The Habitat of Dogrib Traditional Territory:

Place Names as Indicators of Bio-geographical Knowledge

Organization / Researcher: Dogrib Treaty 11 Council

Length of Project: 4 years (1997-2001)

Personnel Involved: At least 40 including the research team and members of the community elders committees.

Total Project Expenditures: $940,536

This study analyzed Dogrib place names for linguistic patterns as a way of classifying habitats. The main objectives were to clarify the conceptual and literal meaning of Dogrib place names, to analyze this information in the context of existing literature on traditional knowledge, to collect vegetation samples and map vegetation communities with Dogrib elders and to check whether Dogrib place names do in fact describe what is found in the field. This study used a research method similar to the Dogrib traditional knowledge of caribou study (Dogrib Traditional Knowledge: Relationship between Caribou Migration Patterns and the State of Caribou Habitat): an elders committee guided a research team consisting of researchers working with elders to compile traditional knowledge. Originally this committee was composed only of elders from Rae, but was expanded in 1999 to a regional committee, with community elders committees providing direction on interviewing and the regional committee verifying the information.

In 1997, traditional knowledge on habitat around Lac de Gras was collected, including stories connected to traditional place names. Place names were corroborated by elders and put into a Geographic Information System (GIS) together with existing information from other sources such as the Dene Cultural Institute, the Arctic Institute of North America, GNWT and the Dogrib Treaty 11 Council. Maps were produced and the traditional knowledge information was combined with satellite imagery maps from the NWT Centre for Remote Sensing (see also "Vegetation Classification for the West Kitikmeot/Slave Study Region" report) as a way to investigate potential joint habitat classifications.

In 1998 the research team went back to the Lac de Gras area. They also visited the Russell Lake and Mosquito Creek areas (near the community of Rae) and the Faber Lake area (near the community of Gameti). Thirty interviews totaling 53 hours were carried out, and 1491 entries were made to the GIS.

In 1999-00 research camps were conducted at Stagg River, Faber Lake, Gameti (Rae Lakes) and Point Lake and 43 interviews were conducted with 20 elders. Vegetation and habitat information were again the focus. Twenty one taped interviews were summarized and/or translated. There were 1,867 entries were added to the GIS. At Stagg River, 32 elders worked with the research team to document flora, fauna and the Dogrib habitat classification for the area. At Faber Lake, nine Gameti elders together with the community elders committee documented Dogrib habitat classification using taped interviews, field forms and photographs of flora and fauna. At Gameti, the elders committee and seven elders documented Dogrib habitat classification. At Point Lake, twelve elders worked with the team to document the habitat types.

At least 310 Dogrib place names (out of a possible 3,548 sites) were analyzed in detail in this study. An interesting pattern emerged. All place names were associated with caribou hunting and associated travel. Place names using terms for topographical features or water flow helped to make travel safer and easier; these included landmarks, areas where caution was needed to avoid hazards, or safe travel areas. Place names using biological terms such as those for flora and fish, provide information as to where resources such as food sources or wood (for barrenland travel) should be available. The oral narratives associated with each place name are critical to understanding the meaning of the name: the names contain a lot of detailed information and cannot be translated in a simple manner without the knowledge and experience of those familiar with the area. Properly used, the researchers state, the place names and stories together provide reliable baseline information.

According to the research, the Dogrib divide their traditional territory into four habitat zones:

• Nodii- the plateau area west of Camsell River including the Horn Plateau where woodland and barrenland caribou are hunted, small fur-bearers are trapped and some important medicinal plants are found;

• Detsita-heavily forested area of low hills and rock outcrops east of Camsell River with progressively decreasing forest cover toward the barrens;

• Detsits'onee-just below the treeline area; and

• Hozii-the barrenlands.

Many vegetation types are found within these zones of which 34 were documented, some in greater detail than others. The men and women consulted at the various sites had different knowledge, women understanding more about plants, and men more about hunting and trapping aspects. It was noted that this difference in knowledge was significantly less for elders over age 80.

The researchers also asked elders to identify vegetation types at areas where they had been in the past. The intent is to verify this information at a later date as a test of the reliability of these "predictions." They suggest that these sites, whose names are associated with specific resources, can be monitored for change over time.

The Habitat of Dogrib Traditional Territory: Place Names as Indicators of Biogeographical Knowledge March 2001