Daiidi’ìn’

North gwa’àn nits’òo tr’igwiheendaii gadiiyuunàatan, khehtak tr’igwahtsii guuchih nachidadal, łeetè’deelyaa iidìlii ts’àt Vidree Oonatsoo jidìi t’agahdahch’aa guuts’an àatsii gwinoh’ih.

Nijìn Ts’aii Gòo’aii Guuvàh Gwàandak

RCMP kat tr’oochit k’agidadal giinlii ts’àt nits’òo gugwiheendaii hàh guuts’àt tr’igiheendal geenjit goo’àih. Dinjii zhuh kat jidìi gahgidandaii hàh guuts’àt tr’iginiinjik. Geetak iinch’it ts’àt gwitr’it eenjit guutr’òonjih, tr’oochit giheedaa, dachan tat nagahdadal gahdandaii, echiilin t’agwah’ii, łeetè’tr’ehdeelyaa, nidhizrii, łuk katr’idi’ii, troo tr’it’ii ts’àt vikètr’ahch’uu, jii tthak geenjit gwitr’it guuts’an gugwìltsaih.

S/Cst. Andrew Stewart loads a toboggan, Aklavik patrol, 1946. NWT Archives/N-2005-001:0093

Uu’òk dagiheedya’aa gwiiyeendoo gàhgiheedandaii geenjit gwijiinchii gòo’aih. Nits’òo tr’igwiheendaii. Jii RCMP kat zhat gwa’àn gwats’àt giinlih kwaa, nành gwiiyeendoo gwiniik’oo gahgidandaih kwaa ts’àt guuk’atr’ahnahtyaa guuveenjit gòo’aih. Nits’òo tr’igwiheendaii gàhgiheedandaii geenjit gwijiinchii gòo’aih.

Peter Ross Vidree Oonaatsoo agįįkhih

S/Cst. Andrew Stewart prepares a camp meal, Aklavik Patrol, 1946.

NWT Archives/N-2005-001:0095

S/Cst. Peter Esau (left), guides Garner King and Cst. Bob Knights into Fish Lake, Sachs Harbour, 1958.

NWT Archives/N-1993-002:0277

Cutting fire wood, 1922.

NWT Archives/N-1979-004:0238

Police Interpreter hauling water, Aklavik, 1920s.

NWT Archives/N-1991-041:0029

Khehtak Tr’igwahtsii

Nijìn kaiik’it gòo’aii, nijìn kaleeluk katr’idi’ii, nijìn khyàh t’itr’ah’in ts’àt nijìn nan khatr’igwizhit gugwitr’it t’itr’igwàh’in danh vidree oonaatsoo gwitr’it deek’it gugwiłtsàih. Vidree oonaatsoo gwitr’it deek’it leii gugwiłtsàih, Fort Constantine (Forty Mile, YT), Harbour Van (Kimmirut, NU) ts’àt Ellesmere Njuu gwa’àn tthak vidree oonaatsoo gwitr’it deek’it gugwiłtsàih. Juk drin tth’aih hee jii vidree oonaatsoo gwitr’it deek’it làt gwit’agwijahch’uh.

Aii gwik’it, North gwa’àn tthak jùk kaiik’it gòo’aii tik gòonlii gwa’àn tr’igwich’in kwaa dài’ niinzhìt khehtak gugwiłtsàih. 1999 gwichih Nunavut, juk khè’ gwinagoo’ee diinch’uu Northwest Territories gwizhìt gwiinli’.

Background: RCMP Detachment Resolute Bay, 1949. Library and Archives Canada/National Defence Headquarters, 126784

Click to Enlarge in New Window

Vidree Oonaatsoo Gwitr’it Deek’it Gugwink’òo’

Khaii Khehtak Tr’igwàhtsii

Vidree Oonaatsoo Ts’anuu ts’àt kaiik’it gwizhit zhehk’oo kat nits’òo łaii hàh khehtak gugwahahtsaa guuvah gugwàandak. Łaii hàh uu’ok khehtak gugwahtsii k’iighè’ Canada gwits’àt k’adagwidaadhat north gwa’àn t’igiinch’uu gahgwiheedandaii tr’igwàhtsih. Vidree Oonaatsoo Ts’anuu kat zhoh diniinchii ts’àt gwiniik’oo guuzhik dinehtł’eh neetr’aazhik ts’àt dagwidi’ii gwi’dinehtł’èe uu’òk gwits’an gahtsii ts’àt juudin dachan tat t’iinch’uu nihkhee nagidadal geenjit khehtak gwiłtsàih.

Background: S/Cst. Andre Jerome on patrol from Arctic Red River [Tsiigehtchic] to Inuvik, 1957. NWT Archives/N-1993-002:0004

Jii gwichih łaii hàh khehtak gugwiłtsàih kwàh. Geetak łaii kat guuvehłahaa’oo ts’àt aii RCMP kat dachaavał ts’at nat’agadaadhak ts’àt guutth’an dàk t’injik. Geetak akòo dagweedi’ìn’, gòo khanh gik’igàanjìh.

Albert Elias, ditii Moses Raddi, Vidree Oonaatsoo Ts’anuu iinlì’ agwaandak.

Nits’òo łaii k’atr’inahtii gah’iidandài’

Zhoh gwi’ìitsii khàl tr’idi’ii gwichih north gwa’àn zheh k’oo kat łaii gidi’ih. Gwitr’it gwilìk kat khaii tthak, drin gwitagwinyaanch’uu gwiinzii guuk’atr’ahnyahtyaa goo’àih. Nìlii ts’àt łuk hàh guuveenjit vikè’tr’ahch’uu ts’àt guu’atr’ah’aa, khaii guuzhik iisrits’àt guuveenjit vikè’tr’ahch’uh.

RCMP puppies Peter and Paul, Sachs Harbour, 1958. NWT Archives/N-2005-001:0176

Taii gwidhaatsàih

Gwitr’it gwiinchii ihłak t’at, Vidree Oonaatsoo Ts’anuu kat łaii ch’ii, zhoh diniinchii zhìt aih hàh taii gugwahtsih, jii k’iighè’ juudin guuk’ih nahdadal guuveenjit gugwiheetrih kwàh.

Breaking trail on the Dawson to Fort McPherson patrol, 1920s. NWT Archives/N-1979-067:0061

Dachan tat gah’iidàndài’

Łaii hàh khehtak gugwahtsii dài gwa’àn gugwandaii kat guutàii gwinjik nagahdadał. Vidree Oonaatsoo Ts’anuu kat nijìn taii gòo’aii, nits’òo nagwii’ee, khehtak gugwahtsii guuzhik gugoontrii dagiheedya’aa ts’àt nits’òo dachan tat gugwindaii jii tthak gahgidandaii. Yeenoo nits’òo dachan tat gugwiindài’ gwijiinchii goo’àih.

S/Cst. Peter Esau and Cst. Bob Knights on patrol to Holman Island [Ulukhaktok], 1958. NWT Archives/N-1993-002:0178

Łaii Gwidìchaavàl Gwi’ejìich’ìi’

Background: RCMP dog leader, Fort Rae detachment, 1926. NWT Archives/N-1987-016:0618

Shin Guuzhik Khehtak Tr’igwahtsii

Shin dài’ han ts’àt van k’iighè’ kaiik’it ts’àt uu’ok dachan tat tr’igwich’in nihkhah łigahaadaa geenjit gi’gwidhan. Shin guuzhik Vidree Oonaatsoo Ts’anuu kat chuu kak kaleeluk gwitr’ìi, tr’ih choo ts’àt tr’ih tsal hàh Vidree Oonaatsoo nagahahchik.

Jimmy Akavak, Sandy Akavak, and Matthew Akavak with Cst. McLaughlin and Cst. Marchbank, on Eastern Arctic Patrol, Lake Harbour [Kimmirut], NWT, 1944. NWT Archives/N-2005-001:0249

Łehtè’deelyaa Kat

Vidree Oonaatsoo Northwest Territories k’agidadal dài’ dinjii zhuh ginjik gahgidandaih kwàh.

Vidree Oonaatsoo kaiik’it gwizhit gwiinzii gugwiheendaii, guugwitr’it t’igugwahah’aa ts’àt khehtak gugwahahtsaa, łehtè’deelyaa kat guuts’àt tr’igiheendal geenjit gwitr’it guuts’an gwałtsaih. Vidree Oonaatsoo Ts’anuu ts’àt łehtè’deelyaa leii kat dinjii zhuh k’yuu, French k’yuu ts’àt Uunjit K’yuu gigįįkhè’.

Dagwidįį’è’ gwinjik tr’igwiheendaii gugwahtsii ts’àt nijìn goodhaii nigwidaadhak dài’, Vidree Oonaatsoo diiginjik gàhgidandaii ts’àt gwiinzii nihts’àt tr’igįįkhii gwijiinchii gòo’àih.

S/Cst. Vital Thomas, Rae [Behchokǫ̀], 1962. NWT Archives/N-2003-037:0188

Shahanh Gwich’in ginjik zhìt gįįkhè’… uu’òk t’aniinch’uu kat RCMP kat ts’àt gigįįkhii giiniindhan gòo gwiinzii uunjit k’yuu gigįįkhih kwaa dài’ nà’aa ts’àt tyà’aa eenagidadàł. Guuveenjit łehtè’gideelyaa ts’àt Vidree Oonaatsoo Gwichit kat guuts’àt guuveenjit gigįįkhih. Kaiik’it gwizhit t’aniinch’uu kat khè’ RCMP kat ts’àt gigįįkhih kwaa ts’àt jii geenjit srigiguujàadhan [vitì ts’àt vahanh].

Louise Reindeer, ditì’ Johnny Reindeer Vidree Oonaatsoo Ts’anuu iinli’ gagwàandak.

S/Cst. James Fabien of Fort Resolution spoke English, French, Chipewyan and Dogrib [Tłı̨chǫ], 1933.

RCMP Letter of Engagement for dog driver and interpreter S/Cst. Jimmy Fabien, 1929.

“Vidree Oonaatsoo Ts’anuu” shiginjik zhìt dagwinuh?

Tr’igwiheendaii Geenjit Ejiich’ii T’atr’ijàhch’uh

Dachan tat khehtak tr’igwahtsii dài’ gwich’aa niidhaa gahtsii k’iighè’ Vidree Oonaatsoo gwiinzii t’igiinch’uu ts’àt gugwandàih.Tr’iinjòo kat yeenoo nits’òo k’è’tr’ijiłkài’ k’ìt akòo digeedi’ìn’ ts’àt needzak dhoh, nèhtruh dhoh, vadzaih ts’àt dinjik dhoh hàh guuveenjit gwich’aa gałtsàih. Aii geeghee ts’àt łaii tł’yàa’, łaii viitrii, łaii kaiitrìi’ ts’àt łaii ts’àt nits’òo tr’igwahtsii gahgeedandài’.

RCMP and friends showing off their winter clothing. Old Crow, 1954. NWT Archives/N-1979-062:0145

Shahanh RCMP guuveenjit iyèhdak ik ałtsàih. Juk drin RCMP kat guu gwich’aa jidìi tthoo nilii ts’àt guuvehłi’ vidree oonaatsoo gwinyah’ii? Aii kat shahanh yìłtsàih. RCMP guuveenjit k’è’jiłkài’, ts’at tah, kaiichan, dazhoo dzhirh, dzhirh nìitł’yah, jii tthak guuveenjit ałtsàih. Niinzhìt khehtak gugwahtsii dài’ guuveenjit lùhch’uh ałtsàih. Nìlii gaii ts’àt uutsik guuveenjit ałtsàih.

Mabel Brown, vahành Mary Kendi agwàandak.

Mary Kendi was the wife of S/Cst. Alfred Kendi and supported the Aklavik detachment. Mary was an impressive seamstress and is fondly remembered as a pillar of the Gwich’in community.

NWT Archives/G-1995-001:0570

Martha Stewart was the wife of S/Cst. Andrew Stewart. They traveled between Fort McPherson and Aklavik, spending most of their time in the mountains. She was well-known for her sewing and traditional skills, which were valuable to the RCMP.

NWT Archives/G-1995-001:0013