Saoyú and Ɂehdacho are two large peninsulas reaching into Sahtú (Great Bear Lake) just south of the Arctic Circle in the Northwest Territories. Designated a National Historic Site in 1997 and set aside as a protected area in 2008, Saoyú and Ɂehdacho are teaching, healing and spiritual places, essential to the cultural well-being of the Sahtúgot’ı̨nę — “the people of Sahtú.” Most Sahtúgot’ı̨nę now live in Délı̨nę, the only community on Sahtú.
The Elders of Délı̨nę say that the protection of Saoyú and Ɂehdacho is a responsibility given to the Sahtúgot’ı̨nę by their ancestors. It is through these places and the stories associated with them that the Elders pass on their knowledge: their history, values, laws, land use skills, land management practices and life-styles.
The 5,565 km2 site is cooperatively managed by the Délı̨nę Got’ı̨nę Government and Parks Canada.
History: Saoyú and Ɂehdacho are two large peninsulas on Great Bear Lake just south of the Arctic Circle. Every summer, Délįnę residents gather in Saoyú Ɂehdacho National Historic Site to practise traditional skills out on the land and share them with younger community members during the annual Knowledge Camp organized by the Délįnę Land Corporation in collaboration with Parks Canada. It’s out here that the connections between the land, the water and the people are strongest.
Visit: The Délįnę Land Corporation and the Délįnę Renewable Resources Council cooperatively manage the 5,565 km2 site, together with Parks Canada. The elders of Délįnę say that the protection of Saoyú and Ɂehdacho is a responsibility given to the Sahtúgot’įnę by their ancestors. The sites feature trails, portages, gravesites and campsites that are landmarks of how this land has been used for generations as people travelled from one place to another in their struggles to survive.
