At the Heart of It

Raymond Taniton is Sahtugot'ine, which means "people from the Sahtu or Great Bear Lake." He lives in Deline, Northwest Territories, on the shore of Sahtu, Canada's largest and most pristine lake. Raymond, former chief, is one of his community's many gifted leaders. In At the Heart of It, the seventh book in The Land is Our Storybook series, Raymond shows readers how to make a traditional Dene drum with the help of his father, Alfred, who is a leader and the "keeper of the drum." Raymond shares the importance of keeping traditions alive to maintaining a healthy community. He also introduces readers to Dene spiritual, political, and traditional leaders and explains why Deline is a leader in the NWT in terms of healthy places, people, and land. Sahtugot'ine have never given up their right and responsibility to look after and govern themselves. Join Raymond and find out what is at the heart of the rich history of the Sahtugot'ine.