Thank you, Mr. Speaker. An elder said, sometimes you just gotta live. That elder was Wilfred Henry McDonald. With the passing of this elder, over the past weekend I had the opportunity to go to the Sahtu and be with the people in the Sahtu, in Fort Good Hope, Deline, Colville Lake, Tulita and Norman Wells, in honouring the wisdom of our elders who lived on our land.
The Sahtu came together this past weekend because of the generosity and the wisdom of Wilfred Henry McDonald, in paying their last respects to this elder.
Wilfred Henry McDonald was born on July 17, 1935, to Ernest Roy McDonald and Cecilia Karkagee at Good Hope Bay on the shores of Great Bear Lake. His younger life was spent there with his parents and siblings. They harvested and trapped the land. During the summers he and his
family spent time in Tulita, visiting with family and friends.
Wilfred had a big heart and a winning smile. He lived on the land for 27 years. He was a skilled bushman, carpenter and gardener. When you go to Oscar Creek, you will see why I say these words. Wilfred lived there. He lived a simple life. Culture is the key to our survival as people, and Wilfred lived this culture all his life. He loved living on the banks of the Mackenzie River close to Oscar Creek. This was his kingdom. He marked his area out with carving “W” on the trees around his cabin so he could tell people that this was his territory.
Like I said, there were many people who came for the family of Wilfred, and the family is very appreciative of the Sahtu kindness. They say that when one passes away, you see the wealth of one’s life by the number of people who showed up to say thank you to Wilfred.
On behalf of myself, the family and the Sahtu, we thank you, Wilfred, for keeping our lives rich with your stories, and the culture strong by continuing living in the bush as a true bushman in the Sahtu.