Nikhwigwitr’it Ejùk Natr’igwiłtsàih

Iisrits’àt Vidree Oonaatsoo nikhwiłtsaii, nihkhah sridàtr’igwijiinlik geenjit gwitr’it dhaatsaii ts’àt juudìn jii aachin gwahaa’aa geenjit gwitr’it t’agwah’ìn’, gwinoh’ih.
Vidree Oonaatsoo Ts’anuu ejuk natr’igwiłtsaii

Shìk łaii hàh natr’eedinjik geenjit diits’àt tr’injii ejùk gwilik ts’àt łaii hàh natr’ahdinjik kwaa gwìltsaii k’iighè’ Vidree Oonaatsoo Ts’anuu kat guugwitr’it ejùk gòodlìt.

1970s ts’àt 1990s gwits’àt Vidree Oonaatsoo Ts’anuu kat RCMP gwizhìt Vidree Oonaatsoo Tsal giheelyaa gwiiniindhành.

1800s ts’àt 1900s gwits’àt Vidree Oonaatsoo Ts’anuu guugwitr’it k’iighè’ jùk drin RCMP gwizhìt dinjii zhuh Vidree Oonaatsoo gugwitr’it t’igugwahah’aa gwìltsaii. Dinjii zhuh ts’àt uunjit yeenoo nihkhah gwitr’it t’igugwah’ìn’ k’iighè’ Canada ts’àt Northwest Territories gwizhìt jii RCMP gwiiyeendoo gwiinzii diiyeenjit gwitr’it gugwahahtsaa geenjit gigijiint’aih.

RCMP Aboriginal Policing Flag

Gerry Kisoun, Vidree Oonaatsoo Gwichit Otto Binder hàh diinch’ù’ ginadhindaih. Otto akòo diiyahnuu, “aduuleh RCMP gwizhìt nikhwah gwitr’it t’igwàh’in?” Gerry yuudhiłch’eii ts’àt 1971 RCMP geenjit Vidree Oonaatsoo Tsal giiyiłtsàih. RCMP gwizhìt gayuuniłtyin tł’ee 1975 dài’ Vidree Oonaatsoo tr’iłtsaih aii tł’ee Alberta ts’àt Yukon gwa’àn Vidree Oonaatsoo gugwitr’it t’agwah’ìn’.

Gerry Ineekaii nìlii ts’àt dikaiik’it gadiinjidizhit. 1986 ts’àt 1996 gwits’àt, Tuktoyaktuk ts’àt Inuvik gwizhit RCMP guuveenjit Vidree Oonaatsoo gugwitr’it t’igwah’ìn’.

Aii gwats’àt dikaiik’it gwa’àn ts’àt Northwest Territories gwizhìt dilak kat eenjit nàdhàt, 2016/2017 Northwest Territories geenjit Deputy Commissioner chan iinlì’.

Inuvik Sub/Div. Insp. John Sebastien congratulates S/Cst. Gerry Kisoun on receiving his Regimental number, allowing him to attend the RCMP Training Academy, 1974.

NWT RCMP special constables in Vancouver at Expo ’86

NWT Archives/G-1995-001:4743

RCMP Officer Julia Crapeau of Detah at the “G” Division Headquarters in Yellowknife, 1989.

NWT Archives/G-1995-001:2877

April Bell iisrits’àt jùk drin RCMP nits’òo gwitr’it gugwahtsii nilìh. Northwest Territories gwizhìt diik’iindhat ts’àt ezhik gwa’àn t’aniinch’uu kat guuveenjit Vidree Oonaatsoo heelyaa niindhan. Dinjii Zhuh Eenjit Vidree Oonaatsoo Gugwitr’it T’igwah’in eenjit goo’àii "G" Division gugwahnuu eenjit chit nilii ts’àt NWT gukaiik’it geenjit gwitr’it t’agwah’in gat’iiniindhan.

Right: Cpl. April Bell in full Red Serge, 2017.

Background: 1973 RCMP Commemorative Plaque outside “G” Division Headquarters in Yellowknife.

Nihkhah Sridàtr’igwijiinlik

Sridàtr’igwijiinlii tth’aih hee geenjit gwitr’it gwaatsih, ihłee ts’àt khehłok tr’iinlii geenjit gwitr’it gugwahtsih. Juudìn gè’tr’oonahtan gwizhit iindì’, ch’anuh eenjit gwitr’it t’agwah’ìn’, k’adagwidaadhat kat ts’àt Canada gwizhit t’angiinch’uu kat jii gwizhìt giinlih.

Dinjii Zhuh Vidree Oonaatsoo gugwitr’it t’igugwah’ìn’ geenjit mahsì’ gwiiniindhan, jii t’at sridatr’igwijiinlii gwizhìt diinch’uh.

Background: Exhibit Opening, August 3, 2017. (Angela Gzowski Photography)

Aachin Tr’aa’in Tr’oochit Gugwinii’aii
Gwits’àt Tr’iinjii Kat

Jii aachin tr’aa’ii, “Guuk'anidhàatih” vitr’ahnuu, August 3, 2017 dài’, Srii Tsoo Kaiik’it gwizhìt, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre tr’oochit nigwinii’àih. Northwest Territories gwizhìt Gè’tr’oonahtan, Nits’òo Trigwindaii ts’àt Gwitr’it Diits’an Tr’ahtsii, Dagwidįį’è’ Geenjit Gòo’aii aii geeghee ts’àt Royal Canadian Mounted Police “G” Division nihkhah jii aachin tr’aa’ii gugwìłtsàih.

Juudin jii eenjit nikhwàh gugwaandak tthak mahsì’ guuvàadinuu:

Bella Arey, Inuvik
Sonny (Edward) Balsillie, Fort Resolution
Steve Beck, Hay River
Otto Binder Jr., Inuvik
Grace Blake, Tsiigehtchic
Mabel Brown, Inuvik
Dale Clark, Tsiigehtchic
Albert Elias, Inuvik
Freddy Jerome, Inuvik
Thomas Kotchea, Trout Lake
Wilfred Lennie, Tulita
George Mandeville, Fort Smith
Arlene Wright, Fort Liard
Charlotte Menacho, Tulita
Louie Mercredi, Fort Smith
Winston Moses, Inuvik
George Niditchie, Tsiigehtchic
Louise Reindeer, Tulita
Peter Ross, Tsiigehtchic

Jii kat chan nikhwits’àt tr’iginiinjik:

RCMP Heritage Centre
Deborah Kigjugalik Webster, Ottawa
Paul Andrew, Yellowknife
Lee Cazon, Fort Simpson
April Bell, Yellowknife
Gerry Kisoun, Inuvik
RCMP Quarterly
Gwich’in Tribal Council staff:
Alestine Andre, Ingrid Kritsch, Diane Baxter
CBC NWT
GNWT Aboriginal Languages and Learning Secretariat
Wally Wolfe, St. Albert
Sue Look, Hay River
Wallace Finlayson, Trophy Lodge, Reliance
Leslie McCartney
Kevin Antoniak, Fort Smith
Barb Cameron, Yellowknife

Translated into Gwich’in by
Eleanor Mitchell