Alestine Andre visits MESH from northern Canada as Research Fellow from November 2024 to January 2025. She is a Gwichya Gwich’in Elder from the Gwich’in First Nation from the community of Tsiigehtchic in the Northwest Territories. She grew up on the land with her extended family and grandmother at their seasonal land camps and today is a plant medicine specialist, a fisherwoman, knowledge keeper, and teacher. From September 1959 to June 1970, Alestine spent 12 years in residential school in Aklavik, Inuvik, and Yellowknife. In 1970 she graduated from grade 12 in Inuvik, Northwest Territories.
Today Alestine has an Associated Degree in Public Administration from Camosun College (1987), a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology and Women's Studies from the University of Victoria (1994), and an Interdisciplinary (INTD) Master’s degree in the School of Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria (2006). Her master’s thesis titled Nan t’aih nakwits’inahtsih (the land gives us strength); The medicine Plants used by Gwich’in People of Canada’s Western Arctic to Maintain Good Health and Well Being was based on the traditional plant knowledge of Gwich’in plant specialist, Mrs. Ruth Welsh and Alestine’s work with the GSCI and Aurora Research Institute. This latter research resulted in the book Gwich’in Ethnobotany: Plants Used by the Gwich’in for Food, Medicine, Shelter and Tools by Alestine Andre and Alan Fehr (4th Edition, 2022).
During her career, Alestine worked primarily in the administrative field for non-governmental organizations before becoming a Gwich’in researcher. For over 20 years from 1994 to 2017, Alestine worked with the Gwich’in Social and Cultural Institute (GSCI), now the Gwich’in Tribal Council Department of Culture and Heritage where she held positions as Cultural Director, Executive Director, and Heritage Researcher. Alestine retired in December 2017 and lives with her husband in Whitehorse, Yukon. In 2005, Alestine was awarded a Gwich’in Achievement Award by the Gwich’in Tribal Council in the career category of Gwich’in Culture. In March 2007, Alestine was awarded a National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the category Culture, Heritage and Spirituality at a ceremony in Edmonton. In 2012, Alestine was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Today Alestine continues to work or advise on programs related to her language and culture. In the summer, Alestine and her husband return to her family's fish camp at Diighe’tr’aajil or other locations along the Mackenzie River in August to harvest fish. When requested, Alestine prepares plant medicine teas and salves to remedy common colds, flus, skin cuts or rashes and to stay in good health. In her lifetime Alestine has travelled to over 30 countries around the world with her most recent trips to Australia in 2018, and Ecuador and Israel in 2019.
Selected Publications:
1. Snowshoe, Sharon, Ingrid Kritsch, Arlyn Charlie, Alestine Andre, and Kristi Benson. 2023. Anjoo kat Diigininii’ak: Elders Led the Way. In: Best Practices Implementing Modern Treaties in Canada – National Research Project. Edited by Stephanie Irlbacher-Fox and John B. Zoe. Land Claims Agreement Coalition. Carleton University. 27 pp.
2. Andre, Alestine, Ingrid Kritsch, Kristi Benson and Sharon Snowshoe. 2023. The Indigenous Place Names Handbook: Sharing the Gwich’in Experience in Canada. Natural Resources Canada and Gwich’in Tribal Council. 118 pp.
3. Andre, Alestine and Ingrid Kritsch. 2015. Spruce Trees and Gwich’in Traditional Knowledge. Their Importance in the Northwest Territories. In: Forager. Number 2, Fall 2015. pp.26-55.
4. Heine, Michael, Alestine Andre, Ingrid Kritsch, Alma Cardinal and the Elders of Tsiigehtshik. 2007. Gwichya Gwich’in Googwandak: The History and Stories of the Gwichya Gwich’in. 2nd revised edition. Gwich’in Social and Cultural Institute. 405 pp.