Traditional Knowledge Study on Community Health:

Community Based Monitoring

(Revised January 1998, March 1999 & July 2000)

Organization / Researcher: Lutselk'e Dene First Nation / Brenda Parlee (Part One), Evelyn Marlowe (Part Two)

Part One: Traditional Knowledge Study of Community Health

Length of Project: 7 months (1997)

Personnel involved: Many community members as well as members of the Lutsel k'e Land and Environment Committee (WLEC), the Elders Committee and the Youth Committee, and the Band Council.

Total Project Expenditures: $55,606

Part Two: Community Based Monitoring

Length of Project: 3.5 years (1997-2001)

Personnel involved: same as above

Total Project Expenditures: $300,478

This two part project builds on the previous WKSS project on Community Based Monitoring (A Community Based Monitoring System in the Slave Geological Province: Case Study Lutselk'e (May 1997) (CBM 96-97) which gathered information from community members to develop a set of indicators to measure changes in community health.

Part One of the project was the Traditional Knowledge Study of Community Health which was completed in 1997. Two local researchers were trained and then gathered traditional knowledge from Dene elders about community health in the past. The researchers used the indicators and traditional knowledge gathered in CBM 96-97 as a starting point to track changes in community health as development proceeds.

An Elders Advisory Committee was set up at the beginning to provide direction. A researcher trainee was hired and trained on the job in research methods and advanced Chipewyan language skills. She also acquired background on community health issues. Questions were developed for interviewing elders regarding traditional knowledge of past community health, using the results of the CBM 96-97 study. The interviews were carried out, checked for accuracy at workshops and the results were communicated to residents of the community. Many stories were collected relating to the indicators of community health. A brief summary shows that meaningful work, learning to live the Dene way of life, harvesting and eating traditional foods, and issues related to changes in illness and health care were considered very important in a traditional view of community health.

The results of this work and of CBM 96-97 were then used to implement Community Based Monitoring (CBM Part Two). The Elders Advisory Committee continued to work with the researchers on Part Two. The overall project direction was set through the Wildlife, Lands and Environment Committee (WLEC) and there was ongoing communication with the Band Council. The researcher trainee from the previous study moved into the Project Director position, and a second researcher was hired shortly after the project began. The study was originally structured in four month cycles. In each cycle information was collected on four selected indicators using home visits; then summarized, analyzed and communicated to the community.

The Advisory Committee chose the four indicators for Cycle 1 as jobs and related issues/effects; nutrition, especially country food consumption; employment goals of children and effectiveness of treatment programs for community members.

The WLEC took a direct role in indicator selection for Cycles 2 through 4. Cycle 2 repeated Cycle 1. Cycle 3 looked at opportunities for involvement in cultural activities, the extent to which housing needs are being met, participation in the Lutselk'e Spiritual Gathering in relation to the practicing of traditional values and the impact of development on the land and water. Cycle 4 involved current land use, working together in the community, Dene songs and traditional skills of butchering and preparing caribou.

With Cycles 5 through 7, indicator selection was largely based on input from a Youth Committee established by the researchers. Cycle 5 gathered data on community perceptions of the effects of mining developments, incidences of cancer and tuberculosis, understanding of Betsi Ghie "where the water is alive" and recommendations for transferring skills on the land from elders to youth. Cycle 6 looked at communication within the community by examining issues dealt with by the Band Council; volunteerism in the community; quality of services in the community including the Co op store, Renewable Resources Officer and Health Centre; and ways for youth to demonstrate respect. Cycle 7 repeated Cycles 1 and 2. This process yielded baseline information on 20 of the indicators, with some highlights summarized briefly below:

(Cycle one Advisory Committee)

• employment (in the mining sector): Mining employment has varied between .02% and 19% of adults in the community though the last three years, and though some people hope that mining will lead to more sustained employment, there is frustration over availability of jobs and training and lack of ability to set up related businesses. 35 people who had worked in mining or mining related industries were interviewed. Only 14% of these were still employed, since much of the work has been casual or seasonal. Most people who had worked 2 weeks in/2 weeks out were happy with it; most felt employment did not negatively affect their relationship with their family;

• traditional food consumption and nutrition: fish is a summer staple and more caribou is eaten in winter than summer, though it is not clear whether this has changed since community members started working at mines;

• youth goals for education and employment: youth interest in mining sector employment increased from zero to 22% between 1997 and 2000;

• capacity of healing/treatment services to meet community needs: no change reported (still not adequate);

 (Cycles two through four WLEC)

• cultural education programs: no change;

• quality and availability of housing: no changes due to mining (there is still a need for more housing and skilled tradespeople);

• spiritual values associated with the site known as Old Lady of the Falls: the cultural importance of this site has not changed;

• impacts of development on the environment: some 65% of people interviewed were "very concerned" about the potential long term environmental effects of mining in the region;

• land use activities (hunting and trapping): no change;

• self government and working together: no change;

• traditional knowledge of drumming and songs: no change (elders still want younger generation to learn these skills);

• traditional knowledge required for harvesting and butchering caribou: no change;

• impacts of mineral resource development on families: almost three-quarters of those interviewed felt that employment would be the greatest benefit of mineral development but that the environment would be "ruined";

(Cycles five through seven Youth Committee)

• traditional values and respect for the site known as Betsi Guie: no change

• incidence of cancer and tuberculosis: no particular relationship with mining development was noticed;

• opportunities for teaching youth on the land: workshop made plans for how to improve this;

• effectiveness of the leadership in decision making: results confidential;

• quality of local services including the Co-op store, Renewable Resources and the Health Centre: results confidential;

• working together (volunteerism): 80% said they are willing to do volunteer work in the community; and

• family values of respect for and among youth: results confidential.

The information collected in the indicator surveys is preliminary or baseline information, so not much change would be expected yet. In general, the indicators show that the mining sector is not perceived to have had a measurable impact on community health. Employment levels have been low and have not met community expectations. On the other hand there is a high level of concern about environmental damage from mining: unless employment levels increase, the community is likely to view mining sector development as overwhelmingly negative.

The results of the Community Based Monitoring component of this project are still considered to be preliminary pending the submission of revisions to the report.

Traditional Knowledge Study on Community Health Final Report 1997

Annual Report Community Based Monitoring March 1998 (Cycle One)  

Annual Report Community Based Monitoring 1998 (Cycles Two, Three and Four)