Phoebe Parent
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 05/02) - On June 20, the naming of the Youth Centre was dedicated to, and celebrated in honour of, the late Leon Sambele.

The youth centre was once the old community hall, built in the 1960s. It was one of the first buildings to be built in the NWT with infrastructure funding, fundraising and volunteers from the community.

Many relatives and community members gathered on this special day at the youth centre. Chief Sam Gargan opened the ceremony with drummers and a prayer. There were special guest speakers such as NWT Senator Nick Sibbeston, and long-time friends Robert Beaulieu and Isadore Tourangeau who had come from Yellowknife and Fort Smith. All three were friends with Leon from the time they attended Grandin College.

Leon's past

Leon Sambele was born March 9, 1941. His parents were John Baptise Sambele and Rosanne Thom. His sisters are Madeline Canadien, Lucy Squirrel, Veronique Sabourin, and his brother is Albert Sambele, all of who still reside in Fort Providence. He also has a younger sister Bella Sambele who has lived in the south for many years.

Leon grew up in Fort Providence and attended the Sacred Heart Mission there, and eventually graduated at Grandin College in Fort Smith. He later became a supervisor at Breynat Hall in Fort Smith.

As a young man, Leon strived to teach that you can achieve greatness with hard work and the importance of education and family, especially with young aboriginal people.

Senator Nick Sibbeston spoke of Leon in Slavey. In the 1960s he met Leon at Grandin College and became his friend. He spoke of Leon as a strikingly good looking young man, who did well in school and had a lively sense of humour. Leon was great in sports, especially hockey. Nick, Leon, Robert and Isadore spent all their time together, attending school, studying, socializing and playing sports. After Grandin, the four friends went their separate ways but kept in touch often.

Later on, Leon went on to work in the mine in Yellowknife as a staker. He would go out on the barrenlands for long stretches to stake mineral claims. It was on one of these jobs when he was by himself in the barrenland that he suffered appendicitis, his appendix ruptured. He was not able to make it back to Yellowknife for medical treatment and he died.

Nick went on to say that he thought of Leon as a good person. He was an outstanding young man. He was the first Dene person to come from his community, Fort Providence, to advance so far in school. He wonders what good things Leon would have done had he lived and become involved in politics or the Dene Nation movement. Leon was an encouragement and companion to his friends.

The senator described Leon as his "brother." He had zest for life, was good spirited and had a desire to go to college and university and become "somebody." He went on to say Leon was solid, real, ambitious, determined and a good worker at whatever he did. He was gentle and a friend to everyone.

Great admiration

Father Labat had kept a monologue of the service for Leon. In this he wrote that he had an opportunity to work with Leon at the time he was a supervisor of Breynat Hall. Leon had energy with the children and he worked hard. Labat admired his intelligence; he was an educated man who loved his native brothers and had the capacity to understand others.

At the time Leon was a supervisor, he was tough on the younger ones but he knew that this world was a hard world to live in, this world had no pity for the poor and weak. He knew they would have to fend for themselves and he knew if they wanted to carve themselves a little piece in this world, they would have to work for it.

Leon had prepared the first draft of the structure of a proposed Territorial Native Brotherhood, which later on became the National Brotherhood.

And on this beautiful June day, the sun shone as Chief Sam Gargan spoke good words of Leon and how they grew up together as children.

The chief hopes that our younger generation and our children will be inspired by this dedication to Leon, who wanted to see good things happen for young people in the future.

Lucy Squirrel, sister of Leon, was given the honour of unveiling the Leon Sambele Youth Centre sign. The moment was emotional for some. There were framed pictures in honour of Leon, which were passed around to members of the community to see. A special plaque of Leon will be posted in the youth centre. A photograph of Leon hunting in the barrenlands was given to Lucy to keep. Another photo of Leon at Grandin College will be hung in the band office. The community plan to give his grave site a headstone in the near future.

On Feb. 9, 1969, Leon died from appendicitis.

Leon was never forgotten; he will always be in our minds, in our hearts, and in our community.

- Phoebe (Squirrel) Parent is Leon's niece