Wehexlaxodiale
Wehexlaxodiale is an Indigenous Land Use Exclusion Area in the Wek’èezhii Resource Management Area. It is 976 km2, which is 2.5% of Tłįcholand, and is comprised of two areas. This includes Gots’okàtì, which is also known as Mesa Lake. It is “the lake where cloud berries are found” and is very important culturally. People used to store their meat here as it was known as the “freezer”, and it is known as the site of peacemaking as it is where peace was made, and years of fighting ended. The other area is Hoòdoòdzo, also known as Wolverine Hill or Sliding Hill. It is a very sacred site as it is linked to the legend of Yamozhah and contains a hill that the Tłįcho would slide down to determine how long one would live. This is the first recognized and reported protected area under Indigenous governance in Canada. It was established by the Tłįcho government under the Tłįcho Land Use Plan, which has been in effect since 2013, for the protection of cultural, historical and natural features. No development is allowed in the area, and limited activities are allowed. The Tłįcho peoples have the right to exclude, control, and manage all activities on the land that will impact biodiversity. You can learn more about the Tłįcho Land Use Plan here.