Saoyú-ʔehdacho

Saoyú-ʔehdacho is a National Historic Site in the Sahtu Settlement Area. It is comprised of two peninsulas located on Great Bear Lake. The area is 5,500 km2 and was designated by Parks Canada in 1999. The areas are vital teaching, healing, and spiritual places that are essential to the cultural well-being for the Sahtúgot’įnę people. It is deeply linked to their history and culture. The area also contains an intact boreal forest, numerous important archeological sites, and is home to animals such as woodland caribou, grizzly bears, wolverines, and peregrine falcons. These two peninsulas have both surface and subsurface protection. The Délįnę Land Cooperation is responsible for the protection of 20% of the surface, Parks Canada for the other 80%, and GNWT for the sub-surface. The area is jointly managed by the Délįnę Land Corporation and the Délįnę Renewable Resources Council with Parks Canada. The shared vision for the site includes setting up cultural learning and healing programs on the land, placing Délįne in a central role in site operations, respecting Sahtugot’ine harvesting rights, and maintenance of commemorative integrity and opportunities for Canadians to learn about the site and about Sahtugot’ine culture. In 2009, the Saoyú-ʔehdacho National Historic Site Cooperative Management Agreement was signed. Then in 2011, it was permanently protected through the National Historic Sites Order. CPAWS-NWT is proud to have supported the effort to gain National Historic Site Status for Saoyú-ʔehdacho.

Resources

Government of the Northwest Territories