Talking Map

Since 1992, the Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute has been working with Gwich'in elders to build an inventory of heritage sites within the Gwich'in Settlement Region (GSR) through a traditional land use study using oral history and ethno-archaeological research. The oral history research has documented this knowledge and use of the land, by recording place names and associated stories, trails, traditional camp sites, graves, historic sites, harvesting locales, and sacred or legendary places.

To date, GSCI has recorded approximately 900 named places for the Gwich'in Settlement Region.  There are two ways to explore and view Gwich’in place names.  The first is an interactive cybercartographic map.  This map allows the user to zoom in and out, click on names to read more information and see associated photos, and conduct searches.   Downloadable place names maps are also available from the atlas. 

The second way to explore and view Gwich’in place names is the "talking place name map," below.  About 30 of the named places from our research are included, along three major rivers in the Gwich'in Settlement Region – Nagwichoonjik (Mackenzie River), Teetł’it Gwinjik (Peel River), and Tsiigehnjik (Arctic Red River).  Through reading about the places along these rivers, long used as travel routes, you can learn more about the history and culture of the Gwich'in.  Click on a river’s name to see the location of the places in the small map, and more information about each name below. 

Peel River

This name refers to an area which includes a small community of fish camps 8 miles from Fort McPherson and a stream upriver from there, which for many centuries was one of the favourite fishing...

Peel River

This name refers to a rock formation that sits on top of a hill overlooking the Peel River, upriver from Fort McPherson. It is one of the most sacred places in the Teetl’it Gwich’in traditional...

Peel River

Just upstream from here, on the left bank of the Peel River is the location of one of two monuments to the Royal North West Mounted Police “Lost Patrol.” The two monuments commemorate the places...

Peel River

The Gwich’in had many trails throughout their lands. One of the oldest and most important traditional trails for the Teetł'it Gwich’in was Trail River which led to Caribou Mountain, and the...

Peel River

This Gwich’in place name is associated with a legendary story. During the early days of the land, a giant hairy worm (snake) came out of the ocean, travelled up the Mackenzie River and into the...

Peel River

This canyon is one of the most significant places along the Peel River and there are many stories attached to it because of its danger and beauty. It is one of two canyons along the Peel River –...

Arctic Red River

There are a number of places on the land that the elders talk about as being inhabited a long time ago by large and often dangerous creatures. Nehtruh tshì’ is such a place and was considered very...

Arctic Red River

The Gwich’in name for this creek is so old, that the elders are no longer certain of it’s meaning. Up until the mid-1900s this was one of the main campsites for people travelling between the...

Arctic Red River

This place refers to a burning hillside located downstream from the Forks. There is a strong sulfuric smell from the burning. According to the elders, people returning from the mountains early in...

Arctic Red River

This is one of the most picturesque places on the Arctic Red River. There are gravel bar deposits where the two rivers meet, and high eroding black shale cliffs with splashes of red, orange, green...

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