THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
A project is being planned to document the legends, mythology and stories of the night sky as told by Chipewyan, Cree and Slavey elders in the South Slave.

Mike Couvrette: chair of the Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Astronomical Society in Fort Smith is working on the terms of reference for a project to document aboriginal legends and stories of the night sky in the South Slave. - NNSL file photo

The idea – called the Northern Night Sky Traditional Knowledge Project – is being developed by the Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Astronomical Society in Fort Smith.

"I think it's really important before they're lost," said society chair Mike Couvrette of gathering the stories and legends. "And it also provides, I think, a great venue for being able to talk about the night sky, and the importance of it."

Couvrette knows the stories and legends exist, but there is very little existing documentation of what they are.

"There's bits and pieces out there," he said.

For example, Couvrette found a couple of brief references to astronomy in the Dene Kede curriculum, which teaches aboriginal culture and languages in NWT schools.

"I started reading through it and going, 'Great. I finally got a source here,'" he said. "And it says talk to elders about the stories."

Couvrette has also found snippets of stories that reference the aurora borealis, even one legend of hunters in the Hay River area being killed by northern lights.

As he understands it, some elders also see different shapes in the stars, such as animals. For example, he noted what is generally known as the Big Dipper is actually viewed by some as two different star groupings.

One of the people Couvrette has talked to about the research is Doug Lamalice, a member of K'atlodeeche First Nation on the Hay River Reserve.

"I think it's an awesome idea," said Lamalice of the proposed research, noting it's a good thing to record legends and stories. "Any time that can be published or taped or put forward into any areas of education, I'm all for it."

Lamalice recalled that, while growing up, he heard various stories about the sky from his grandmother and grandfather.

"You'd hear a lot of stories about northern lights," he noted. "You'd hear a lot of stories about how some stars are brighter and why they're brighter, and there are a lot of stories about the moon and the man in the moon."

Plus, Lamalice said aboriginal people would use the stars to navigate and keep track of the seasons, since there were no calendars or clocks.

"So the skies were used a lot," he said. "There are a lot of legends out there and a lot of stories to help educate other people, not just our young people."

Lamalice, who holds the contract with the GNWT to operate Twin Falls Gorge Territorial Park, would like to be involved in the research, noting he hasn't heard of anything similar taking place before in the South Slave.

"I hope to be a part of it because to me it's something I would like to learn more in depth and something I would like to hear more stories about," he said, adding he also would like to see the information become available in schools.

Couvrette said the idea for the research originated in 2012 when an application was being prepared to submit to the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada for Wood Buffalo National Park to be designated a dark-sky preserve, which happened last year.

It was suggested that, if the park would like to eventually apply to be designated an international dark-sky preserve – which is being considered – it would be beneficial to know how indigenous cultures interpret the night sky.

"I agreed to look after writing all the details about the indigenous aspects of the night sky," Couvrette said. "When I was starting to try to find examples of mythology, legends or stories about the night sky for the Chipewyan and the Slavey, that is almost nonexistent on the web."

However, Couvrette has talked to people in the South Slave and found there are such stories and legends in the region.

"Not a lot from what I can gather, but we felt let's try and determine what is out there, talk to the elders, and get their permission to record it," he said.

The Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Astronomical Society will be assisted by a number of other organizations on the project – Wood Buffalo National Park, Astronomy North and Aurora College.

Couvrette is now working on the project's terms of reference, which would include such things as possible funding.

The project might start in the coming summer or fall, he said, adding he anticipates it would take a minimum of 18 months to two years to complete.