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One Who
Circled the Earth
Yamozha-Dogrib - Yamodezhaa-South
Slavey - Yamoreya-North Slavey
Ehtachohka'e-Gwich'in -
Yabatheya-Chipewyan
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Primary Objective:
The story of Yamozha ties the Dene to the land and to
each other. Dene students will develop a sense of unity
through the universal story about "The One Who Circled
the Earth". The legend of "The One Who Circled the
Earth" is common to all five Dene tribes. Thus, it ties
the tribes together into the Dene Nation. "The One Who
Circled the Earth" not only ties the Dene Nation
together, it ties the Dene Nation to the whole world
because this greatest of medicine men circled the
planet. Students must begin to recognize that their
tribe is a part of something bigger and greater. They
must begin to recognize who they are a part of and
together with. Students will understand the nature of
Dene laws and where they have come from, and as a result
come to respect the laws.
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Students
will:
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Be familiar with
the regional legend about "The One Who Circled
the Earth". (K-4)
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Be familiar with
the concept of medicine power and that "The One
Who Circled the Earth" was the greatest of
medicine men. (K-3)
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Be familiar with
the different forms of power told about in the
story. (4-6)
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Be familiar with
and respect and obey the spiritual laws he ("The
One Who Circled the Earth") gave the Dene in the
legend. (4-6)
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Be familiar with
the regional legend about "The One Who Circled
the Earth".
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Experiences:
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Request elders
for stories about "The One Who Circled the
Earth". (4-6)
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Listen to
elders' stories about "The One Who Circled the
Earth". (K-6)
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Research with
elders the different powers of each different
form of Yamoreya. (5-6)
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See "When the
World was New" by George Blondin for stories
about Yamoreya.
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List/chart other
significant characters and their
characteristics. (4-6)
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Discuss why
Yamoreya took seemingly cruel actions vs others
(in "Why the Raven Has Three Toes"). (5-6)
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Students
will:
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Know the
landmarks identified in the story. (4-6)
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Know which
animals are significant in the story. (K-4)
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Know in what
ways Yamoreya ties the people to the land.
(4-6)
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Experiences:
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Recognize
and/or locate landmarks referred to in the
story. (4-6)
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Tell stories
using the different names for Yamoreya.
(5-6)
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Students
will:
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Know that
there are regional variations of the legend.
Each of the five groups that comprise the
Dene Nation have their own versions. (4-6)
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Know
similarities and differences between the
regional stories and their own. (4-6)
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Know in what
ways Yamoreya ties people to each other: he
came to cleanse the world of giant animals
who were killing the Dene when the land had
been given to them. (5-6)
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Understand
the implication of the story regarding
regions and tribes and travel around the
world: that the different tribes are to be
respected as equals and part of the whole
Dene Nation, and that the Dene Nation is
part of the whole world which Yamozha
circled. (5-6)
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Know that it
is the responsibility of the elders and
teachers to pass on the story of "The One
Who Circled the Earth" to the children.
(K-4)
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Respect the
story tellers. (K-6)
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Experiences:
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Recognize
and/or locate landmarks referred to in the
story. (4-6)
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Tell stories
using the different names for Yamoreya.
(5-6)
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Retell
stories to other classmates. (K-6)
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Demonstrate
respect for other tribes by practicing
protocol in greeting visitors from other
communities/regions, demonstrating an
acceptance of relationship with each other.
(4-6)
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shaking
hands, offering tea, feast, dance,
handgames
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Exchange
information about each other (unique designs
from your region, family ties, etc.)
recognizing them as gifts to each other.
(K-6)
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Make family
charts showing how each are related by
Yamozha's story. (4-6)
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Students
will:
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Explore what
the spiritual laws in the legend mean to
them personally. (5-6)
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Identify
themselves as part of a larger whole, a
tribe, the Dene Nation and the world. (3-6)
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Enjoy and
respect the story and enjoy retelling the
story for the enjoyment of others as well as
to promote unity and Dene spirituality
amongst people. (2-6)
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Experiences:
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Give a
beginning of a story, finish in your own
way. (K-6)
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Research
with family who/how related to other people.
(4-6)
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In journal,
write about personal identification with the
characters in Yamozha stories. (4-6)
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Suggested
Teaching Activities |
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Have students do
a character sketch of Ehtachohka'e.
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Retell story
with puppet plays. (K-3)
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Retell story
through dramatization. (4-6)
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Make a story-map
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what
happened where (e.g. beaver pelts on Bear
Rock, perpetually burning fire in earth past
Ft.Norman).
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Compare stories
about the giant animals in "The One Who Circled
the Earth" story, to the stories about
dinosaurs. (5-6)
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