When Caribou Changes Its Clothes
Story told by Deline Elder, William Sewi

Caribou migrates to the barrengrounds, even though it doesn’t have navigating tools. It still travels straight. It migrates to change its clothing, just the way a man would change his clothing when it wears out.

There is a kind of caribou known in the Deline dialect as bele yah. It looks like a two year old caribou. And it is said that it is the boss of all the caribou.

Bele yah scouts up ahead of the herd. When it finds a good feeding ground, it goes back and rounds up the herd, and leads them to the area. Yes, it is the boss of all the caribou. It is amazing how straight it travels. They say it is as intelligent as humans.

Along the migration route to the barrengrounds, there is a hill called Radú Dahk'ale (white outcrop). It has been said that this is where the caribou changes its footwear.

The same as we humans do when our moccasins wear out, so it’s been said that the caribou changes its footwear on this hill. It is said that the caribou sang a song on this hill. This song was not passed on.

From that hill, the caribou continues along on the barrengrounds. It goes a long way, all the way to its calving grounds.

It has been said that the caribou rears its young as people do. When it licks its young one, it is actually changing its diaper.

There is an inscription in the skull of the caribou. It is written in a strange language. They say that one day in the future, someone will be able to interpret the inscription.
Whenever it rains, the caribou feeds good, and that’s how it gets fat. Like if we ate dry food, for example, we wouldn't like it! But if the food is boiled, it is very good for us.

Long ago when it rained, people used to exclaim, “Haaaay, it’s raining! That’s great, for the caribou is going to be fat!”