Dene Laws
Board
Elders

Dene Laws

• You Must Share With Others

Sharing is like a tree. There are many branches attached to the central tree or sharing law.

• Sharing all the big games you kill
• If you catch more fish than you need, share with others
• Help elders get firewood and other heavy work
• Help the sick and other people in need to do their work and to get food
• Share the sorrow with relatives when someone dies, so families do not mourn alone
• Help widows and their children with everything they need
• Orphans should be looked after by their parents' "Next of Kin"
• The leader of each tribe should help travelers in need far from their homeland

• Do not run around when elders are eating
• Love each other as much as possible
• Do not harm people with actions
• Be polite. Do not use words which will hurt people
• When children start to talk, parents are to teach them to be good citizens, to love one another, and to use medicine power only to help people in need
• Elders should gather each day to teach the laws. Elders must teach children to be citizens and to act like human beings. Elders must tell stories about the past each day because stories shape behavior and attitude. Through stories about mistakes made in the past and present, elders can prevent people from making mistakes in the future.