This fictional coming-of-age story traces a young girls reluctant journey by canoe through the ancestral lands of the Tłı̨chǫ People, as she gradually comes to understand and appreciate their culture and the significance of their fight for self-government. Eleven-year-old Julia has lived in Wekweètì, NWT, since she was five. Although the people of Wekweètì have always treated her as one of their own, Julia sometimes feels like an outsider, disconnected from the traditions and ancestral roots that are so central to the local culture. When Julia sets off on the canoe trip she is happy her best friends, Layla and Alice, will also be there. However, the trip is nothing like she expected. She is afraid of falling off the boat, of bears, and of storms. Laylas grandparents (who Julia calls Grandma and Grandpa) put her to work but wont let her paddle the canoe. While on land Julia would rather goof around with her friends than do chores. Gradually, Grandma and Grandpa show her how to survive on the land and pull her own weight, and share their traditional stories with her. Julia learns to gather wood, cook, clean, and paddle the canoe, becoming more mature and responsible each day. The journey ends at Behchoko, where the historic Tłı̨chǫ Agreement of 2005 is signed, and the Tłı̨chǫ People celebrate their hard-won right to self-government. Julia is there to witness history.Inspired by true events, this story was written at the request of John B. Zoe, Chief Negotiator of the Tłı̨chǫ Agreement, as a way of teaching the Tłı̨chǫ youth about that landmark achievement. Journal of a Travelling Girl has been read and endorsed by several Wekweètì community members and Elders. The book will appeal to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous children for its relatable themes of family, loss, coming-of-age, and the struggle to connect with tradition and culture.
Born in Montreal of Egyptian and Lebanese descent, Nadine Neema is a writer, singer, and workshop facilitator. As a recording artist she has released four albums; was mentored by Leonard Cohen; and has opened for artists such as Elton John, Joe Cocker, and Cyndi Lauper. Neema began working with the Wekweètì, a Thcho community in the Northwest Territories, in 1999, first as a community manager, then assisting with their land claims and self-government negotiations under Chief Negotiator John B. Zoe. Since the landmark Thcho Agreement in 2005, Neema has maintained a strong bond with the Thcho government and Wekweètì community and has returned periodically to conduct creativity workshops for the youth.
Archie Beaverho is an accomplished painter, illustrator, and cartoonist whose understanding of his Thcho Dene culture is reflected in his work.
Antoine Mountain has received many awards for his art, community activism, and athletic achievement. Mountain is currently completing a PhD in Indigenous Studies at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario but will always call Radelie Koe (Fort Good Hope), Northwest Territories home. Find out more at amountainarts.com.
