The Land Heals: How Guardians Strengthen Communities
The Mackenzie Mountains. Photo: Kristen Tanche
The first time I began to understand Indigenous Land Stewardship and the concept of a guardian was several years ago while I was attending a Dechinta Pilot Program, which had a focus on Indigenous Guardianship. I was in the traditional territory of the Sahtu Gotie and Kaska Dene in the Mackenzie mountains. Surrounded by mountains, lush landscape, wildlife, land and culture.
At that time in my life I was struggling with grief, loss, addictions, and a multitude of “things”, including the impacts of colonization, intergenerational trauma, and figuring out my identity. Being immersed on the land in culture and nature, I escaped my reality. I was unable to feed my addictions and I had to focus on our bush community. I had time to breath. To think and to feel.
Partly due to my experience of being on the land, in the mountains, but also because of other events that have ultimately related to land based and cultural experiences, I have sought a different path. My path, which has worked for me, and may not work for others, has been one of sobriety.
I now work for my Indigenous Government, Dehcho First Nations. I have spent the past 2 years working in lands and resources, in on-the-land programming and with the Dehcho K’ehodi Guardian and Stewardship program.
Through this work, not only has a piece of myself been made stronger, but I have seen the first-hand impacts of the land on people. I have seen youth that took on-the-land programming be inspired to continue to learn their language, become mentors themselves and to continue to come back to do our on the land programs. Stating that being on the land has made them feel Dene again. I have seen Guardians become mentors, lead programming, I have seen them share their knowledge while doing their work of “Protecting the land by being on the land in a Dene way.” I have seen elders be brought to tears while the younger generation spoke their language, partly because of their participation in on the land programming. I’ve also seen gaps being bridged between elders and youth as they interact on the land.
Kristen Tanche at a Dehcho First Nations Dene Zhatie Language Sharing Gathering. Photo: Justina Black
The Dehcho K’ehodi Guardian and Stewardship program helps make these connections possible. It helps strengthen our communities through having guardians on the ground, through meaningful on the land programming and through bringing people together at annual gatherings.
There are many benefits of being on the land and land stewardship and so many areas you could look at. But ultimately, I believe it brings all people back to themselves, it heals, it protects, it provides. While on the land we can breathe. We are immersed in ourselves, in our land-based culture.
The land is healing and it is where we all belong.
Kristen Tanche is a member of Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation. Raised across the North, Tanche returned to her mother’s community of Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ (Fort Simpson) to re-connect with her family, community, and Dene culture 10 years ago. She is now employed by Dehcho First Nations as the Regional Health and Wellness Coordinator.
