Caribou Coordination

“We as Gwitch’in people truly RESPECT the VUTZUI [‘caribou’] and take only what we need. This is our way of conserving. We are dependent on the caribou in many ways. We are grateful that the caribou come back our way, close to Old Crow every year. Sometimes they are delayed; however, we still wait patiently because the caribou have never let us down yet. Our prayers have been answered when the hunter sees the caribou on Crow Mountain and calls out “Vutsui!” When they do this, everyone gets excited. Our stomachs will be full again and we will continue to survive and be a proud and strong nation. For this, we say “Massi cho!” [‘Thank you!’]”
~ Mary Jane Moses, Old Crow, Yukon ~

Caribou Crossing
The caribou wades the creek in silence.
Through the river, rocks and barely a ripple marks the caribou passage.
The caribou travelling through north woods of blue greens.
The caribou travel through a Land covered with rich pouring of sun ripened berries of different kinds.
Caribou crossing through weaves of brilliant green colour leaves.
Plush, cool grass.
Caribou galloping through the rivers and across the plains The caribou roams the mountains, covered with carpets of flowers through the cool summers.
A tranquil window of fleeting sunlight;
after a gray floating
neither ready to concede to the slowly clearing clean blue sky.
Nights are turning chill winter’s gentle sun....
The caribou roam the country by the thousands, thundering hooves across the mountains.
~Nancy Flitt, Old Crow~

Imagine Imagine a land Of powder blue sky Where caribou roam And many birds fly Imagine a river So wide and so clean Imagine a people So strong and so lean The Vuntut Gwitchin A proud ancient band Live off the earth And love this land See now the sky Turn ashy and black Watch animals flee And never turn back A fragile ecosystem Destroyed and gone While loud oil rigs Drill on and on... Now imagine the power You hold in your hand To stop oil development And save this great land. —Poem by Monique Musick

Uninjaathut Nunh rsi dhuui Uninjaathut Zze zit kkho kwa Ezik vutzui nuhao Tzi kei nuhuntutul Hun gwinchya ultsya Uninjaathut Tinji ninttui govursijoui Uninjaathut Vuntut Gwitchin Yeeno gwatsut tinji Ji nunh kug googwindui Tzut kuttijinidhun Choog zze zit Ttoh negwatchit lhidtsi gwili Chutthui lhuhao kkinjik nuhao kwa Nunh kug ttrigwandui Tchihdugwididhut Tthui gwizik khthui jokka Kkuttruntyi Ttui dahtchi nyunli zit choi Keninjaathut Ji nunh khthui jokka kkuttruntyi Kwitshi kwikettrahunatia Kenjit. —Translated by Roy Moses of Old Crow

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