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Children's Nonfiction Native Canadian

At the Heart of It

Dene dzó t?áré

by (author) Mindy Willett & Raymond Taniton

photographs by Tessa Macintosh

Publisher
Fifth House Books
Initial publish date
Oct 2011
Category
Native Canadian
Recommended Age
7 to 18
Recommended Grade
4
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781897252697
    Publish Date
    Oct 2011
    List Price
    $19.95

Classroom Resources

Where to buy it

Description

Raymond Taniton is Sahtugot'ine, which means "people from the Sahtu or Great Bear Lake." He lives in Deline, Northwest Territories, on the shore of Sahtu, Canada's largest and most pristine lake. Raymond, former chief, is one of his community's many gifted leaders. In At the Heart of It, the seventh book in The Land is Our Storybook series, Raymond shows readers how to make a traditional Dene drum with the help of his father, Alfred, who is a leader and the "keeper of the drum." Raymond shares the importance of keeping traditions alive to maintaining a healthy community. He also introduces readers to Dene spiritual, political, and traditional leaders and explains why Deline is a leader in the NWT in terms of healthy places, people, and land. Sahtugot'ine have never given up their right and responsibility to look after and govern themselves. Join Raymond and find out what is at the heart of the rich history of the Sahtugot'ine.

About the authors

Mindy Willett lives in Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories. She is a teacher at heart although no longer in the classroom. She first came north to Rankin Inlet, Nunavut in 1987 and most recently taught in Kugluktuk, Nunavut from 1996 to 2000. Mindy stopped being a classroom teacher when she had her son Jack. To remain home as much as possible, she started her own home-based business, writing educational materials.

Mindy Willett's profile page

Raymond Taniton is Dene from Great Bear Lake. He has worked his entire life for the betterment of his people. He was chief of Deline and grand chief of the Sahtu Dene. As a long-standing member of the Protected Areas Strategy Committee, Raymond worked with others to see two peninsulas on Great Bear Lake, Sahoyue and ehdacho, become permanently protected by Parks Canada.

Raymond Taniton's profile page

"Tessa Macintosh is an award-winning northern photographer who raised her family in Yellowknife. In 35 years she has been fortunate to photograph many wonderful northerners and fantastic places across the North. Her photos illustrate the 7 other books in The Land is Our Storybook series, and her work is included in Canadian Shield (2011). She has fond memories of previous visits to Great Bear Lake, beginning 30 years ago, toddler in tow, to photograph Elders making snowshoes."

Tessa Macintosh's profile page

Librarian Reviews

At the Heart of It (The Land Is Our Storybook)

Meet Raymond Taniton who is Sahtugot’ine (the people of Great Bear Lake) and lives on the shore of the great lake called Sahtú. Raymond introduces us to his family and tells us the history of his community and its strong and gifted leaders. He talks about the Sahtú region, shows us how to make a drum and shares some traditional stories.

Source: The Canadian Children’s Book Centre. Best Books for Kids & Teens. Spring, 2012.

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