by Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

KAKISA LAKE (Sep 05/97) - "It's a long way from the Horn River to Kakisa," says the new grand chief of the Deh Cho First Nations, Michael Nadli, who was elected at last week's assembly in Kakisa.

Though only 32, Nadli, of Fort Providence, has quite a resume. For the past two years, he has served as executive director of the Deh Gah Got'ie Dene Council and was communications co-ordinator for the DCFN before that. He's also worked as a Dene broadcaster with CBC Radio.

He took time out from a busy schedule for an interview with the Drum on Tuesday.

"It was very emotional," he said of his election. "As I said in my speech, it was a long way from the Horn River to Kakisa."

Nadli was referring to the area where he spent the first years of his life with his family, on the land and living in the traditional ways.

"A lot of my relatives continue to live out on the land," he said.

Born in Edmonton and raised in Fort Providence, Nadli is married to Shirley and they have a daughter, Roslyn.

He says a feeling of the need for change brought him to the important post he will assume Oct. 1.

"I realized going into the campaign that people had a sense of a need for change," he said. "What brought me to the position was change."

"There were strong candidates and I respected them."

He also told the Drum that he had many people to thank. "Personally, Margaret Thom helped me out a lot -- she believed in me; my wife and my daughter and my parents and relatives in Fort Providence; and my in-laws and my in-law relatives in Fort Simpson," he said.

"And the Creator for helping me out during my 32 years."

A statement concerning the assembly was set to released by the DCFN and Grand Chief Gerald Antoine after the Drum's deadline.