Trails of our Ancestors: Whati Trail

Trails of Our Ancestors: Wha Ti Trail documents the 1998 journey from Behchokǫ̀ to Whatì, when Tłı̨chǫ Elders, youth, teachers, and community members travelled together by canoe along the routes our ancestors used for generations. This was not a recreation trip. It was an intentional return to the land to relearn who we are, how we live in relation to each other, and how knowledge is carried forward.

Along the trail, Elders led with stories, place names, prayers, one another, and how knowledge is passed down d through paddling, portaging, setting camp, listening, and observing. Roles shifted. Teachers became learners. Students became leaders. Knowledge was shared through action, not instruction. This journey reinforced that Tłı̨chǫ strength comes from humility, cooperation, and respect for the land and water that sustain us.

Read the Trails of our Ancestors: Whati Trail in PDF, includes photos, maps, and oral history along the map route taken.

The Wha Ti Trail reflects a larger vision held by our Elders. That our young people grow strong in body, spirit, and mind. That they understand where they come from before deciding where they are going. That learning must happen in our language, on our land, and within community. These teachings remain relevant today as we continue to protect Tłı̨chǫ ways of life and pass them on with care.

This record includes maps, photographs, daily journals, oral histories, and stories shared along the route. Together, they preserve the voices of those who walked before us and honour the responsibility we carry to remember, document, and continue this work for future generations.