Michel Sikyea
Michel Sikyea (June 5, 1901 – December 21, 2002) was a respected Dene elder from the Yellowknife, Northwest Territories area who fought for indigenous rights, and was probably known best for the "million dollar duck."
He was on born June 5, 1901, to Sekiye and Noemie Tsatsittchele; he was orphaned when he was three. From there, Sikyea grew up in the mission in Fort Resolution until he was 18; in 1923, he married Rose Benaya (Wennaya). While he spent most of his life living on the land traditionally: trapping, hunting and fishing at Moose Bay, southeast of Yellowknife, he also worked part-time for 16 years at Con Mine. As well, Sikyea worked seven years at Giant Mine. In 1963, he moved to Ndilǫ, where he and his wife lived until they moved to Aven Manor, a senior citizens facility in Yellowknife,[1] in 1995. During his time in Ndilǫ, Sikyea was both a councillor and a council advisor; he also was a signatory on Treaty 11, and raised awareness about indigenous rights by teaching others about the treaty.
The story of the million dollar duck begins in the late 1960s when Sikyea shot a female mallard duck out of season; he was subsequently reported and taken to court. The result of this was that he was fined $1, while the government had to pay the bill for the over $1 million in court costs. Thus, he had started some of the fight for indigenous and treaty rights before such a thing existed, and won. Sikyea's contribution to Ndilǫ is recognized through the community deciding to name the road that leads into Ndilǫ after him. He died December 21, 2002.
References
- Fletcher, Erin (2003-01-10). "Local legend dies at 102". The Yellowknifer. Retrieved 2006-12-10.
External links
- 1962 Regina v. Sikyea NWT Historical Timeline, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre