Ndilǫ chief says renaming Yellowknife's Franklin Ave a chance to recognize Indigenous history

The chief of Ndilǫ says Yellowknife city council should rename Franklin Avenue to honour an iconic figure in the Yellowknives Dene's long history.

"Franklin came from England and Chief Drygeese is from this country here, born and raised here," said Fred Sangris.

The Yellowknives Dene First Nation, which includes the communities of Ndilǫ and Dettah, have requested that Yellowknife city council rename the city's main street, known as Franklin Avenue or 50th Avenue, to Chief Drygeese Avenue. Yellowknife, Dettah and Ndilǫ are all known as Chief Drygeese Territory.

The name change was first brought before Yellowknife city council in February, though it's unclear when council will make a decision on the change.

Emile (Old Man) Drygeese made a treaty with Canada on behalf of the Yellowknives Dene in 1900, Sangris said. His son, Joseph, then renegotiated the treaty in the 1920s, he added.

"So both father and son are well-known, are famous within the Yellowknives Dene for making treaties, they are well remembered," he said.

Sangris said Sir John Franklin, a famous British explorer known for a failed journey through the Northwest Passage, was barely in the territory.

"Yellowknives been living in this area for almost 7,000 years, at the time of the giant beavers," he said.

"We're still here."

Lawrence Casaway is an elder who lives between Dettah and Yellowknife River. He is originally from Rocher River, a now abandoned community in the N.W.T.'s South Slave region.

He said this name change should've been done years ago, but it would still be "a great thing" to do now.

Casaway said there are too many places in the region that have been given colonial names over the years, despite already having their own Indigenous names.

He said many of these colonial names are undeserving, such as Hornby Point on the Thelon River.

That area is named after John Hornby, an explorer who, along with two companions, met his end on an expedition into the N.W.T.

"I hate to say this, but I got to be honest … that guy, he starved over there," Casaway said.

Casaway said bringing back Indigenous words and names for places could also help youth, as not all of them have had the chance to be exposed to it.

"Young kids today are very smart," he said.

"If they could give them the language back, wow, that would be something."