New book highlights Gwich’in stories

The Elmer E. Rasmuson Library and Gwich'in Tribal Council will host a virtual book launch and discussion of “Our Whole Gwich’in Way of Life Has Changed / Gwich’in K’yuu Gwiidandài’ Tthak Ejuk Gòonlih” at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb 17.

The event with authors Leslie McCartney and Sharon Snowshoe will be via Zoom (registration is available here) and is open to all.

“Our Whole Gwich’in Way of Life Has Changed / Gwich’in K’yuu Gwiidandài’ Tthak Ejuk Gòonlih” is a compilation of historical and cultural information based on a project originally conceived by the Gwich’in Social and Cultural Institute to document the biographies of the oldest Gwich’in elders in the Gwich’in Settlement Region.

Through their own stories, 23 Gwich’in elders from the Northwest Territories communities of Fort McPherson, Tsiigehtshik, Inuvik, and Aklavik share their joy of living and traveling on the land. Their distinctive voices speak to their values, world views, and knowledge, while McCartney assists by providing context and background on the lives of the narrators and their communities. Scholars, students, and all those interested in Canadian/Northern history, anthropology, Indigenous studies, oral history, or cultural geography will benefit from this resource.

Leslie McCartney is a cultural anthropologist specializing in oral history. She is an associate professor and curator of oral history at UAF. Sharon Snowshoe is the director of the Department of Culture and Heritage with the Gwich'in Tribal Council. The Gwich’in Tribal Council is an Indigenous land claim organization responsible for protecting and advancing the interests of the Gwich’in peoples of the Gwich’in Settlement Region in the Northwest Territories and Yukon, Canada.

For more information, contact Genova Brookes Boyd at gdbrookesboyd@alaska.edu or 907-474-6378.