Delighted to be continuing our conversations with National Council members with an episode of “In Conversation” with Tłı̨chǫ negotiator and knowledge keeper, Dr. John B. Zoe, who is truly not only one of Canada’s great community leaders but also a wonderful storyteller.
The idea of these recorded conversations is to bring the wisdom and perspectives of our National Council to museum members and friends, particularly during these COVID times. We consult this august group regularly on matters pertaining to the museum and its future but we thought that there was so much there in terms of knowledge and stories that we should make an effort to share!
John B. and I first met in the 1990s when he was working with Northwest Territorial Subarctic Archaeologist Tom Andrews on the Įdaà Trail, an ancient trail linking Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake. Together, with the creative staff at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife, they produced “Lessons from the Land,” an amazing website full of Tlicho culture, language and traditions.
“[Canoe] means life – without it, you wouldn’t have what you have…”
John B. Zoe
In this far-reaching conversation, we not only learn about John B’s origins—how he evolved from being a stationary engineer looking after the boilers at Chief Jimmy Bruneau school in Rae-Edzo (Behchokǫ̀, since 2005), his hometown, to becoming the principal voice of his people in negotiations with the federal government that led to the creation of the Tłı̨chǫ Government—all the way through to how canoes were and are integrated into every aspect of Tłı̨chǫ life, politics and identity.
John B. and I spoke by Zoom from his home in Behchokǫ̀ on November 24th, 2020. Check out the conversation here:
References in this episode:
- Book: Journal of a Travelling Girl by Nadine Neema
- Upcoming book: The Politics of the Canoe by Bruce Erickson (Editor), Sarah Wylie Krotz (Editor)
