Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve – Place Names and Pronunciation Guide
Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve is in the traditional territory of the Sahtu Dene and Métis. The dialect used for place names in the park is that of the Shúhtaot’ine (Mountain Dene). Language is a key to understanding the cultural landscape of Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve.
To know the land as the Shúhtaot’ine know the land, place names must be kept (or returned) to their original Dene (Slavey) language. Not all of the traditional place names are known amongst the Shúhtaot’ine who are alive today. However, Shúhtaot’ine elders have given new names to those places where the old names have been lost or forgotten.
“[Our Shúhtaot’ine Elders have lived their whole entire life in the area and were happy.] All the places may not mean anything to all people, but, they mean the world to the people who live off the area. We have to keep using the Elders’ place names as long as we can, for our future generations. If used in the same way, then we will benefit and get help from the area. Again, I cannot stress how important this area is for our people and future generations. But it has to be used and looked at differently, in our Shúhtaot’ine way.”
The English names given to places in the park were largely a result of surveyors, geologists and prospectors travelling through the area in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s.
Place names will vary amongst Dene language speakers as well. Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve is in the Sahtu Region of the Northwest Territories, whereas Nahanni National Park Reserve is in the Dehcho Region. The Dehcho name may differ from the Sahtu name for the same location. For example, Tehjeh Deé is called Nahɂa Dehé in the Dehcho. Visitors are encouraged to use (or at least try) Dene place names. By using the Elders’ place names, park visitors are showing respect to the Sahtu Dene and Métis, and helping to keep language and culture as an integral part of the land.
Leon Andrew kindly provided the place names and several other pronunciations below. Another Elder (who wishes to remain anonymous) shared pronunciations for animals, plants and several others words.
English Name |
Shúhtaot’ine Name |
Pronunciation |
Click the button to play the audio. |
---|---|---|---|
O’Grady Lake Area | |||
O’Grady Lake | Túoch'ee Tué | Too-ho-chay Tway | |
Natla River | Túoch'ee Deé | Too-ho-chay Day | |
Keele River (outside the park) |
Begaadeé | Bay-gah-day | |
Nááts’įhch’oh Area | |||
Mount Nááts’įhch’oh (Mount Wilson) |
Nááts’įhch’oh | Nats-inch-oh(n) | |
Moose Ponds | Nááts’įhch’oh Tué | Nats-inch-oh(n) Tway | |
South Nahanni River | Tehjeh Deéi | Teh-jeh Day | |
Rabbitkettle Hot Spring (in Nahanni) |
Gaǫfááii (name for all hot springs) |
Ga-ohn-fah | |
Nı́onep’eneɂ Area | |||
Nı́onep’eneɂ Lake (Grizzly Bear Lake) |
Nı́onep'eneɂ Tuéiii | Nee-oh-neh-pen-ay Tway | |
Black Wolf Creek | Dı́ga Dezene Deé | Dig-ah Dez-ehn-ay Day | |
The Creek is Flowing Out of the Mountain |
Shúhzhıé káı̨lı̨ | Shuh-jay kind-eh | |
Sunlight Mountain | Sadéé Shúh | Sah-day Shoo | |
Sunlight Mountain Hot Spring | Sadéé Shúh Gaǫfáá | Sah-day Shoo Ga-ohn-fah | |
Divide Lake Area | |||
Divide Lake | Ǫtaa Tu Fehto | Oh-tah Too Feh-toh | |
Creek (from Divide Lake) |
Ǫtaa Tu Fehto Deé | Oh-tah Too Feh-toh Day | |
Swallow Falls | Pı́ı́lǫhda Nááréélı̨ | Pilo-dah Nah-ray-leh | |
Broken Skull River | Pı̨́ı̨́p'enéh łéetǫ́ǫ́ Deé | Pip-en-ay Lee-toh Day | |
Singing Water Mountain | Tu Ɂulah Shúh | Too Uh-lah Shoo | |
White Water Creek | Tu Dek’ale Deé | Too Dek-ah-lay Day | |
Rainbow Creek | K’áále Míé Deé | Kah-lay Mee-ay Day | |
Red Creek | Dedeleɂ Deé | Deh-deh-lay Day | |
Broken Skull Lake | Pı̨́ı̨́p'enéh łéetǫ́ǫ́ Tué | Pip-en-ay Lee-toh Tway | |
Broken Skull Hot Spring | Pı̨́ı̨́p'enéh łéetǫ́ǫ́ Gaǫfáá | Pip-en-ay Lee-toh Ga-ohn-fah | |
Raven’s Throat River (outside the park) |
Tátsǫ́k’áá Deé | Tah-son-kah Day | |
Margaret Lake Area | |||
Clearwater Lake | Tuededéveh Tué | Too-deh-dev-eh Tway | |
Clearwater Mountain (large – beside the lake) |
Tuededéveh Shúh | Too-deh-dev-eh Shoo | |
Lesser Mountain (granite intrusion) |
Pietsele Shúh | Pee-et-sel-eh Shoo | |
Margaret Lake | Dechı̨baa Tué | Deh-chi-bah Tway | |
Broken Heart Plateau | Sedzeełéetó Pıehtéh | Seh-zjay-(k)leh-ton Peh-tay | |
Three Sisters Mountain | Łehdéétaı́ Shúh | (k)leh-day-tai Shoo | |
Howard’s Pass Access Road Area | |||
Connecting Flow River (Little Nahanni River) |
Łáhtanįlį Deé | (K)lah-tan-ee-lee Day | |
Caribou Crossing Trail (Howard’s Pass Access Road) |
Ɂepé Nįnarehɂá Ɂetenéɂ | (G)eh—pay Nah-ray-(g)ah (G)et-en-ay |
Name (English) | Shúhtaot’ine Name | Pronunciation | |
---|---|---|---|
Animals | |||
Caribou | Epé | Ay-pay | |
Moose | Įts’é | It-say | |
Fish | Łue | (K)loo-eh | |
Bear | Sah | Sah | |
Wolf | Díga | Dee-gah | |
Fox | Nǫgére | Nok-geh-ree | |
Squirrel | Dléá | D’lay | |
Grouse (chicken) | Dih | Dee | |
Eagle | Det’onecho | Day-ton-e-cho | |
Loon | Tútsi | Too-(t)see | |
Mosquito | P’í | P'ee | |
Plants | |||
Berries | Je | Ji | |
Spruce | Ts’u | T’sou | |
Flower | Įt’ǫ́ | Een-ton | |
Lichen | Ajú | Ah-ju | |
Moss | Nį | Nee | |
Mushroom (translates as “Mouse Food”) |
Dlįa béré | D’leei-bée-reh | |
Useful Words and Phrases | |||
Mountain Dene | Shúhtaot’ine | Shoo-tah-oh-tin-ay | |
Thank you | Mahsi | Mah-see | |
Good Morning | Náhkale gonezo | Nah-kah-lay Go-nay-zoh | |
Morning | Náhkale | Nah-kah-lay | |
Boat (canoe) | Eláhyaa | Ai-la-y’a | |
River | Deé | Dée | |
Lake | Tué | Tway | |
Unnamed Lake | Tu Fehto | Too Feh-toh |
i In the Dehcho Region of the Northwest Territories, including Nahanni National Park Reserve, this river is called the Nahɂa Dehé (South Nahanni River)
ii In the Dehcho Region of the Northwest Territories, including Nahanni National Park Reserve, the tufa mounds are called Gahnįhthah.
iii Shúhtaot’ine Elders caution travelers against using the word “Grizzly Bear” or “Bear” as these animals have powerful spirits that must be respected. The English name for Nı́onep’eneɂ Tué is no longer being used for this reason.
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