Dene national chief calls for reuniting of Indigenous peoples across the continent

Dene National Chief Norman Yakeleyasays he hopes to unite the Denefrom across North America, which would fulfil a promise he made when he was elected this past summer.

In ameetingheld in Calgary onNov. 18, Deneleadership met to discuss how to bring representation from their peopleunder one roof.

The meeting included insight from Yakeleya, former Katl'odeeche chief Roy Fabian and Tuust'inaChief Lee Crowchild. They discussedhow to include the Navajo and Apache in future meetings.

This was afollow-upfrom a conference last Septemberwhere Dene from the Northwest Territorieswere joined by peoplefrom Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Utah, Arizona, Mexico and Oklahoma.

The Athabascan people came to Alaskatogether over theBering Land Bridge 35,000 years ago,Yakeleyasaid, but they separated into different groups across North America, with theDenesettlingin the North.

"This will be an opportunity to first of all look at our history as Dene and how we have adapted to the lifestyle that we have," Yakeleya said. "We're very excited after looking at our first unification planning session, seeing how we can work with the other nations to bring Dene together after thousands of years of being separated."

The idea is to bring the leaderstogether in one forum to discuss common issues each year.

In 2004 long before Yakeleya was elected Denenational chief Raymond Yakeleya, Bruce Starlight, Allan Adam, and anotherperson from theApache Nationfrom Arizona came up with the idea of unification.

Raymond Yakeleya is a Dene filmmaker in Edmonton and Norman's brother.

By unifying, all Athabascan people would have the opportunity to look at the history of the culture, he said.

"It's a chance to examine ourselves, a chance to talk about ourselves and a chance to understand who we are as a people," he said. "Politically and culturally, unifying is a strong thing for the Athabascan to do."

Navajo and Apache want a seat at the table

While the Denesettled in the North, the Navajoand Apache Nationssettled in the southwest United States.

After hearing about the meeting in Calgary, their leaders reached out to NormanYakeleyato get involved in the future, he said.

Norman Yakeleya says the Dene, Navajo andApache would be able to suggest ideas on how to combat the economic and social struggles in their communities.

Bruce Starlight,an elder from the Tuust'ina First Nation, near Calgary, says relationships with the Navajo and Apache groups have always been good.

"The Dene brotherhood is strong," Starlight said. "If [unification] happens we wouldn't need government anymore, we actually can function by ourselves. We've got lawyers we've got the doctors we've got all the professional people that we need."

Once the Navajo and Apache come together with the Dene there is a chance the groups can become a family again,Starlight added.

Now, the hope is all Athabascan people come together to share stories and educate themselves about the history of their people, particularly through their shared language, Norman Yakeleya said.

Uniting means more than history

All three acknowledge there is an added significance if all Athabascan people unite.

"We can work together in the economic arm, the political arm the cultural and the social arm and that can help with the education of students," Norman Yakeleya said. "We have our own businesses that are owned by Dene people. We help each other and support each other."

"All of the indigenous people in North and South America are the poorest of the poor in their own land and uniting would create the opportunity to access money," Starlight said.

Once Indigenous peoplesee financial independence, people will begin to see social change, he said.

The next step is to organize another unification meeting, next fall.