Erosion threatens Tsiigehtchic church, cemetery, elders warn
Last Updated: Friday, June 5, 2009 | 6:21 PM CT
CBC News
The graveyard in Tsiigehtchic, N.W.T., has slowly been crumbling into the Arctic Red River in recent years. (Chris Harbord/CBC)Elders in Tsiigehtchic, N.W.T., say the northern hamlet's graves could crumble into the Arctic Red River, because of the erosion that is threatening the local church and cemetery.
Signs of melting permafrost can be seen along the edges of the cemetery, and an eroding cliff has been inching closer every year.
"You can see it right here. All the ground's going down," Jimcy Cardinal told CBC News on a recent tour of the graveyard, digging a stick into a newly formed gash in the earth.
"We don't bury anybody here now, because of all the cracks and everything," the elder said.
Cardinal said the land at the cemetery was flat and grassy seven years ago. There has been so much erosion that Cardinal said he doesn't think the graves will last.
"We can't do anything. We just have to move the graves back, I guess," he said.
Standing at a fence at the edge of the Tsiigehtchic graveyard, Jimcy Cardinal said the land was stable enough seven years ago to walk about 30 metres past the fence before reaching the water's edge. (Chris Harbord/CBC)Across the street, elder Irene Kendo said warmer weather has brought major changes to the community, located at the confluence of the Arctic Red and Mackenzie rivers, about 100 kilometres southwest of Inuvik.
Kendo said it's sad watching the graveyard slowly crumble away, as it's the place where her son and many of her friends are buried.
"The earth is thawing out like that, so everything is going down," Kendo said.
"I don't know what's going on, but everything is not right."
This week in the legislature, Mackenzie Delta MLA David Krutko said climate change is threatening Tsiigehtchic. He asked how the territorial government plans to help people who may be affected by erosion.
But Jimcy Cardinal said he doubts there's much that can be done.
"I just live day to day," Cardinal said. "No matter what, we still do the things we have to do every day."
