Art work to pay for expedition home

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Roger Deranger wants to go back home.

The Fort McMurray artist, who's traditional Denesuline name is Dene K'izi (The way of our people), has made his way down from northern Alberta to Edmonton with two original paintings and a portfolio of his other works. By selling his art, he wants to make enough money to go back to his family's traditional encampment site in northern Saskatchewan.

Deranger is looking for help to pay for transportation back to Luezan Tue (Carswell Lake), located about 40 km south of Lake Athabasca and 350 km north of La Loche, Sask.

Deranger, who was born in Uranium City, Sask., moved with his parents many times when he was younger. The nomadic family settled for some time at what he calls their traditional encampment at Carswell Lake.

Deranger, several members of his family and some friends now want to go back to their ancestral home and make it their own again.

Using his natural talents as an artist, Deranger hopes his Dene-style paintings will catch the attention of some potential buyers, enabling him to pay for expenses, transportation and start-up supplies for his planned trip later this spring.

The appeal of living in practical isolation in northern Saskatchewan is simple, he said, explaining that his people needed to step away from modern society and go back to their traditional roots.

"We are living between two worlds," he said. "Some of us feel more comfortable living in our traditional, ancient lifestyles," he said.

Deranger said there are already about two dozen people who are interested in moving to the area. They will live off the land by fishing and hunting. Other food supplies will be purchased from stores in La Loche. For the younger members at the camp, education will be available through family members who are certified teachers. Standard subjects will be taught as well as traditional, cultural and spiritual education, Deranger said.

A lot of the ideas so far are just that, ideas, but Deranger said things will fall together once they get back to their land.

"Once we get up there, then we are going to have to get together and figure out how we are to become economically self-sufficient," he said, adding that money is not a priority. "Money is not the issue. We are people who can get by on the very least."

But some start-up money would be appreciated, he said.

He has already appealed to different levels of government and Aboriginal agencies for initial funding. His letter, which was sent out earlier this year, asked for $5,000 to help get the encampment going.

So far his letters have had no response. Making the bus trip from Fort McMurray to Edmonton with his art was necessary to raise some money and awareness to the project.

"Right now we have nothing," he said. "We need help from anywhere we can."

Anyone wishing to contribute to Deranger's journey home can contact Mr. Flett, at #114, 2606-139 Ave, Edmonton, Alberta, T5Y 1A1.

For information on Deranger's paintings, contact Alberta Sweetgrass by calling 455-2945.