Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the Members of this Assembly that the official opening of the Dogrib Caribou Skin Tipi Exhibit will take place on Saturday, June 13th at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. Everyone is invited to attend the opening ceremony which begins at 1:00 p.m., outside the Heritage Centre.
The exhibition features a caribou skin tipi that was returned to the Northwest Territories last September. It had been out of the North for more than 100 years. A ceremony was held last fall at the Heritage Centre to celebrate the tent's return. The tipi was originally purchased in 1894 from Bear Lake Chief, who was an important Dogrib trading chief. The purchaser was a University of Iowa student, and for the past century, it has been a part of the collection of the University of Iowa's Natural History Museum. The tipi is made from the tanned hides of 30 caribou. It has never been displayed. In April 1997, a delegation from Rae and Yellowknife, including three descendants of Bear Lake Chief, travelled to Iowa City to accept the tipi from the staff of the Natural History Museum.
The opening ceremony will include the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School Drummers, members of the delegation that travelled to Iowa City. Grand Chief Joe Rabesca and other dignitaries will speak. The ceremony will also include the signing of a symbolic agreement, a feeding the fire ceremony and a tea dance. A feast will be held afterwards.
The tipi will be displayed in the Feature Gallery of the Heritage Centre and will be open to the public until the end of September. I encourage all Members of this Assembly to come out and join the celebration at the Heritage Centre on June 13th. Mahsi.
--Applause