K’ałdëlé (Taltheilei Narrows)
K’ałdëlé means the place where the water never freezes in Dënesųłıné yatıé. K’ałdëlé is known as Taltheilei Narrows in English. It is a narrow waterway with a strong current that connects Tacheé Tł'áázı̨́ (McLeod Bay) to the Hearne Channel.
K’ałdëlé is an old village site. One of the reasons our people lived here was because there was good fishing year-round.
K’ałdëlé is an old village site. One of the reasons our people lived here was because there was good fishing year-round.
Joseph and Pierre Fatt were born and raised by their parents, Alexis and Josephine Fatt, at K’ałdëlé. During an interview in 1997, Joe shared these memories of his childhood there.
“I will share with you a little about the way I was raised by my father.
We used to live at Taltheilei Narrrows. There were a lot of houses at that time. It was about the same time as the big flu that passed through here. I remember that. We used to hunt for ptarmigan by putting caribou horns together to make a trap. (The ptarmigan’s head would get stuck in between the horns.) We had one set for each marten with a fish for luck. We also set snares for the ptarmigan. I don’t know how many years we stayed there.
We had nets in the water to feed the dogs and food for us too. My brother Pierre and I used to work with our dad when we were young men. Even though we killed animals for fur, we never once kept the fur for ourselves. Our dad was in charge of the fur. We had shells for our guns and some other stuff, but we couldn’t take anything without asking him.
In the springtime we would travel to Beaulieu River to trap muskrat. They were really fat and had to be gutted. One time I gutted twenty-five muskrats. At that time there were a lot of muskrats. We would sell three muskrats for only a dollar. Today people sell them for two dollars each. Now day’s people complain that it’s not enough. It’s just the same thing because in those days things were cheaper.”
We used to live at Taltheilei Narrrows. There were a lot of houses at that time. It was about the same time as the big flu that passed through here. I remember that. We used to hunt for ptarmigan by putting caribou horns together to make a trap. (The ptarmigan’s head would get stuck in between the horns.) We had one set for each marten with a fish for luck. We also set snares for the ptarmigan. I don’t know how many years we stayed there.
We had nets in the water to feed the dogs and food for us too. My brother Pierre and I used to work with our dad when we were young men. Even though we killed animals for fur, we never once kept the fur for ourselves. Our dad was in charge of the fur. We had shells for our guns and some other stuff, but we couldn’t take anything without asking him.
In the springtime we would travel to Beaulieu River to trap muskrat. They were really fat and had to be gutted. One time I gutted twenty-five muskrats. At that time there were a lot of muskrats. We would sell three muskrats for only a dollar. Today people sell them for two dollars each. Now day’s people complain that it’s not enough. It’s just the same thing because in those days things were cheaper.”
Patty Lockhart’s family had a trapping camp at Taltheilei Narrows. He remembers harvesting red foxes, cross foxes, and grey foxes.
“We had our camp set up all winter long and I usually covered at least twenty miles a day on foot at the time. We trapped about 70 foxes - all types except for white fox…Trapping was very promising because there was lots of fur-bearing animals. I caught between 100 and 150 martens and minks. Now it’s not the same; now I don’t catch much fur-bearing animals like before. Before there were lots of snow and now there’s not as much." |
K’ałdëlé is rich with fish and fur-bearing animals. It also used to be on the route of the caribou migration.
Speaking in Dënesųłıné, Pierre Fatt said, “One year, I remember, there were lots, right in Taltheilei Narrows. Long time ago. It was just like I was dreaming. I don’t think I’ll ever see that many caribou again. One time only.” |
When Pierre Catholique was hired as a caretaker and fishing guide at Plummer’s in 1957, he and his family built a cabin near the Lodge and lived there. That year, there were lots of white foxes around Taltheilei Narrows. Another winter, he noticed that there were lots of mink there.
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Pierre’s son Lawrence used the cabin until his untimely passing in 2009.
“On the north shore of Taltheilei Narrows is where I have my cabin and in the fall and winter the Bathurst herd move from the east along the shore when the ice is not frozen. There too is a good hunting ground and it’s not too far from the barrenlands. Even after the freeze up it is still a good hunting ground. On the north shore—from Taltheilei Narrows to Kaché—this is where the Bathurst herd migrates. They also migrate down to McLeod Bay sometimes before the lake freezes up.”
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