This glossary reflects the development of medical terminology, specifically for cancer, for the Sahtu regions. Developed in partnership with the K’asho Got’ine Charter Community, the Tulit’a Dene Band, The Goba Group, the Government of the Northwest Territories, Department of Health and Social Services and with financial contributions from the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, this resource provides language for individuals to speak productively about cancer.
The desire to establish cancer terminology in Sahtu dialects was initiated by the community of Fort Good Hope and the Goba Group in 2013. Building on existing terminology, a follow-up workshop was held in Fort Good Hope in 2015. From January 19-21, a group of 13 language speakers and elders, representing each of the Sahtu communities gathered to discuss how to speak about cancer in the Sahtu dialects. Supporting the workshop from an interpreter/translator perspective was Lucy Ann Yakeleya, and providing cancer expertise was the Cancer Care Coordinator for the NWT.
To ensure all Sahtu dialects were represented, upon conclusion of the workshop, Fibbie Tatti joined the project to provide additional interpreter/translator support. In 2017, a validation workshop was held in the community of Tulit’a to review the translated terminology and to make any necessary changes.
This resource is developed for the Sahtu, by the Sahtu. After discussions with participants and partners, a desire to continue developing cancer terminology in the region was identified. As such, this resource has been released in a draft format to communities so they may continue to build on the terms identified in this glossary.
You can also download a printable version: