About The Project
Our Doig River First Nation elders, youth, and leaders worked collaboratively with ethnographers, linguists, and web-designers to create this exhibit.
Over a one month period in the summer of 2005 our elders brought the documentary team to eight places in our territory. At these places we shared oral histories about the stories, songs, people and experiences that connect us to the land.
The stories and songs presented here introduce you to a long line of Dane-zaa Dreamers who have provided spiritual and practical guidance for our people for hundreds of years. You will also learn about some key places within our territory and how we have been reclaiming them from the effects of colonialism and development.
The theme for this exhibit, Dreamers and the Land, was inspired by the return of a Dreamer's drum to the community. The drum is now part of our collection in our museum.
Our youth team was trained in video documentation to record the stories that you see here. Through this documentary work, our young people have made a major contribution towards strengthening our Dane-zaa language and traditions.
This online exhibit was developed in partnership with the Virtual Museum of Canada (VMC) at virtualmuseum.ca, an initiative of the Department of Canadian Heritage. Contributing Partners include:
- The Doig River First Nation;
- The North East Native Advancing Society (funding youth training);
- The North Peace School District #60, First Nations Education Program (preparation of accompanying teachers' resources);
- Volkswagen Foundation: Documentation of Endangered Languages Funding Initiative (Dane-zaa / Beaver language translation and transcription).
To learn more about the project team and their roles and expertise in building this site please visit Project Team.
