Article:
The Dene World View
It
was suggested earlier that the Dene people share a common
worldview with the Inuit people of the Arctic. The reason
is the geographical location and the harsh winter environment
in which both tribes had to adapt to. As a result their
survival skills, technology, societal mobility, trades
or area of specialization are similar. People adapt to
their environment and then create a culture that is gradual
and incremental. In time they adopt certain values, beliefs
and assumptions about their world with the use of rich
oral education that is continually part of their heritage.
There is one legend that attempts to explain how the Dene
people came to be at the beginning of time. An elder of
Black Lake told the legend. A long time ago, according
to oral traditional teachings, the Dene people did not
have any warm weather for long periods of time and the
summers became shorter and shorter until one day it disappeared.
The animals all got together to discuss the problem in
the hopes to find a solution to the problem. They had
nothing to lose because if they ignored the situation,
it would remain and they would perish. All of the animals
gathered by the fire but the bear clan was missing, five
animals were selected to look for the bear clan. The maria
fish was placed in charge of the search along with the
fox, mouse, lynx, and the jack fish. They made a plan
of execution in advance because they were certain the
bear clan stole the warm atmosphere.
The
mouse was chosen for her ability to fragment any thing
that she can with the use of her strong teeth and because
of her small body structure. The lynx was chosen for his
powerful force and quick reflexes. The jack fish for her
strength under water, and her ability to swim and flap
her fins and tail to get herself out of danger. The fox
would aid by carrying the warm atmosphere from the bear
clan using his wit and swift movement, finally the maria
fish would combine the cold and warn atmospheres upon
their return. The maria fish in the Dene culture is viewed
as the king of the aquatic. The search began and for many
days they walked and swam, when finally the lynx saw some
sort of twig and an area of melt above the snow covered
land. He informed the others and the fox and lynx began
to enter the cave like area. As they cleared away the
snow, warmth could be felt and they knew this was what
they had been searching for. The group discovered bear
cubs alone. A question was asked about the bundle hanging
from a latch on the ceiling of the den and to this the
cubs replied “that is my fathers warm weather”.
Before the cubs could say another word the fox snatched
the bundle and ran off toward the lake to swim and deliver
the bundle to the jack fish. The maria was further in
the depth waiting for the jack fish. Meanwhile, the little
mouse was busy chewing away at the bear’s paddle
to weaken the structure. The lynx stayed behind to prevent
the bear from following too soon so the mouse would have
more time. During the struggle, the bear managed to get
away from the lynx. He jumped into his boat and began
to paddle toward the fox. He was getting very close when
finally his paddle broke and was left in the middle of
the vast water.
The fox delivered the bundle to the jack fish who immediately
dove and gave it to the maria fish. He then dove into
the deep and released the warm atmosphere. The combination
made a loud thunder. The maria's tail got caught between
the two powerful atoms, that is why her tail is flat to
this day. The Great Spirit created the world and according
to the Dene legends the world needed to adapt to the new
creation and it's parts. There are many different ancient
stories about creation among First Nation's people and
many are similar, for example, all the stories contain
elements of our natural environment.
The
Dene oral tradition is replete with countless stories
of creation and culture heroes, such as the one just told.
In general, Dene stories are divided between the two categories:
(þqtú hoghena nüsí
hotßü honü) accounts of reality
and (üæqhzé)
spiritual or myths. The former, accounts for the real
life events of the Dene, whereas the latter concerns itself
with the creation of the world and how we came to be.
An ancient story about the caribou boy is based on (üæqhzé).
The
story discusses a time when the animals and humans were
not yet differentiated. "We had to be like an animal,
think like an animal, and speak like an animal in order
to survive all those centuries upon a harsh land".
The Caribou boy story is known as a true event to the
Dene people. It recalls a boy who had the ability to transform
himself into a caribou. In this myth, the Dene boy underwent
transformation between the two states of human and animal.
He goes to live with the caribou. He did this to assure
the people that the caribou will always return each winter
and aid survival of the Dene people. The boy becomes the
leader of the herd and leads them each year to the villages.
The stories of the Dene always revolve around the caribou
and the wolves. The Raven and the wolverine were known
as tricksters due to their ability to eat at the expense
of another hunter, for example a wolverine will check
the traps before the trapper checks them and the raven
always waits for road kill or other dead animals to devour.
“A trickster is at one time a creator and a destroyer;
it gives and negates in the process. He easily deceives
others and at the same time dupes himself. He doesn’t
know either good or evil and yet he is responsible for
both”. The wolverine and the raven will stop at
nothing to fulfill their desires and appetites because
they possess no values, beliefs or assumptions, yet they
do not know that they are teaching important life lessons
that include these values.
When
an elder speaks about these myths and real stories of
long ago there is a common mirth among listeners. This
is usually because the stage is set with spruce boughs
for flooring a tent as the show hall. As the fire gently
crackles away, the elder sits in a quiet reminiscent state.
The elder looks so lonely and heartbroken but she also
adds laughter because laughter is a strong medicine. She
speaks about the Raven, wolverine and a mythical legend
called Tßághitßágh
and their trials and tribulations. Usually the stories
are hilarious. Myths are created by storytellers to explain
the Dene presence and to reflect our basic human need;
the need explained by a psychologist and anthropologist
Dr. Maslow in the theory of human motivation, (2001).
The need and desire to understand the world and how we
fit in as human body. To the Inuit and the Dene people
we are part of the natural world and in our post - modern
society, we are also separate from it. We are societal
creatures of our own free will and yet as a Dene people
we still posses the values, beliefs and assumptions about
the natural world so we are still very much a part of
it.
Our
Dene worldview that dominated our society for thousands
of years has now accompanied the social changes in the
world we live in, so the two are inseparable. The Dene
worldview of their ancestors had a different structure,
it was based upon the natural world of animals, ecology,
aquatic beings and the natural elements: fire, wind, sky
and water. The human animal was always interconnected
with those elements. We must look inward and ask the question
about what is important to us. What sort of values and
beliefs should we adopt and then ask ourselves why theses
values are so important to our First Nations people across
the world and why are some different? The Dene have strong
ties to their kinship. The unity of a family structure
is important to the whole community. The elders tell us
to be sensitive to the land, water, sky or universe, and
animals and plants because they offer life. Man and woman
are not directors in that environment but an integrated
part of a whole system. The Dene rely on the environment
and it's species. We do not abuse what the creator has
loaned to us to protect, for example; the caribou is not
abused and every part of it is used for something and
what is not usable is burned. A ceremonial service is
performed at the burning with hours of singing and prayers
to the caribou that they will keep returning to our people.
Elders are treasures in Dene society because they teach
about history and how they must live as a people in harmony.
Values and beliefs are handed down from generation to
generation as they envelope our stories of trials and
tribulations.
