People of the Lakes: Stories of our Van Tat Gwich'in Elder/Googwandak Nakhwach Van Tat Gwichin [Paperback]

Shirleen Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 11, 2006

Many people have a mental picture of the Canadian north that juxtaposes beauty with harshness. For the Van Tat Gwich'in, the northern Yukon is home, with a living history passed on from elders to youth. This book consists of oral accounts that the Elders have been recording for 50 years, representing more than 150 years of their history, all meticulously translated from Gwich'in. Yet this is more than a gathering of history; collaborator Shirleen Smith provides context for the stories, whether they are focused on an individual or international politics. Anthropologists, folklorists, ethnohistorians, political scientists, economists, members of First Nations, and readers interested in Canada's northernmost regions will find much to fascinate them.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Straddling the border between Canada and Alaska, and extending from the Arctic Circle north to the Beaufort Sea is the traditional territory of the Van Tat, fed by the the rivers Europeans call Crow, Black, Porcupine, and Peel. Near its center is Old Crow, the community of some 300 souls where the project was initiated to gather stories transcribed in earlier days from their scattered archives, and to interview the elders throughout the territory for this collection of narratives. Interspersed are drawings and photographs dating back to the 19th century, and stupendous new colour photographs of the land and the people. The sections are chronological: the long-ago stories, the first generation in the 19th century, the second generation early in the 20th, and the oral history of today. A glossary translates Gwich'in to English and English to Gwich'in." Book News Inc. May 2010

"The adjudication committee was unanimous in its praise of this remarkable work of community-academic collaboration. People of the Lakes is an outstanding history that will serve as a model for ethnohistorians working with indigenous communities for years to come. It's a volume all Canadian historians will want on their shelf." Keith Thor Carlson, Professor, History Department, University of Saskatchewan

"Stories told by the Van Tat Gwich'in, 'the people who live among the lakes,' of the northern Yukon are likely the oldest in Canada. Living in the community of Old Crow, these Aboriginal people have roots in the area that go back millenia. Even during the last ice age, their land was one of the few places in the North that wasn't encased in ice and so sustained life. Archeological evidence of human activity dates back more than 25 000 years. Now those ancient stories, along with more recent history, have been collected in a book by the University of Alberta Press, called People of the Lakes." Geoff McMaster, Express News, Jan 21, 2010

"People of the Lakes: Stories of Our Van Tat Gwich'in Elders/ Googwandak Nakhwach'anjoo Van Tat Gwich'in" is an amassing of oral accounts of Gwich'in Elders and the Van Tat Gwich'in which contains stories from four or more generations of Van Tat Gwich'in born in the century span from the 1880's to the 1980's. Some stories which are described as "long -ago" may go back as far as many centuries more. Context for the stories is provided by collaborator Shirleen Smith, Anthropology professor from the University of Alberta. Studded with more than 125 color photographs and more black and white photos, "People of the Lakes" is both a meticulous translation of over 150 years of Gwich'in history and a hailed tribute to the Van Tat Gwich'in community and its heritage. From the transcribing of this shared knowledge, which is priceless, can only come further enrichment of all inheriting cultures who occupy the territory of the "People of the Lakes." A great contribution also to the field of Native American Studies, "People of the Lakes" is a trendsetter and a ground breaker for anthropologists, ethnohistorians, and others interested in the northern regions of Canada and North America. A helpful Glossary is provided at the end of the book that translates from Gwich'in to English and the reverse. The text is further enhanced by the presence of various maps and historic photographs, each carefully documented. "People of the Lakes" is sure to garner praise and awards as it crosses genres and fulfills many obligations. Midwest Book Review

"[People of the Lakes] models possibilities for detailed cultural research and the gathering of a significant oral record and does it all in a book that is itself a beautiful thing..." BC History, Fall 2010

The authors...want to secure language, oral history, and knowledge of the land for future Van Tat Gwich'in generations. Recurrent themes are childhood experiences, seasonal activities (e.g., hunting, fishing, and trapping), and historical places (e.g., harvesting areas like the Old Crow Flats, trading posts like La-Pierre House or Rampart House, and social gathering places like Bear Cave Mountain), as well as kinship, relations with Inuit, and the changes that began with the entry of European and Canadian fur traders and missionaries. The vast majority of information is obtained from the Van Tat Gwich’in Oral History Collection, which includes interviews with the four generations recorded by local researchers in collaboration with Canadian academics.... The stories and quotes, shown in a different text colour, combined with a vast number of illustrations, make for a pleasant read. In their attempt to bring four generations together in one volume, the authors allow enough room for Gwich’in voices.... People of the Lakes is an inspiring book and worthwhile reading. The beauty of this impressive volume lies in the continuity of the narratives and the intimacy in which the different generations tell about their personal lives and those of their ancestors.... [T]he book is a welcoming invitation for any reader interested in Gwich'in lives, aboriginal and Canadian history, anthropology, religion, politics, and ethnohistory." Jan Peter Laurens Loovers, University of Aberdeen, Arctic, March 2011

From the Back Cover

Front Flap: The Van Tat Gwich’in Oral History Collection is a treasure. The stories it contains are from four or more generations of Van Tat Gwich’in who were born in the century from the 1880s to the 1980s. The fascinating histories they relate are from their own experiences or those of their elders and span the 19th and 20th centuries. The stories they describe as “long-ago stories” take the history back centuries and even millennia. —Shirleen Smith, from the Introduction Back Cover: Among the Van Tat Gwich’in, the living history of the community is still passed on from Elders to the youth. People of the Lakes consists of oral accounts recorded by the Elders from the northern Yukon over the past half-century, and represents more than 150 years of their history meticulously translated from Gwich’in. Yet this book is more than a gathering of history—it is a tribute to this community and its rich heritage. Collaborator Shirleen Smith provides context for the stories, whether they are focused on an individual or international politics. Anthropologists, folklorists, ethnohistorians, political scientists, economists, members of First Nations, and readers interested in Canada’s northernmost regions will find much to fascinate them. Back Flap: The Van Tat Gwich’in provided the guidance and translation for this book, and Gwich’in Elders shared their knowledge and were the impetus. Shirleen Smith lives in Edmonton, Alberta, and holds a doctorate in Anthropology from the University of Alberta.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 456 pages
• Publisher: University of Alberta Press (January 11, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0888645058
• ISBN-13: 978-0888645050
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #951,804 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Sure to garner praise and awards as it crosses genres and fulfills many obligations, May 9, 2010

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: People of the Lakes: Stories of our Van Tat Gwich'in Elder/Googwandak Nakhwach Van Tat Gwichin (Paperback)

"People of the Lakes: Stories of Our Van Tat Gwich'in Elders/ Googwandak Nakhwach'anjoo Van Tat Gwich'in" is an amassing of oral accounts of Gwich'in Elders and the Van Tat Gwich'in which contains stories form four or more generations of Van Tat Gwich'in born in the century span from the 1880's to the 1980's. Some stories which are described as "long -ago" may go back as far as many centuries more. Context for the stories is provided by collaborator Shirleen Smith, Anthropology professor from the University of Alberta. Studded with more than 125 color photographs and more black and white photos, "People of the Lakes" is both a meticulous translation of over 150 years of Gwich'in history and a hailed tribute to the Van Tat Gwich'in community and its heritage. From the transcribing of this shared knowledge, which is priceless, can only come further enrichment of all inheriting cultures who occupy the territory of the "People of the Lakes." A great contribution also to the field of Native American Studies, "People of the Lakes" is a trendsetter and a ground breaker for anthropologists, ethnohistorians, and others interested in the northern regions of Canada and North America. A helpful Glossary is provided at the end of the book that translates from Gwich'in to English and the reverse. The text ;is further enhanced by the presence of various maps and historic photographs, each carefully documented. "People of the Lakes" is sure to garner praise and awards as it crosses genres and fulfills many obligations.