About the Gwich'in Social & Cultural Institute (GSCI)

Board

Mary Ann Ross was born in Inuvik and is the daughter of Elizabeth (Betty) Ann Jerome and Peter Edward Ross. Mary Ann is currently serving her second term of Vice-President of the Gwich'in Tribal Council, a position she has held since July 14, 2003. GSCI is one of her many portfolios and she has been the Chair of the Board since 2004. Her goal is to work hard to ensure that every Gwich'in person receives the benefits of the Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement and any economic benefits that might come from the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, if it is approved. Mary Ann strives to balance the traditional and modern influences of the past, present and future in her leadership role. In 2009, Mary Ann was awarded a Wise Woman Award by the NWT Status of Women Council, an award that honours women who are role models and advance the well-being of women and families in their community.

Sarah McLeod-Firth is the daughter of Simon and Mary Modeste and was born on Herschel Island. Sarah is a Gwich'in beneficiary who has lived in Inuvik since 1959. She has twelve children and several grandchildren. Sarah has worked hard and held several jobs over the years. Sarah fondly remembers being a cultural teacher at Sir Alexander Mackenzie School in Inuvik for several months at a time. Sarah has also been a traditional knowledge instructor at our Gwich'in Science Camp. Sarah has been a Board Member of the Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute since it was founded. She loves being on the Board and says she learns so much from being involved in the Institute.

Annie Modeste is the daughter of John Modeste (Gwichya Gwich’in) and Rebecca (Robert) Modeste (Teetå'it Gwich’in). Annie’s first language is Gwich’in and she is also fluent in English. Annie attended school and lived in hostels in Aklavik, Fort McPherson, Inuvik and Yellowknife. Annie worked for the Hamlet of Fort McPherson from 1987 to 1997. Recently, Annie attended several courses offered through the Canadian Indigenous Languages and Literacy Development Institute at the University of Alberta during the summer months. Annie has attended these courses in her efforts to save the Gwich’in language. She likes to tell stories in Gwich’in and to read and write in the Gwich’in language. Annie has been a board member of the Gwich’in Social and Cultural Institute since 2004. Annie enjoys attending the GSCI meetings and knows how hard the employees work in their efforts to fulfill the mandate of the Institute so others in the future will benefit and carry on the work and knowledge.

Renie Stewart is the daughter of Ben Kunnizzi and Laura Kendi and was born in Fort McPherson in 1928. Renie is a Teetå'it Gwich’in beneficiary but lives in Aklavik. As a child, Renie stayed in the bush with her parents at Njuu Kak where they fished during the summer, and near Tå'oondih in the winter. Renie went to school in Aklavik when she was about six years old and stayed until the end of the school year, after which she went back to her family’s fish camp by scow where she looked after her 2 younger brothers. She returned to school the following term but had to come home again when her mother died of TB so she could look after her brothers. Renie returned to school for a short time with her younger brother George when he reached the age of 5 or 6, but returned home again upon the remarriage of her father when she was needed at home to help take care of her siblings and step-siblings. At the age of 16, Renie went to Aklavik. Here she met the head nurse of the hospital who asked her to work there. She worked at the Aklavik Hospital for several years until her marriage to Frank Stewart in 1950. Following her marriage, Renie and Frank stayed initially with her husband’s father John Joseph Stewart and his family at Esau River. They subsequently moved and stayed on the land at Jim Firth’s Camp near Aklavik where they raised their 12 children. They lived a very traditional lifestyle with snaring rabbits in the winter, jiggling loche in the fall and making dryfish in the summer. Today, Renie still enjoys going out to her camp for short periods of time, particularly to jiggle for loche. She loves being out there as it is nice and quiet and she’s busy all the time. Renie was appointed to the GSCI board in 2004 and enjoys it very much. She thinks it would be good if the young people would follow the elders and listen to their words because everything elders say is true. She feels it is very important that the young learn their language and how to live in the bush.

Anna May MacLeod, a Gwichya Gwich’in beneficiary from Tsiigehtchic, has been with the GSCI board since 2002, serving as the Chair from 2002 to 2004. She is the daughter of Gabriel and Rosa (MacLeod) Andre. Over the past 20 years, Anna May has served as sub-chief and councilor on the Gwichya Gwich’in Band and Renewable Resource Council and the Chair of the District Education Authority (DEA). Anna May is also a member of the Gwich’in Enrolment Board, Gwich’in Education & Training Committee, and the Gwich’in Harvester’s Assistance Program. Anna May was raised in the Travaillant Lake, Tree River, Big Rock and Holmes Creek areas while growing up with her parents and attended school in Inuvik at the Grollier Hall hostel. Much of her knowledge of the land comes from being raised among elders who passed on their knowledge to her while living and working with them on the land. Anna May currently works for the Gwichya Gwich’in DGO as the Renewable Resource Coordinator. Anna May likes to educate herself in all avenues of life and learn new things to pass on to her children. Anna May enjoys being a board member on the GSCI for the community of Tsiigehtchic and being a partner in creating a strategic plan that comes from the grass roots level. Anna May still goes on the land whenever possible. For her to leave the land, would be like losing her identity as a Gwichya Gwich’in.

Gladys Alexie is the daughter of Walter and Enna (Francis) Alexie and was born at Peter Alexie’s Camp below Rat River in the Mackenzie Delta. Gladys is a Teetå'it Gwich’in beneficiary who lives in Fort McPherson. Since September 2003, Gladys has been the Gwich’in Language teacher at Chief Julius School (CJS) and enjoys the challenge of preparing lessons and teaching the language. Over the years, Gladys has sat on many boards including the Teetå'it Gwich’in Council, Fort McPherson District Education Authority, Anglican Church Vestry, and Gwich’in Tribal Council Education Committee. Gladys was appointed to the GSCI board in September 2007. She enjoys being on the board as she believes strongly in the importance of preserving the Gwich’in language, culture and history. Gladys also enjoys travelling and in May of 2007, Gladys, Jaksun Grice (the Physical Education teacher) and nine students from CJS were part of a school exchange program to Germany. The project, called the “Three Rivers Watershed International Conservation Expedition,” promotes Gwich’in culture and traditional use and protection of Teetå'it Gwich’in lands in the Peel watershed. In the summer of 2008, eight German students, chaperones, and a film crew joined Gladys and Jaksun, Teetå'it Gwich’in elders and students from Fort McPherson and professional guides on a canoe and rafting trip down the Snake River, one of the major rivers in the Peel watershed. A documentary of the trip will be available in the fall of 2009. Gladys enjoys going out on the land with her family throughout the year to her camp at Daats’at Chihvyaa K’it (Sucker Creek) which is about 25 miles up the Peel River.

Ruth Wright was born in Aklavik but has been a long time resident of Inuvik. Ruth is the daughter of Jane Moses and Harley Wright and came from a family of eight children. Ruth spent most of her young days on an island across from Shiå'dii near Fort McPherson and then in Inuvik where she attended school. In 2006, Ruth was appointed to the GSCI Board. Prior to this, Ruth was one of the key Inuvik seamstresses during the GSCI Gwich’in Traditional Caribou Skin Clothing Project from 2000-2003. Ruth is an accomplished seamstress and artist, taking pride in making traditional clothing with a contemporary twist. She also expresses her creativity through carving, jewelry, paper-making, felting and painting incorporating traditional images, feelings and materials into her work. Ruth believes everyone is creative and has helped uncover creative talents amongst her colleagues and friends for many years. Ruth’s work has been on exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Hull, Quebec, the Houston North Gallery in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and state museums in Indiana and Virginia. She has been an artist and friend of the Great Northern Arts Festival that takes place every summer in Inuvik since 1991. In 2005, Ruth was awarded the Wise Woman Award by the NWT Status of Women. Besides her work as an artist, she keeps herself busy with her children, volunteering and a variety of paid jobs. Most recently, Ruth has been trying hard to relearn her language, but she says that she “still finds it hard to move her tongue around to make some of the sounds.” She likes tanning moose hides and learning to tan other hides as well. Ruth has done many things over the years to benefit her community and takes every opportunity to promote Gwich’in culture and healthy life choices.