Anno Davis, and settled down in the Doig River area with her.
Gaayęa brought back his Prairie Chicken song from Heaven while camping in a place where prairie chickens gathered to dance at Sweeney Creek. We continue to sing this song, and many other songs dreamed by Gaayęą, at our Dreamers' Dances.
He dreamed his song "Suunéch'ii Kéch'iige," which means "The Place Where Happiness Dwells," at our Dreamers' Dance grounds at Suunéch'ii Kéch'iige. Hearing this song today reminds us of the good times our people had at Gat Tah Kwą ̂ in the summers when they would gather there to court, celebrate births, settle political issues, drum, and sing and dance to the Dreamers' songs, renewing our world for another cycle.
Gaayęą died in 1923 while riding his horse on our old Reserve at Montney, which we call Suunéch'ii Kéch'iige. Before he died, he told people that the place where he is buried will always have a lot of game animals. In 2005, former Chief Gerry Attachie took our Project Team to find the grave at Suunéch'ii Kéch'iige and discovered that even though the area is surrounded by farmland, there is still an abundance of game there.
Stories
Tommy Attachie, telling about Dane-zaa people and Dreamers gathering at Sweeney Creek, 2005.
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Tommy Attachie remembers Dane-zaa people and Dreamers gathering at Sweeney Creek. He tells the story of the Dreamer Gaayęą dreaming the "Prairie Chicken Song" at Sweeney Creek, 2005.
Tommy Attachie, talking about the Dreamer Gaayęą. Suunéch'ii Kéch'iige (Montney), 2005.
Tommy Attachie talks about the Dreamer Gaayęą at Gat Tah Kwą̂, the former Montney Reserve, and about Dane-zaa gatherings at "The Place Where Happiness Dwells" located there. Gat Tah Kwą̂ (Montney), 2005.
Songs
Albert Askoty singing the Dreamer Gaayęą's "Prairie Chicken Song," 1990s.
Albert Askoty singing the Dreamer Gaayęą's "Prairie Chicken Song," 1990s. Gaayęą brought this song back from Heaven in a dream at Sweeney Creek. The drummers and singers camped there helped Gaayęą to remember the song by singing it over and over.
Tommy Attachie and the Doig River Drummers singing "Suunéch'ii Kéch'iige" by the Dreamer Gaayęą, 2004.
"Suunéch'ii Kéch'iige" ("The Place Where Happiness Dwells") was dreamed by Gaayęą and is sung here by the Doig River Drummers in 2004. This song has been passed along through oral tradition and maintained by our songkeepers. The song represents fond memories of a traditional Dane-zaa summer gathering spot above the Peace River at Gat Tah Kwą̂ (Montney). This gathering spot was selected by our people for their reserve lands in 1914 but was later taken away by the federal government.
Tommy Attachie and the Doig River Drummers singing the Dreamer Gaayęą's "Prairie Chicken Song," Doig River, 2004.
The Dreamer Gaayęą brought this song back from Heaven in a dream he had at Sweeney Creek. The drummers and singers camped with him there helped Gaayęą to remember the song by singing it over and over.