Fort Simpson (Apr 07/06) - An elder who lived her long life with strength and love was laid to rest on March 28.

Dora Nahanni died on March 23 in Fort Simpson. Although the exact date of her birth is unknown, some records trace it to April 2, 1901, making her 104.

Dora Nahanni, who celebrated her 104th birthday last year with daughter Mabel Nahanni, left, and granddaughter Sharon Allen, died on March 23. - NNSL file photo

Nahanni will be remembered for the kindness she showed to others.

"She always gave advice and she didn't care what people thought," said Sharon Allen, Nahanni's granddaughter.

Nahanni was born in the Tathlina Lake area. With her first husband Vital Sake she had five children: Bella, Arthur, Willie, Elizabeth and Mary.

She also helped other women deliver their babies, tan hides and make traditional crafts.

Nahanni left Tathlina Lake in the 1930s after Vital died. She moved to Fort Providence where she met her second husband, George Nahanni. The couple moved to Fort Simpson in the 1940s where they raised their five children: Francis, Suzanne, Mabel, James and George together with George's earlier sons Alfred and John.

Allen said one memory she will carry is seeing Nahanni in her little red house in Jean Marie River.

When she was little, Allen visited her grandmother and watched her make bannock.

"She always had a warm fire and she always had stories to tell," said Allen.

Nahanni advised people to be kind to each other. If someone asks for something you should give it willingly. Don't hold it back because it will come back to you, Nahanni would say, recalled Allen.

She also cautioned about becoming mad when you are trying to do something. Instead, keep trying until you get it right, Allen said.

Nahanni may have been the oldest living person in the Northwest Territories, said Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche who did some research on the subject.

Health and Social Services could only show that the oldest person registered for the NWT health care plan was born on Jan. 1, 1902. The Bureau of Statistics for the government of the NWT was only able to state that as of 2005 there were approximately 49 people over the age of 90 living in the Territories.