Respected Dene elder dies at 82
Friends and family mourn passing of John Drygeese from Dettah
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Published Friday, January 16, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Friends and family are mourning the passing of a respected Dettah elder.
Well-liked and respected elder John Drygeese died Jan. 9 at Stanton Hospital. - photo courtesy of Jennifer Drygeese |
John Drygeese died Jan. 9 at Stanton Territorial Hospital at age 82. He had been medevaced to Edmonton prior to Christmas, where he was treated for pneumonia, but returned to Stanton and remained there until his death.
His son, Bobby Drygeese, is the owner of B. Dene Adventures, a Dene cultural camp on the shores of Great Slave Lake. He said his father was one of the community's great leaders who always took care of and provided for his family.
"There were eight of us kids in total and too many grandchildren to count. We never lacked for anything and he was always lots of fun, a good guy to be around," said Drygeese.
"He was always out on the land and he passed his traditional knowledge to us. Knowing how to live off the land and the traditional way of life has always been very important to me."
He described his father as a man who maintained a strong presence right up until the end of his life. "He knew everybody. He was a good hearted friend to many," he said.
According to his son, John was born on the land near MacKay Lake, northeast of Yellowknife, in 1933 and moved to the Dettah area when he was about four-years old. He also leaves his wife Mary Louise, who still lives in Dettah.
In a news release in commemoration of the elder's life, Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus said Drygeese will be sadly missed.
"He was a knowledgeable man who valued community and family life. He was raised on the land and later provided for his family, relatives and friends," said the statement.
"He always encouraged everybody to work together. I have never once seen him upset or angry at anything or anybody, he was nice to be around.
"He sat on the Elders' Senate of the (Yellowknives Dene First Nation) and provided sound advice and clear guidance to the local leaders and citizens."
The release went on to state he treasured life and always looked happy. People enjoyed his wholesome personality, the news released stated.
Drygeese also witnessed many changes in and around his community during the course of his life - he was a toddler when Burwash Mine, the area's first gold mining operation, began its shortlived operations in 1935 before Yellowknife was founded. He went on to see the city grow to a community of 20,000 people.
The statement closed by characterizing Drygeese as a man who "thoroughly enjoyed a good round of pool."
People from Yellowknife, Behchoko and surrounding communities attended his funeral Monday at St. Patrick's Roman
Catholic Church.
