Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Pat Kane

For generations, Indigenous people in Canada have lived under the laws and values of European settlers through forced assimilation. The introduction of residential schools, formed by the federal government and instituted by the Catholic and Anglican Church, pulled Indigenous children away from their lands, families, languages, and identities. The goal was to bring “civilization to the savage people who could never civilize themselves” (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Final Report, 2015).

This project focuses on how Indigenous people in my region are moving towards meaningful self-determination by resetting the past. The act of reclaiming culture and identity is ongoing, and my friends here are resilient in a place where symbols and systems of colonization loom large. In Catholicism, we are Children of God, but in the Dene worldview, we are One with the Land.

There is a tragic and complex tension between the way of the church and the way of the ancestors. While it may be impossible to break free of the colonizers, the subtle, defiant, and beautiful acts of resistance give strength to say "We are still here; here is where we shall stay".

- - -

The title of this project is from the final story of "The Book of Dene", a collection of parables from various Indigenous groups in Northern Canada. In the legend titled, "The Two Brothers", two young siblings sneak away in a canoe and become lost. They travel west, south, and east, visiting many different lands but suffering tremendous hardships. Some of the people they meet ridicule and take advantage of them. After many years, they make their way to the North and are welcomed fed, and clothed by the people there. One brother says to the other, "Here is where we shall stay". An elderly couple asks who they are and the brothers tell their incredible story. It is revealed that these are the boy's parents, and they are finally reunited as a family in their homeland.

This project was created for the World Press Photo 2020 Joop Swart Masterclass.

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - The bible of Victor Mercredi, a Métis man who...

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The bible of Victor Mercredi, a Métis man who lived in Fort Chipewyan, was published in 1904 and given to him by an oblate in 1924. The bible was often written in unicode syllabics - a way for settlers to translate Indigenous languages into written words. Missionaries distributed it to Indigenous people throughout Canada as they established churches and formal communities. It is believed that the Hudson's Bay Company did not want books written in syllabics because they did not want Indigenous people to read or write.

The bible of Victor Mercredi, a Métis man who lived in Fort Chipewyan, was... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Chase Lockhart makes an offering of tobacco, a way to...

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Chase Lockhart makes an offering of tobacco, a way to show respect to the water and pray for safe travels upon it.

Chase Lockhart makes an offering of tobacco, a way to show respect to the water and pray... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Melaw Nakehk’o is a Moosehide Tanner, an artist, a...

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Melaw Nakehk’o is a Moosehide Tanner, an artist, a filmmaker and mother. "Through the process of reclaiming my cultural knowledge, I saw how the teachings woven into our land practices could positively impact our communities. Our Dene protocols and laws that govern our reciprocal relationship with the land and animals. These teachings are similar across all our nations. Moosehide tanning is a foundational Indigenous art form, it was our homes, our transportation, our clothes and in hard times our sustenance. It is the canvas of our visual cultural identity. The smoke smell triggers memories of grandmothers, the sound of scraping reminds us of our aunties working together, the beadwork and style of our moccasins represent our nations.

Melaw Nakehk’o is a Moosehide Tanner, an artist, a filmmaker and mother.... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - A dog walks near the Catholic Church of the Holy Family...

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A dog walks near the Catholic Church of the Holy Family in Łutsël K’é, Northwest Territories. The church was built near the present day settlement in 19XX and moved to its current location at the tip of the penninsula - one of the tallest and most recognizable structures in the community.

A dog walks near the Catholic Church of the Holy Family in Łutsël K’é,... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Louis Zoe, an elder from Gamètì, Northwest...

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Louis Zoe, an elder from Gamètì, Northwest Territories, watches the sun set over Kokètì (Contwoyto Lake), the calving grounds and migration route for the Bathurst caribou herd. In the 1980's and '90's, the herd had a population of nearly half a million caribou but has declined to just under 10,000 today. Scientists say the decline may be from a combination of several factors: climate change, mining, increase in predators and over hunting. Zoe and several researchers from nearby communities, use a mix of traditional knowledge and western science to "do as hunters do" and study their migration patterns, the health of the land and water, signs of new predators and resource development - all in real time, on the ground and alongside the herd.

Louis Zoe, an elder from Gamètì, Northwest Territories, watches the sun set... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Friends and family gather on a small island to honour the...

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Friends and family gather on a small island to honour the memory of Sam Boucher, Cammy Boucher and Jake Gully who drown through thin ice while travelling to Łutsël K’é on their snowmobiles in 2019.

Friends and family gather on a small island to honour the memory of Sam Boucher, Cammy... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - An abondoned shrine near Yellowknife, Northwest...

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An abondoned shrine near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, close to the Trappers Lake Spirituality Centre. While mostly a place where teenagers come to party, people still leave offerings and prayers.

An abondoned shrine near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, close to the Trappers Lake... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Moose hides dry and are tanned by the smoke inside a tipi...

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Moose hides dry and are tanned by the smoke inside a tipi near Lı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́. Moose hide tanning is a traditional way to make clothing, instruments, tools and art. Many younger people in the Northwest Territories are relearning moosehide tanning as a way to Indiginize and carry the tradition forward. "It's more than tanning moose hide," says Tania Larsson and artist and advocate for Indigneous practices. "Just by being in the bush with other people, away from the city and making our camp and cooking on the fire and sharing knowledge, we are living our traditional life. It is very holistic, natural approach to living."

Moose hides dry and are tanned by the smoke inside a tipi near Lı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́. Moose... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - After thirty-nine years as a couple, John Doctor, 65, and...

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After thirty-nine years as a couple, John Doctor, 65, and Pauline Zoe, 58, get married in St. Micheal's Catholic Church in the Tłı̨chǫ community of Behchokǫ̀. Doctor recently retired from the Rio Tinto owned Diavik Diamond Mine, one of three diamond mines operating in the Northwest Territories. "We have a family but I figured it was time to make it official. I'm glad she said yes."

After thirty-nine years as a couple, John Doctor, 65, and Pauline Zoe, 58, get married in... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Sahᾴí̜ʔᾳ and Náʔël...

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Sahᾴí̜ʔᾳ and Náʔël Nóríyá in their bedroom in Somba K'e (Yellowknife). "Sahᾴí̜ʔᾳ remained unnamed for a month until we collaborated with my mom for Denesołįne words in our language", says their mother, Shene Catholique-Valpy. "We chose Sahᾴí̜ʔᾳ, which means 'when the sun is peaking through the clouds'. The day she was born I was waiting for her arrival and I could remember looking through the window and watching the sun peeking through the clouds on its way to setting for the night. Her name is meant for her. She is the sun that will always come through the gray clouds. A month after her birth, we applied for a birth certificate but were told they cannot support the glottal stop in her name.

Sahᾴí̜ʔᾳ and Náʔël Nóríyá in their bedroom in... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - In 1987, Pope John Paul II visited the small community of...

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In 1987, Pope John Paul II visited the small community of Łı́ı́dlı̨́ı̨́ Kų́ę́, a home to Dene people for thousands of years. It became a fort under the control of the Hudson's Bay company in the early 1800's and given the anglicized name Fort Simpson after the George Simpson, the governor of Rupert's Land. Here, at the ehdaa (a point of flat land) Pope John Paul II wore a caribou hide robe and held mass for nearly 4,000 people. He publicly advocated for Indigenous rights but encouraged Indigenous people to join the Church and follow catholicism. Despite repeated invitations by Indigenous people for the Roman Catholic Church to publicly apologize for their role in the residential school system, they have not. John Paul II was the first and last pope to visit Canada's North.

In 1987, Pope John Paul II visited the small community of Łı́ı́dlı̨́ı̨́ Kų́ę́, a home to... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Approbation, official approval.

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Approbation, official approval.

Approbation, official approval.

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - A cabin on Etthen Island, Northwest Territories, provides...

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A cabin on Etthen Island, Northwest Territories, provides shelter for travellers to and from the small community of Łutsël K’é.

A cabin on Etthen Island, Northwest Territories, provides shelter for travellers to and... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Families gather at a camp on Etthen Island near Thaidene...

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Families gather at a camp on Etthen Island near Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve in the east arm of Tu Nedhé (Great Slave Lake).

Families gather at a camp on Etthen Island near Thaidene Nëné National Park... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Ribbons tied to a Tree of Honour in Somba K'e...

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Ribbons tied to a Tree of Honour in Somba K'e (Yellowknife) pay tribute to the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in the Northwest Territories . In June 2019, a federal inquiry found that Indigenous women and girls were 12 times more likely to be murdered or to go missing than members of any other demographic in Canada — and 16 times more likely to be killed or to disappear than white women.

Ribbons tied to a Tree of Honour in Somba K'e (Yellowknife) pay tribute to the... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Sage burns in a smudging bowl on Lila Fraser Erasmus'...

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Sage burns in a smudging bowl on Lila Fraser Erasmus' dining room table. "We're connected to the land, it is part of who we are as people, we are inseparable from it," she says. "Our traditional medicines have strong healing powers - sage, spruce tips, chaga, fireweed, rat root - all of these plants we find on the land can help us with common sicknesses to serious diseases. If you take something from the land, it has to be picked with good intentions or else it won't work. This is a very spiritual process for us."

Sage burns in a smudging bowl on Lila Fraser Erasmus' dining room table.... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Instant photos of Terri Enzoe, Jaysen Michel and Jennifer...

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Instant photos of Terri Enzoe, Jaysen Michel and Jennifer Michel cover an archive photo of students and missionaries of the Chief Julius residential school in Teet'lit Zheh (Fort McPherson). Terri, Jaysen and Jennifer are land and water protectors from Łutsël K’é, working as part of the Ni Hat'ni Dene Guardians to preserve their homelands.

Instant photos of Terri Enzoe, Jaysen Michel and Jennifer Michel cover an archive photo... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Drummers pray and sing during a ceremony to "feed...

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Drummers pray and sing during a ceremony to "feed the fire" at Kokètì (Contwoyto Lake) - a way to ask the land for safety and protection.

Drummers pray and sing during a ceremony to "feed the fire" at... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - An Anglican Church archive photo of three Dene girls near...

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An Anglican Church archive photo of three Dene girls near present day Behchokǫ̀.

An Anglican Church archive photo of three Dene girls near present day Behchokǫ̀.

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - A memorial honouring the Dene and Metis people - many of...

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A memorial honouring the Dene and Metis people - many of them children who attended Sacred Heart Residential School - are buried at Deh Gáh Got’îê (Fort Providence). The burial site was here between 1868 and 1948. It was later ploughed over and used as a potato field by the Roman Catholic Mission. The exact number of people who were buried here is unknown and many records are incomplete.

A memorial honouring the Dene and Metis people - many of them children who attended... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - Katłįà, an author from Somba K'e (Yellowknife), is...

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Katłįà, an author from Somba K'e (Yellowknife), is studying law with the hope of opening her own firm and representing Indigenous people in the Northwest Territories. She is also completing her second book, Land-Water-Sky, while at school in Victoria, British Columbia. "I think there's alot of allyship and more people are aware of colonialism. We have a lot of non-indigenous people trying to help, which is great, but they are trying to be saviours and that can only go so far. It is so important that we, as indigenous people, are able tell our own stories and be published. I hope to be a role model for my kids and other young women."

Katłįà, an author from Somba K'e (Yellowknife), is studying law with the hope of... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - The aurora borealis appears over the village of Dettah.

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The aurora borealis appears over the village of Dettah.

The aurora borealis appears over the village of Dettah.

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - A cross along the road near Yellowknife, Northwest...

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A cross along the road near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, at the Trappers Lake Spirituality Centre. The centre was built in 1992 by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith as a gathering place for workshops, meetings and bible studies.

A cross along the road near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, at the Trappers Lake... READ ON

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - The Tłı̨chǫ flag stands on the barrenlands at...

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The Tłı̨chǫ flag stands on the barrenlands at Kokètì (Contwoyto Lake).

The Tłı̨chǫ flag stands on the barrenlands at Kokètì (Contwoyto Lake).

Here Is Where We Shall Stay - The bible of Victor Mercredi, a Métis man who...

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The bible of Victor Mercredi, a Métis man who lived in Fort Chipewyan, was published in 1904 and given to him by an oblate in 1924. The bible was often written in unicode syllabics - a way for settlers to translate Indigenous languages into written words. Missionaries distributed it to Indigenous people throughout Canada as they established churches and formal communities. It is believed that the Hudson's Bay Company did not want books written in syllabics because they did not want Indigenous people to read or write.

The bible of Victor Mercredi, a Métis man who lived in Fort Chipewyan, was... READ ON

For generations, Indigenous people in Canada have lived under the laws and values of European settlers through forced assimilation. The introduction of residential schools, formed by the federal government and instituted by the Catholic and Anglican Church, pulled Indigenous children away from their lands, families, languages, and identities. The goal was to bring “civilization to the savage people who could never civilize themselves” (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Final Report, 2015).

This project focuses on how Indigenous people in my region are moving towards meaningful self-determination by resetting the past. The act of reclaiming culture and identity is ongoing, and my friends here are resilient in a place where symbols and systems of colonization loom large. In Catholicism, we are Children of God, but in the Dene worldview, we are One with the Land.

There is a tragic and complex tension between the way of the church and the way of the ancestors. While it may be impossible to break free of the colonizers, the subtle, defiant, and beautiful acts of resistance give strength to say "We are still here; here is where we shall stay".

- - -

The title of this project is from the final story of "The Book of Dene", a collection of parables from various Indigenous groups in Northern Canada. In the legend titled, "The Two Brothers", two young siblings sneak away in a canoe and become lost. They travel west, south, and east, visiting many different lands but suffering tremendous hardships. Some of the people they meet ridicule and take advantage of them. After many years, they make their way to the North and are welcomed fed, and clothed by the people there. One brother says to the other, "Here is where we shall stay". An elderly couple asks who they are and the brothers tell their incredible story. It is revealed that these are the boy's parents, and they are finally reunited as a family in their homeland.

This project was created for the World Press Photo 2020 Joop Swart Masterclass.

Pat Kane

Photography of Northern Canada. Based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories on the traditional land of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.

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