In 1990, the Deline Band Council launched a campaign to establish parks at Saoyúé (Grizzly Bear Mountain) and Edacho (Scented Grass Hills). These two prominent landmarks on Sahtú are both the subject of many legends. A year later, Parks Canada sponsored a field trip to Saoyúé and Deerpass Bay in order to collect stories of the land and water. Four hours of stories were recorded and transcribed in English by the late John Tetso.

In 1998, the Saoyúé and Edacho were designated as a single National Historic Site. Stronger protection is still being sought for these areas.

How Saoyúé Got Its Name
Told by Peter Baton, Deline Elder

A long time ago, a talking grizzly bear used to live on what is today called Saoyúé (Grizzly Bear Mountain). One spring morning a man called Náka (his name means “a spring force behind a bent stick”) was hunting along the shoreline. He came across two grizzly bear cubs that were feeding along the shore, but he didn't see their mother feeding behind a ridge close to the cubs, although he knew she was close by.

Náka decided to kill the two cubs for his lunch, so he aimed his bow and arrow and shot them both. The baby cubs screamed in agony. Náka, knowing the mother was close by, quickly ran and grabbed both the cubs and threw them into his canoe and paddled a safe distance from the shoreline.

While this was happening, the mother bear heard the commotion and ran to the shoreline, but she was too late. The man in the canoe was all she saw - her cubs were missing. She yelled to Náka, “What did you do to my children with their pretty little paws?”

Náka told her he killed them both for his lunch, but he didn't make them suffer. This news made the grizzly so mad she started to rip and tear up the ground. (To this day, grizzly bears often claw up the ground or rip up the ground for their prey.) As Náka paddled away to cook the cubs on an island, the mother grizzly yelled to him, "As long as you live, don't ever camp out alone!" (Náka must have been quite young at this time.)

As time went by, Náka never spent the night by himself in the bush. One time, when he was much older and slower, he was with some other men hunting for caribou. Toward nightfall all the hunters got separated, so he had to spend the night by himself. He was still aware of the bear's warning, but he had no choice but to camp overnight by himself.

After fixing his camp, he went to sleep in his caribou skin blanket. During the night as he was sleeping, he felt something pushing on his side. Somehow he knew it must be the bear. He opened his eyes, and sure enough that big old grizzly was standing above him, pinning him to the ground. The big bear was standing on all four corners of the caribou skin blanket making it impossible for [him to stand up].

In the olden days, many of the people had strong medicine. Náka also had medicine; he had the power of force. As the big grizzly opened her mouth to crush Náka’s head, Náka used his power to keep the grizzly’s mouth from closing. This power forced the bear’s mouth open wider and wider. Náka yelled to him, “You are supposed to kill me, but instead you are just struggling with your mouth. Go ahead and kill me.” By this time, the bear’s upper and lower jaws were ripped open and he died instantly.

To this day, Dene people will not kill any big bears on Saoyúé, although sometimes they will kill small, bothersome bears.