Five Lakes Archaeology Project
Glen Mackay (NWT Archaeologist’s Permit 2011-012)
The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre conducted a community archaeology project in partnership with the Jean Marie River First Nation in 2011. The goal of the project was to document cultural values in the Łue Túé Sųlái Candidate Cultural Conservation Area, which is being considered for protection through the NWT Protected Areas Strategy. During one week in July and another week in September, archaeologists from the PWNHC worked with elders from the Jean Marie River First Nation to survey portions of two of the five small lakes in the Łue Túé Sųlái area: Ekali and Sanguez Lakes.
We recorded eight new archaeological sites, including five precontact lithic scatters, a cabin, a cache, and a trail. According to the oral traditions of the people of Jean Marie River, these small inland fish lakes were important winter harvesting areas, where fish caught through the ice and small game provided important staples for the winter months. We expect the density of archaeological sites in the Łue Túé Sųlái area to be high, and are planning more extensive surveys and test excavations for 2012.
(Edited by Shelley Crouch, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre)
