Teachings of Sahtu Prophet Ɂehtsǝ́o Erǝ́ya come alive in new project

Four years in the making, the translation of a Sahtu Region Elder’s 1980’s-era recording that recounts the words of Prophet Ɂehtsǝ́o Erǝ́ya will be released later this month.

Cecile Modeste Sr., talks about the teachings of Ɂehtsǝ́o Erǝ́ya, also known as Grandfather Louis Ayah, a revered 19th- and 20th-century Sahtú Dene prophet and spiritual leader from Délı̨nę who passed away in 1940.

Modeste’s words were lovingly translated by her granddaughter, Jennie McPherson, along with her mother Jane Modeste and Uncle David Modeste, with help of Tate Juniper, who filmed and edited the introduction interview.

McPherson, a Sahtugot’ine Dene from Great Bear Lake, is originally from Délı̨nę and now resides in Norman Wells.

A speaker of Dene Kedǝ́ (North Slavey) she holds a Bachelor in Science in environmental science from Royal Road University and she has recently undertaken her Masters in Indigenous Language Revitalization at the University of Victoria.

The painstaking project aims to make these teachings accessible to the people said McPherson, emphasizing the importance of preserving and sharing these teachings, which blend Dene spirituality and Christianity.

She told CKLB that “It’s taken 50 years since my granny did this recording in the ’80s for it to be shared in this way with the public and with the world — and especially with our people.

“He knew that our world view was changing as the language was changing as more Mǫ́lɑ was coming into our communities and our children were being educated in the Western education system, including myself.”

McPherson continued: “Some of it’s even scary because he talks about end times — prophecies of what’s going to happen and climate change, everything that we’re facing today, addictions, and so saw all of this happen.

“And the guidance that he gave us to deal with it is in this recording, and it’s so simple, yet it’s so hard. Love each other, respect each other is at the root of it.”

The project, Ɂehtsǝ́o Erǝ́ya Ékɑrı̨dí (Ɂehtsǝ́o Erǝ́ya Spoke These Words): Teachings Carried Through Our Family, will be launched August 15^th on the Délı̨nę website (deline.ca) , during the Spiritual Gathering.

“We’re excited to share it.” said McPherson. “August 15th is when the spiritual gathering starts, and so we’re launching it that day. We’re going to do a presentation at the at Prophet’s House with Bishop John, who was gracious enough to write our foreword for us.

“It links the church to this and his forward is beautiful, saying that the church has a lot to learn from Indigenous people who have carried this gospel even before missionaries arrived.”

The audio from Jennie’s grandmother, which has been remastered from its original, will be available to listen to online as well as the English translation by McPherson.

Stacie Arden Smith/Native Communications Society of the NWT/Local Journalism Initiative