Herbert Nakimayak

I started at Tuktut Nogait as a patrolman in the 2001/2002 season before moving on to work in other national parks (Revelstoke and Glacier NP, Yoho NP, Banff NP, and Kootenay NP). uu

What is now known as Tuktut Nogait was ingrained in my family long before I was born. My dad Jonah Nakimayak and his parents used the land as they travelled from Kugluktuk to Paulatuuq by dog team. Jonah was also a cultural host with his buddy Ruben Green; they were an amazing team that made sure everyone felt safe and educated on the history of TNNP's significance to the community!

My fondest memory in the park is definitely hiking with former patrolman Eugene Green, Chris Ruben from Paulatuuq, and other parks Canada employees. We paddled down the upper Hornaday River doing raptor surveys and saw thousands of caribous up close as they migrate past our campsites.

I remember when a warden from Banf came, and I guided him on a 10-day hiking tour identifying lakes and plateaus for an aircraft landing site. I was responsible for the camping gear, and he was responsible for the food. We had trail mix every day, so we mixed it up with fishing. He forgot to bring toilet paper and asked me if I had any! I thought for a second and said no when I actually had one roll—but I knew that it would last me only 10 days. By the end of the trip, all his pockets were torn of and socks shortened; even his long sleeve shirt was a t-shirt by the end. On our last day just before the plane came to get us, he had to go, so he was looking for something to wipe with. I gave him my last bit of toilet paper and he looked at me funny. We had a good laugh after the seriousness calmed down!

Te views of the "A" section make the Brock River one of my favourite places, as the scenery is absolutely amazing! La Roncière Falls is breathtaking; the narrow section of the upper Hornaday is one cool place! Te fishing is amazing in any lake that you go to. It could be a major food source for the community in the future.

Tere are too many cool things that I've come across, but the eight-foot-high wall of marble that stretches a few kilometres is a sign that it is rich in minerals. Tere are also a large number of old village sites that are thousands of years old, including food caches and blinds made to hunt caribou as they migrate.

I remember, as a youth, sitting around the table at home as people like my dad, Nelson Green, Tony Green, Peter Green, Albert Ruben Sr., Ray Ruben, John Max Kudlak and others talked about how they wanted to ensure that Traditional Knowledge was part of Tuktut Nogait’s development. Tis, to me, was most interesting growing up—trying to picture what they were talking about. Today I fully understand, and it has inspired me to work for the best interests of our people.

Edward Ruben, Billy Ruben, Garret Ruben, Sam Green, my granny Mary Evik Ruben, Bertha Ruben, Nora Ruben, Joe and Annie Illasiak, and Norman Kudlak were some of the important Elders who were involved in the creation of Tuktut Nogait. I'm sure they are beaming with pride as they are the ones that made our hometown. Tey would want to see more programming for youth and Elders in the park and the community. Tuktut Nogait is such a unique place and they wanted to protect the Bluenose caribou for future generations.

I see the 25 years of Tuktut Nogait as an example of strong negotiators from Paulatuuq achieving a dream of protecting our land, and most of all continuing our way of life for generations to come. I'm proud to say that my father Jonah Nakimayak would be proud of how far we've come in co-management and the opportunities that Tuktut Nogait has given the community of Paulatuuq. We have an ofce in the community and locals are working and getting the education they need to work at the park. Tis gives Paulatuuq youth an opportunity to stay and work right in their home community if they wish to. From a work perspective, Tuktut Nogait has provided training opportunities for me, another warden, and patrolmen including: ‘heli-sling’ rescue, swift water rescue, advanced first aid, first responder training, avalanche rescue and awareness training, river canoeing (class I, II, and III waters). Tese have all proven to be so useful in everyday life. Tere is also a research station named after my father where summer camps are held for students and Elders to gather and learn about the park's history by travelling to sites that are thousands of years old. We are still learning about our history today!

To me, the hard work from the negotiating table to Tuktut Nogait today shows that our Elders had a vision that we as a younger generation must carry on to ensure that our caribou have a safe place to calve, the lakes and rivers are open to the community for harvesting, our youth are educated, and locals are hired. I think they wanted to protect our traditional way of life.

Looking To The Future

I would like to see more of the community travel to the park for gatherings. It is important for the community to see and take ownership of Tuktut Nogait. One day, I would like to see fully stafed positions from the community. Te Park is a hard place to access due to costs, but it is right in our backyard.

I think we should create more programming for youth and Elders to gather and teach our way of life. Educate and mentor youth to work at the TNNP ofce. Host co-management meetings in the community and have them open for youth to attend. Most of all, continue to take ownership of the good work our co-management boards already do.

My advice for the next generation: Go to school; take on mentorships when you have a chance; listen in on the co-management meetings that TNNP hosts; continue to keep our way of life. Get a job at Tuktut Nogait and it will give you opportunities to travel and work in other national parks. Most importantly, be proud of where you come from!

F our years ago in 2017, I went out with Parks Canada as a participant of the Youth Culture Camp to see what kind of things they do in the park, like the ground surveying, looking at the bones, and just setting up the camp. uu

With the Elders that were up there, like Ruben Green, they were just showing us how to filet fish and tell stories, so I was able to learn a bit out there.

Te Park is so far out of town, only the hunters go that far for caribou. And a lot of the kids, women, and Elders now, haven’t seen the actual area of the park, so none of them know that there’s these huge 13feet rocks that are just sticking up out of the ground! Tey see the canyons… When I went, I didn’t know that we had that kind of land up there, with huge rocks, and big canyons. I think that’s what most people don’t know and don’t get to see.

Favourite Location In Park

I guess it would be travelling the Hornaday River, slowly going down with canoes, we seen every part of it, just a small fraction of it, but it got us to see every…hill and canyon, bigger lakes.

Tere was one area (ELM Hill) that we went hiking, and it was a really, really high point. And once we got up there, we could see everywhere, like three kilometres, good detail. We seen the river, our camp, the oth er camp, and we could see caribou walking along the river. I guess that would be the best view to describe to everybody.