Heart-shaped rock discovered at sacred site near Nahanni Butte

MarkPocklingtonwas on top of a mountain nearNahanniButte, N.W.T., heading the project to remove boulders to restore asacred site last month, when someone came rushing back with news.

• Hours before wildfire evacuation, sacred site nearNahanniButte restored

"'Hey, there's a bigheart-shaped rock out there, right out in the open,'" recalledPocklington, the SAO of the community.

A band member, James Konisenta,was walkingnear the sacred site calledTthenaago when he discovered it.

The group went to have a look at the rock enveloped by a bed of grass.

"I've been in prospecting for a very long time; I'm always looking at rocks. And it's very rare you would see something like that," saidPocklington.

How thispeculiar rock might be associated with the re-opening of thenearby sacred site became the talk of the town. Earlier this month agroupofRCMP, government and local workers and a helicopter removed bouldersthat covered up sacred holeafter anRCMPradio tower was installed several years ago.

TheDenelegend behind the sacred hole talks about giant beavers that roamed around and terrorized the people in theDehchoregion. The hole was created by the Great Spirit, whoused his walking stick to trap the beavers inside, saving the people from extinction.

Community leaders have been calling for the hole to be uncovered.

"After all that happens, lo and behold, this rock appears and everyone seems to be talking about that more than anything."

The rock 'naturally shaped'

Pocklington, a former prospector of minerals and rocks in the Yukon and B.C.,says no one knows how the rock got there, but believes it was there all along.

"How it got there was kind of a puzzle to everybody, because it's not like it fell down from anythingfrom the mountain above."

Yamoria left his heart there for us.- Jayne Konisenta

He added that the rock seemed to be authentic.

"It's absolutely naturally shaped," he said, adding that if it was man-made, the rock would have chisel marks, or would be chipped. Pocklington also noted the presence of lichen on the rock.

ForJayneKonisentaofNahanniButte, the news of the heart rock brought forth a heap of emotions.

"Chills just ran down my spine and everything, and I just got all teary eyed and I thought, 'oh my goodness'" saidKonisenta.

"When they discovered this rock shaped as a heart, it meant a lot to the community."

Konisentasays there's talk around the community that the heart belongs toYamoria, aDenehero figure.

"Yamoria left his heart there for us," saidKonisenta.

Others have been saying the rock is a "healing rock," saidPocklington.

"There's a lot of healing perhaps that's needed, and it's like the mountain speaking back saying, 'Hey. Here.'"

BothKonisentaandPocklingtonsay they hope the rock will be left where it is.