A Changing Climate

By staff and students at Chief Julius School, Fort McPherson, NT

Photo: Daniel Séguin

How can we measure how the climate is changing? Students invited Elder
Mary Teya to talk about the changes she has seen over 86 years.

Students developed questions that would stir memories for Mary. A question
asking about her childhood was followed by a question asking about today.

Photo: NWT Archives

Q. When you were young, how far did you travel along the Peel River?

Q. Have you noticed changes on the land?

Yes, I have noticed a lot of changes. I remember when the ground was not that
brushy. But as time went on, more willows started growing. Then there was erosion
along the banks, banks falling in. Sometimes it's way underneath the banks, you can see
way back, and then it falls in.

And then landslides. Up the river we see some big ones… Birch trees along the river
just falling in.

Photo: Peter Mather

Photo: Michael Jackson

Q. What did your family do out on the land?

Q. How are the seasons changing?

Long ago the creeks were running with clear, cold water. Lakes were clean. Then,
as time went on I noticed there was less water, no creeks like it used to be. I think
the water is getting too hot in the summer, it is warmer than it was. When we lived
on the land it was always cool, there was always a breeze and it was nice.

Freeze up is happening later, too. It used to start in September. Last year I think we
never really had freeze up until November.

Photo: Michael Jackson

Q. Do you prefer the climate in 1975 or the climate today?

Q. Are the floods worse than they were?

When that flood happened last year, I noticed how the water was coming up really
fast. A lot of people weren't prepared for it. That flood did a lot of damage. It took
fish, and houses. A lot of people lost their boats.

People really took care of one another. There was one family up at Eight Mile that
got stuck and they had to stay there for a while. That happened because of that flood.
It was scary.

Photo: Arlyn Charlie