Isadore Tsetta, Detah elder and former chief, remembered as a strong leader
Ted Tsetta remembers his dad as a principled leader who provided for his community.
Isadore Tsetta, a former chief in Detah, N.W.T., died Sunday. He was 93.
"He never backed down from a talk and he always stood his ground on different issues," said Tsetta, who is himself a former chief in nearby Ndilo.
"But his main issue was always a university campus here," he said. "Education was his number one priority, next to helping people."
Isadore Tsetta ran the Detah community store in the 1970s while trapping full-time. He was chief from 1979 to 1987.
"He always took the time for people," Tsetta said. "That's one gift that he had, was helping people. And he fed a lot of people by hunting.
"Both him and my mom, they were always sharing food and whatever they had. They never had much. They took the time and helped a lot of people."
In his later years, Isadore Tsetta sat on the elders' senate for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.
Education was his number one priority, next to helping people. - Ted Tsetta
He was also a strong believer in the treaties.
At one Dene Nation Assembly in Fort Good Hope in the 1970s, he stood by elders' directions to "stand firm on his treaty and never walk away from it," Tsetta said.
That meeting would often come up when the two spent time together.
"He always talked about that meeting in Fort Good Hope where everybody took off on him," said Tsetta.
"His elders advised him never to walk away from the treaties. He is a strong believer in treaties. He is passed on but his legacy still lives."
Isadore Tsetta was also involved in the Dene Mapping project in the 1970s and 1980s, Dene Nation collected data that can be used to prove land occupation for land management plans.
He also worked with elders to identify people and record historical trails, calving grounds and sacred sites.
"He was a community leader. He was pretty well respected and he's done a lot for the community," Tsetta said.
"I want to thank the people that were there for us and thank the chief and counsel and the people of Wiilideh," he said. "Just thank everybody from the bottom of our family's heart."
Isadore's funeral will take place at St. Patrick's Church at 1 p.m. Thursday, with burial to follow at Lakeview Cemetery.
