The Legend of Thanadelthur: Elders’ Oral History and Hudson’s Bay Company Journals | Thainaltth’er noriya hołts’į, Ëna chu Dene chu ëłehëla nį; Bëghą honį ëritł’is hëla (HBC), ąłnëdhë behonié tth’i łą sį

Abstract

This article introduces the legend of Thanadelthur, a Dene woman who had a profound impact on the Dene people in Northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba during the eighteenth century fur trade. Thanadelthur was instrumental in the negotiation of a peace treaty between the Dene and Cree, and in helping the Dene to build a trade relationship with the Hudson’s Bay Company. These actions helped to create new economic opportunities for Dene communities and a good life for Thanadelthur’s people. While Thanadelthur’s life is documented in scholarly works and Hudson’s Bay Company journals, those records do not tell the entire story. Thus, this article also recounts oral stories told by Elders and others in order to expand this legend to include the perspective of the Dene. In bringing together the reports from Dene oral historians, scholars, and other authors, this article outlines the remarkable events in Thanadelthur’s life in order to underscore her historical significance to our communities and Canada at large. This article is a chapter in the open textbook Indigenous Self-Determination through Mitho Pimachesowin (Ability to Make a Good Living), developed for the University of Saskatchewan course Indigenous Studies 410/810 and hosted by the Northern Review.

Tthainaltth’er t’ą-u Cǫmpani Kǫę ha Dene chu, Ená chu ëƚëhela nį snį, t’a-u dahłëlghël nį-u; Ąƚnëdhi chu Cǫmpani Kǫę honį nįhenįla si diri bëghą honį sį. Dene ëƚëhela tl’ąghë tsádhedh k’ets’įdel nį. Tthainaltth’er Denesuline ha nįdhen-ú, la Dene ha horenįle hël, Dene doreƚti nįthen t’a Dene ts’įnį nį. Tthainaltth’ur bëghą honį ƚą, ëritƚ’is k’e tth’i hëla, ąƚnëdhi behonié tth’i ƚą sį. T’ą-u Tthainaltth’er huya, yanathë honį k’onį ha. Canada k’eyaghë náide si, Tthainaltth’er denegodhë helį kuli horįcha hołts’į nį; Dena ha.