Ren茅 Fumoleau died peacefully on Aug. 6, his 93rd birthday, having told his friends not long before that he was happy.

Memories of the Jesuit priest, photographer and author live on in his writings, the effects of his advocacy for Indigenous rights, and the memories of him that live in those with whom he came in contact.

SA国际影视传媒淭here was a different, interesting definition of humility shared with me not too long ago. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 that you donSA国际影视传媒檛 think less of yourself SA国际影视传媒� you think of yourself less,SA国际影视传媒� said Jim Lynn, a padre at North Slave Correctional Complex and secretary for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith. SA国际影视传媒淭hat was certainly Ren茅.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淗e was a man of great spirit and great vision. He was a man of God and definitely lived out who he was called to be.SA国际影视传媒�

Lynn met Fumoleau after becoming parish priest at St. PatrickSA国际影视传媒檚 Church in Yellowknife in 1986. Fumoleau had been in the North since 1953, having moved first to Fort Good Hope from France as a young priest.

SA国际影视传媒�He was a very simple man but very astute, very keen on things,SA国际影视传媒� said Lynn. SA国际影视传媒淐ertainly not pretentious in any sense whatsoever but just very down-to-earth SA国际影视传媒� he seemed to care about the individual person.SA国际影视传媒�

Throughout his life in the Northwest Territories, the land he loved and honoured as Denendeh, he devoted much of his time to advocating for Dene rights, whether it was through vocal testimony or through the writing of his book SA国际影视传媒�

That book, published in 1975, was a thorough recording of the histories of those treaties, gathered through research conducted by Fumoleau.

He pored through documents and interviews with elders to create a definitive history that, Fumoleau wrote, was intended to SA国际影视传媒渕ake available to all people information they otherwise would not have, and to notify the Canadian public that some debts may be long overdue.SA国际影视传媒�

James Wah-Shee, then president of the Indian Brotherhood of the Northwest Territories, which would become the Dene Nation, wrote the forward.

SA国际影视传媒�There are very few occasions when a book is written and published which can affect the lives of so many,SA国际影视传媒� wrote Wah-Shee.

SA国际影视传媒�... This book is a major feat and can only serve to promote a re-evaluation of the past by both governments and ourselves.SA国际影视传媒�

Fran莽ois Paulette, an elder and leader from SmithSA国际影视传媒檚 Landing First Nation, said he didnSA国际影视传媒檛 know Fumoleau as well as others, but he always made sure to visit the priest in the LutselkSA国际影视传媒檈, where he spent much of his later life.

SA国际影视传媒�I thought he was a man of humility and I thought he was a caring man that saw the Dene people being colonized,SA国际影视传媒� said Paulette.

SA国际影视传媒�I think he was working on helping the Dene, and saw how their lands, their governments and their culture were being taken away from them.

SA国际影视传媒淗e was trying to find a way out for the Dene in his own way, and he helped them.SA国际影视传媒�

Fumoleau made friends throughout the North, having lived in Fort Good Hope, Deline, LutselkSA国际影视传媒檈 and Yellowknife.

Some of these, including Lynn and Patrick Scott, were with him in the days before his death.

'Thanks to Our Creator'

Scott announced FumoleauSA国际影视传媒檚 death on Wednesday, stating, SA国际影视传媒淗e got the best gift he could have, the one thing he longed for SA国际影视传媒� to end his waiting and begin again. Let there be joy and praise as we give thanks to our Creator for the life Rene chose to live.SA国际影视传媒�

Lynn described a scene of peace in the priestSA国际影视传媒檚 final days.

SA国际影视传媒�I was probably with him when he spoke his last words, and that was a real blessing,SA国际影视传媒� said Lynn.

SA国际影视传媒�I was on one side, Pat Scott was on the other side, and he took us each by the hand and he just expressed his joy and happiness. He just wanted to let everyone know how grateful he was to us, for us being who we are.SA国际影视传媒�

It was typical Fumoleau, Lynn said, SA国际影视传媒渘ot concerned or worried about himself but reaching out and wishing to express his gratitude, his appreciation for all the people who had been a part of his life.SA国际影视传媒�

Lynn said that in his work at the correctional centre, heSA国际影视传媒檚 had many inmates pick up FumoleauSA国际影视传媒檚 books, which sit on LynnSA国际影视传媒檚 table. They see their uncles, friends, parents and bits of their history.

SA国际影视传媒�Because of his books and particularly his photography, heSA国际影视传媒檚 definitely going to be around for a long time yet, and long-remembered,SA国际影视传媒� said Lynn.

A reception was to be held for Fumoleau on Friday in Yellowknife, with a burial the following day at the Dettah Cemetery.

-with files from Brett McGarry