Wolf Art by Lawrence Dean Charlie




Caribou Art by Lawrence Dean Charlie


CARIBOU
COORDINATION

Page 5

Who proposes permanent protection of the coastal plain? In a recent US poll, 70% of Americans called for permanent protection of the Arctic Refuge’s coastal plain. The coastal plain makes up 5% of Alaska’s coast not slated for oil development; the remaining 95% is slated
for development. Oil development would be severely devastating to the land and the animals that live there, for with an oil field comes an airstrip, roads, pipelines, drill pads, refineries, worker’s residences, sewage facilities, garbage dumps, etc. Development of this scale in a 1.5 million - acre area teeming with wildlife is unthinkable!

Imagine

Imagine a land
Of powder blue sky
Where caribou roam 
And many birds fly
Imagine a river
So wide and so clean
Imagine a people
So strong and so lean
The Vuntut Gwitchin
A proud ancient band 
Live off the earth
And love this land

See now the sky
Turn ashy and black
Watch animals flee
And never turn back
A fragile ecosystem
Destroyed and gone
While loud oil rigs
Drill on and on...
Now imagine the power
You hold in your hand
To stop oil development
And save this great land.

Poem by Monique
Musick


Uninjaathut

Nunh rsi dhuui 
Uninjaathut
Zze zit kkho kwa
Ezik vutzui nuhao
Tzi kei nuhuntutul
Hun gwinchya ultsya
Uninjaathut
Tinji ninttui govursijoui
Uninjaathut
Vuntut Gwitchin
Yeeno gwatsut tinji
Ji nunh kug googwindui
Tzut kuttijinidhun

Choog zze zit
Ttoh negwatchit lhidtsi gwili
Chutthui lhuhao
kkinjik nuhao kwa
Nunh kug ttrigwandui
Tchihdugwididhut
Tthui gwizik khthui jokka
Kkuttruntyi
Ttui dahtchi nyunli zit choi
Keninjaathut
Ji nunh khthui jokka kkuttruntyi
Kwitshi kwikettrahunatia
Kenjit.

Translated by Roy Moses
of Old Crow

What can you do to help: Ever since this area became truly threatened back in 1987, the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation has been on the front lines, battling for permanent protection of this area. For the Porcupine Caribou Herd is the centre of the Vuntut Gwitchin culture and life; we still live in the traditional way, hunting the caribou for food and traditional clothing. Nothing is wasted. For the Vuntut Gwitchin, the caribou are our life. In a Vuntut Gwitchin General Assembly Resolution back in August of 1995, we created the Caribou Coordination Department - a Vuntut Gwitchin Government Department that deals exclusively with the ‘1002 issue’ as well as any threat to the entire range of the Porcupine Caribou Herd’s range, including its wintering grounds. Among its numerous functions and duties, this department coordinates Gwitchin public education tours in the US and creates educational materials on this issue.

To help the Vuntut Gwitchin in its efforts to protect its way of life and the range and survival of the Porcupine caribou herd, or for more information, Please contact us at:

Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation
Caribou Coordination Department
P.O. Box 94, Old Crow, Yukon
Canada, YOB 1NO
Tel: (867) 966 - 3261
Fax: (867) 966 - 3800

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