Presley’s Special Name

Presley’s Special Name

Written by Jill Delaney in collaboration with Patricia Lindgren and the Department of Education

Photographs by Jill Delaney

Special thanks to Presley Hähke Isaac Lindgren-Woods, Trudy Lindgren, Ashley Doiron and the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Government

Printed in Whitehorse, Yukon SBN: 978-1-55362-622-0

In this book, you will meet:

Mom (Patricia Lindgren), Presley, and Grandma (Trudy Lindgren).

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Table of Contents

Part 1 – The Trip to Moosehide Village

Part 2 – Supper in Moosehide

Part 3 – Chief Isaac’s Cabin

Part 4 – Going Back to Dawson City

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Hi, my name is Presley Hähke Isaac Lindgren-Woods.

I live in Dawson City. I am Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in.

Today I am going to tell you something about my Hän name and my trip to a special place called Moosehide village.

Part 1 – The Trip to Moosehide Village

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This is my mom and my grandma.

We are on our way to Moosehide village by boat. I am going to learn why I have Hähke and Isaac in my name.

We are going down the Yukon River. There is no road, so the river is like a highway.

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As we leave Dawson City my grandma says, "Presley, look at the Moosehide slide. A long time ago part of the mountain slid down. We call it Ëddhä Dädhecha. That means ‘old dried moose hide, hanging up to dry’ in the Hän language."

I can see that it looks like that.

"I will tell you a story about it someday," Grandma says.

Soon we can see Moosehide village. I am very excited.

My mom says, "Look at the beautiful fall colours. Can you see the church and the cabins "

Yes, I can see them. Some look like they are very old. My mom tells me that people still live here some of the time.

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Moosehide village is a special place.

My mom says, "The Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in people moved here over 100 years ago from their fish camp at Tr’ochëk. Tr’ochëk was on the Klondike River where it meets the Yukon River. This is close to where Dawson City is today."

She tells me that at the time of the Gold Rush the miners wanted this land to look for gold.

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Helping Us Learn and Remember

Moosehide village, circa 1910-1920. Courtesy the Anglican Church of Canada, General Synod Archives Toronto, Thomas Camham Collection, P7510.

This is how Moosehide village looked a long time ago.

Can you see the church It is called St. Barnabas.

Look at the cabins. Elder Angie Joseph-Rear says these cabins belonged to Ellen Silas, Esau Harper, Jonathon Wood, and Kenneth Joseph. See the one with no roof. That’s Chief Isaac’s cabin.

Can you guess why there are no trees The trees were cut down to heat homes and for wood to run the steamboats.

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Part 2 Supper in Moosehide

Here we are. My mom and grandma get out of the boat. I run up the bank. Look, here’s the cook house. We go inside.

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It is almost time for supper.

My mom asks “Presley, are you hungry Do you want to help me make bannock ”

Yes! I like to help mix the flour.

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It smells so good! I can’t wait!

The bannock is almost ready.

Grandma makes the tea.

I watch my mom fry the bannock.

She tells me to stand back because the stove is very hot.

She tells me, “Go wash your hands Presley.”

I love my mom’s bannock. It is so good. I wonder if I can have another piece before supper.

While I eat supper, I visit with my friends and family. Everyone likes my mom’s bannock. I really like the moose stew.

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After supper I help my mom and grandma wash the dishes. In the cook house you have to clean up after yourself.

Now I go outside to play. I run around. I’m looking for my great, great grandpa Chief Isaac’s cabin. My grandma tells me which way to go.

She says, "Look for the one with caribou antlers on it".

Part 3 - Chief Isaac’s Cabin

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Here it is. This is the cabin where Chief Isaac and his family lived. It is very old. It has been here for almost 100 years.

This cabin is very important to me because I am Chief Isaac’s great, great grandson. Part of my name is Isaac - Presley Isaac, and part of my name is Hähke. Hähke means Chief in the Hän language. Chief Isaac was an important leader of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in people for many years.

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This is my mom, my grandma, and me in front of the cabin. We take care of it and help keep Moosehide village a special place. We are very proud to belong to Chief Isaac’s family.

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Helping Us Learn and Remember

This is a picture of Chief Isaac at his cabin in Moosehide a long time ago when he was the Hähke. He lived there with his wife Eliza. They had thirteen children, but only four lived.

He liked to play the drum and sing Hän songs.

Chief Isaac helped make Moosehide village a good place to live.

Chief Isaac in traditional dress with skin drum, 1920s. Courtesy the Yukon Archives, Isaac and Sadie Stringer fonds 82/332 #80.

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Part 4 – Going Back to Dawson City

Now it’s time to go home to Dawson City.

On our way back grandma says, “Look up grandson. Can you see the eagle flying in the sky ”

Mom tells me that when you see a ch’ezhän it is good luck.16

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I feel like a lucky boy. My family and I have fun on the river.

I learn lots of new things every time I go to Moosehide village.

Look! Another eagle. I say "ch’ezhän".

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We are back in Dawson City. We had a good trip to Moosehide. I had fun and I learned more about my great, great grandpa Chief Isaac.

I am very proud to be named after him - Presley Hähke Isaac Lindgren-Woods.

When I grow up, I want to be a leader just like him.18

Isaac Family Tree

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Ryan

Chief Gàh Ts’yàt

Eliza HarperCrow Clan

Chief IsaacWolf Clan

malefemale

Patrica Isaac

Charles Isaac

FredIsaac

AngelaIsaac

DorothyBarry

DonaldPatsy

Patrica

Presley

Lori

TriciaShane Dawn

Jessica

James

Conner Faith

Damian

Mylo JeremyTyler

Cody

Bonnie

Trica

Darcy Jason

Richelle

Alex Arel

Nicholas Calista

Warren

KyleAndyPaul

Gerald Joy Russell Norman

Ariana

Original Family Tree by Joy Isaac, January 2009

Chief Isaac, squatting over a hole in the ice fishing; beside him lies a pile of fish.

"Chief Isaac", Cantwell photo Dawson, circa 1900. Courtesy the MacBride Museum of Yukon History Collection 1989-1-58.

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Chief IsaacThe Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in of

Dawson remember that Chief Isaac was a strong, patient, fair and knowledgeable leader during the late 1890’s until his death from influenza in 1932 at the age of 85.

He was born in Alaska near Eagle and moved to the Dawson area with his brothers prior to 1898. He married Eliza Harper and they had thirteen children, four of whom survived to adulthood.

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Many stories are told about his life as a leader. One of them happened during the winter of 1897-98 when the gold miners ran out of food. Chief Isaac led hunters from his village up the Klondike River valley to hunt enough moose and caribou to keep the people in Dawson from starving. During that same year Chief Isaac saw that the miners were pushing the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in off their land at Tro'chëk their fishing village at the mouth of the Klondike River. With the support of the government and the Anglican Church, he was able to obtain land three miles down the Yukon River at Moosehide. The people moved there during 1897 and 98 and this helped to reduce the social problems that characterized life in Dawson at the time.

Chief Isaac was a tall man with an imposing figure, who often presided and made speeches at community events in his colourful regalia. He even made a trip to San Francisco in 1902 wearing beaded moose skin clothing. He returned sporting a cane, smoking a big cigar, and wearing a top hat to which he later added several feathers. He also brought an array of stories from “outside” to share with visitors to his cabin in Moosehide.

Throughout his time as the leader of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, Chief Isaac earned the lasting respect of all who knew him.

Pronunciation Guide:

In the Hän language the letters with ä indicate low tones, while a is a nasal tone.

Ëddhä Dädhecha, meaning old dried moose hide hanging up to dry, can be pronounced ed-da de-da-chan.

Eagle, ch’ezhän, can be pronounced ch-eh-zhäwn.

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Moosehide Gathering, 2004. Courtesy of the Yukon Government, H35-04-17-1dp.

Source: Hän Hwëch’in: People of the River – Craig Mishler & William E. Simeone Univeristy of Alaska Press, Fairbanks, Alaska 2004

Historical Photos: P.8 – Church and cabins at Moosehide, circa 1910-1920. Chief Isaac’s cabin (without roof) top left. St. Barnabas Church. Courtesy the Anglican Church of Canada, General Synod Archives Toronto, Thomas Camham Collection, P7510

P.15– Chief Isaac in traditional dress with skin drum, 1920’s. Courtesy the Yukon Archives, Isaac and Sadie Stringer fonds 82/332 #80

P.20– Chief Isaac fishing for grayling through the ice at Dawson, circa 1900. Courtesy the MacBride Museum of Yukon History Collection 1989-1-58

Today, some of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in elders and their families have cabins and spend time in Moosehide. Traditional gatherings and culture camps are held there. The Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in enjoy and take pride in sharing their rich heritage. The legacy of Chief Isaac continues to be honoured and remembered.

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NorthWind BooksNorthwinds Books Working Group Members:

Pearl Keenan C.M., Elder Teslin Tlingit Council Rosemary Popadynec, Teacher, J.V. Clark School

Fran Etzel, Principal, Ross River School Susan Smith, Reading Recovery® Teacher, Selkirk Elementary School

Editing and ProductionJeanette McCrie, Co-ordinator of Primary Programs, Curriculum

Sharon Shadow, Cultural Inclusion Consultant, First Nation Programs and Partnerships Unit Mackenzie Downing, Education Assistant, First Nation Programs and Partnerships Unit

LayoutLeaf Solutions

Text, photos, and logo copyright ©2013 by the Yukon Department of Eduction, Public Schools Branch.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,

including photocopying, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system.

Level 18/19 — 810 Running Words