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  • Relics from a  puja ceremony to Hindu Gods including Ganesh, the half human-half elephant God sit on the banks of a river in Tezpur, in Assam, eastern India December 25, 2003. India and its sacred elephants are threatened by deforestation and encroachment of the reserved land and natural forests.  As a result, wild elephants are rampaging through villages, killing people and destroying their homes and crops but still people revere the elephants. (Ami Vitale)
    Elephants051.jpg
  • Villagers, many of whom lost their homes, crops, and even a man who was killed by elephants perform a "puja" or holy ceremony to the Hindu God Lord Ganesha who is half human and half elephant to ask him to protect the village from real elephants coming back and causing more destruction  near Tezpur in Assam, eastern India January 6, 2004.  Villagers have been forced to stay up lighting fires, banging tin cans, throwing firecrackers to keep elephants from destroying their crops, homes and somtimes killing people. India and its sacred elephants are threatened by the deforestation caused by encroachment of the reserved land and natural forests.  As a result, wild elephants are rampaging through villages, killing people and destroying their homes and crops. (Ami Vitale)

    Elephants046.jpg
  • Elephants roam inside the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, eastern India where thousands of tourists visit each year. India and its sacred elephants are threatened by deforestation and encroachment of the reserved land and natural forests.  As a result, wild elephants are rampaging through villages, killing people and destroying their homes and crops. They are often atttracted by the rice farms and in one night can destroy an entire villages' crop. (Ami Vitale)
    Elephants021.jpg
  • A Hindu pilgrim worshipping Lord Shiva and the God of the Sea joins hundreds of fishing families from New beach in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India as they take part in the unique ritual of reliving the day when Athi Baktha Nayanar found a gold fish in the ocean, offered it to his God and received "moksha", September 2,2005. Villagers worship this God who is know to be the God of the Sea and the 49th nayanmar. The yearly ritual symbolizes an unwavering  pious man who always offered his daily catch to his God first, even when people in his village were starving. The ritual had been stopped for 25 years and many fishermen believed this is why the tsunami ravaged the coast of India.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Holy men and fishing families from New beach in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India carry an idol of the God of the Sea, Athi Baktha Navanar from the ocean as they take part in the unique ritual of reliving the day when Athi Baktha Nayanar found a gold fish in the ocean, offered it to his God and received "moksha", September 2,2005. Villagers worship this God who is know to be the God of the Sea and the 49th nayanmar. The yearly ritual symbolizes an unwavering  pious man who always offered his daily catch to his God first, even when people in his village were starving. The ritual had been stopped for 25 years and many fishermen believed this is why the tsunami ravaged the coast of India.  (Ami Vitale)
    0072.JPG
  • A man waits to sell food to fishing families from New beach in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India get as they take part in the unique ritual of reliving the day when Athi Baktha Nayanar found a gold fish in the ocean, offered it to his God and received "moksha", September 2,2005. Villagers worship this God who is know to be the God of the Sea and the 49th nayanmar. The yearly ritual symbolizes an unwavering  pious man who always offered his daily catch to his God first, even when people in his village were starving. The ritual had been stopped for 25 years and many fishermen believed this is why the tsunami ravaged the coast of India.  (Ami Vitale)
    0078.jpg
  • Fishing families and holy men from New beach in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India  take part in the unique ritual of reliving the day when Athi Baktha Nayanar found a gold fish in the ocean, offered it to his God and received "moksha", September 2,2005. Villagers worship this God who is know to be the God of the Sea and the 49th nayanmar. The yearly ritual symbolizes an unwavering  pious man who always offered his daily catch to his God first, even when people in his village were starving. The ritual had been stopped for 25 years and many fishermen believed this is why the tsunami ravaged the coast of India.  (Ami Vitale)
    0071.JPG
  • Fishing families from New beach in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India  take part in the unique ritual of reliving the day when Athi Baktha Nayanar found a gold fish in the ocean, offered it to his God and received "moksha", September 2,2005. Villagers worship this God who is know to be the God of the Sea and the 49th nayanmar. The yearly ritual symbolizes an unwavering  pious man who always offered his daily catch to his God first, even when people in his village were starving. The ritual had been stopped for 25 years and many fishermen believed this is why the tsunami ravaged the coast of India.  (Ami Vitale)
    0074.JPG
  • Fishing families from New beach in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India take part in the unique ritual of reliving the day when Athi Baktha Nayanar found a gold fish in the ocean, offered it to his God and received "moksha", September 2,2005. Villagers worship this God who is know to be the God of the Sea and the 49th nayanmar. The yearly ritual symbolizes an unwavering  pious man who always offered his daily catch to his God first, even when people in his village were starving. The ritual had been stopped for 25 years and many fishermen believed this is why the tsunami ravaged the coast of India.  (Ami Vitale)
    0035.JPG
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8871.TIF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8486.TIFF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8472.TIF
  • Brendan Felix Head, 14, cuts wood for a campsite as First Nation Dene youth finish their trip from the Upper Thelon River, where their ancestors believe is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8298.TIFF
  • Dene First Nation Youth Damian Kailek, left,  and Brendan Felix Head, eat the last scraps of food on the final day of a journey  to the Upper Thelon River, where their ancestors believe is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Hawke Ellis Williams, 4, plays at a campsite in the Thelon, the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_4678.TIFF
  • Dene First Nation Youth take a break from canoing on their trip to the Upper Thelon River, where their ancestors believe is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_3415.TIFF
  • Dene First Nation youth watch the last float plane leave before they begin to their journey along the Thelon, the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_3323.TIFF
  • Mike Palmer, left and Richard Jeo, right take out a hook as Brendan Felix Head, 14, watches  as the Dene First Nation youth  paddle on the waters of the Thelon river August, 2011.  The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections.(Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_2954.TIFF
  • Mike Palmer, left and Richard Jeo, right take out a hook as Brendan Felix Head, 14, watches  as the Dene First Nation youth  paddle on the waters of the Thelon river August, 2011.  The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections.(Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_2949.TIF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8874.TIF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8758.TIFF
  • First Nation Dene youth gather  during a spiritual gethering in Reliance after a group returns on a canoe trip from the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8687.TIFF
  • First Nation Dene youth gather  during a spiritual gethering in Reliance after a group returns on a canoe trip from the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8679.TIFF
  • First Nation Dene youth gather  during a spiritual gethering in Reliance after a group returns on a canoe trip from the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8652.TIFF
  • First Nation Dene youth gather  during a spiritual gethering in Reliance after a group returns on a canoe trip from the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8544.TIFF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8502.TIFF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8498.TIFF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8491.TIFF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8490.TIFF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8488.TIFF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8454.TIFF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8453.TIFF
  • Brendan Felix Head, 14, relaxes after cutting wood for a campsite as First Nation Dene youth finish their trip from the Upper Thelon River, where their ancestors believe is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8330.TIFF
  • Brendan Felix Head, 14, relaxes after cutting wood for a campsite as First Nation Dene youth finish their trip from the Upper Thelon River, where their ancestors believe is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8326.TIF
  • Brendan Felix Head, 14, cuts wood for a campsite as First Nation Dene youth finish their trip from the Upper Thelon River, where their ancestors believe is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8280.TIF
  • Brendan Felix Head, 14, cuts wood for a campsite as First Nation Dene youth finish their trip from the Upper Thelon River, where their ancestors believe is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_8279.TIF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_6040.TIF
  • Den First Nation youth eat dinner on the edge of  the Thelon river in August, 2011.  The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections.(Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_5888.TIF
  • Dene First Nation youth paddle through the Thelon Sanctuary  in August, 2011.  The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections.(Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_5672.TIF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_4816.TIFF
  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_4754.TIFF
  • Brendan Felix Head, 14, plays at a campsite in the Thelon, the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
    DSC_4711.TIFF
  • Dene youth relax at a campsite in the Thelon, the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Miles Catholique, 14, left and Brendan Felix Head, 14, eat at a campsite in the Thelon, the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Sanjayan Muttulingam, left and Tristen Jade Lockhart, 14 relax at a campsite in the Thelon, the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Miles Catholoque, 14, fishes on his canoe along the Thelon, the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • James Catholique looks for wildlife in The Thelon, the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Brendan Felix Head, 14, prepares to de-feather a duck in The Thelon, the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Brendan Felix Head, 14, watches birds in The Thelon, the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Dene First Nation relax on a warm day in the sub arctic waters of the Thelon river August, 2011.  The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections.(Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Dene First Nation youth play in the sub arctic waters of the Thelon river August, 2011.  The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections.(Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Scientist Richard Jeo looks for a camp in the Thelon Sanctuary  in August, 2011.  The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections.(Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Mike Palmer, left and Richard Jeo, right take out a hook as Brendan Felix Head, 14, watches  as the Dene First Nation youth  paddle on the waters of the Thelon river August, 2011.  The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections.(Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Sanjayan Muttulingam paddles in the sub arctic waters of the Thelon river August, 2011.  The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections.(Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Dene First Nation youth hang fresh caribou meat to dry at a campsite along the Thelon river August, 2011.  The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections.(Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Dene First Nation youth put up their tents along the Thelon river August, 2011.  The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections.(Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Bontang trees are shown in the village of Usuru, Tanzania near sunset. Legend says that God got angry because they were always walking around and so he turned them upside down so their roots would be facing the sky and they would not be able to roam.
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • First Nation Dene youth beat drums near a fire during a spiritual gethering in Reliance after a group returns on a canoe trip from the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • First Nation Dene youth gather  during a spiritual gethering in Reliance after a group returns on a canoe trip from the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Hawke Ellis Williams, 4,  falls asleep during the trip to the Upper Thelon River, where Den First Nation ancestors believe is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections. In July and August, 2011 a group of youth paddled to their ancestral hunting ground and spiritual abode.  this next generation of young leaders will be the ones who will need to speak for the Thelon the loudest. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Scientist Richard Jeo looks for a camp in the Thelon Sanctuary  in August, 2011.  The Thelon is the largest and most remote game sanctuary in North America, which almost no one has heard of.  For the Akaitcho Dene, the Upper Thelon River is "the place where God began."  Sparsely populated, today few make it into the Thelon. Distances are simply too far, modern vehicles too expensive and unreliable. For the Dene youth, faced with the pressures of a western world, the ties that bind the people and their way of life to the land are even more tenuous. Every impending mine, road, and dam construction threatens to sever these connections.(Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • KABUL,AFGHANISTAN - SEPT. 9: An Afghan police officer chants "Allah Akbar" or "God is Great" during a ceremony in Kabul Sports Stadium September 9, 2002  to comemerate the anniversary of the death of Ahmad Shah Massoud in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo by Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • Hindu holy men perform a "puja" which is a ceremony to their gods, along India's Ganges River in their holiest city, Varanasi (formerly Banaras). Varanasi is principally known to travelers for its ghats (stone steps leading directly into the water). Most ghats are used for ritual bathing. Hindu pilgrims, while standing waist high in the water, pray to cleanse their souls as they face the rising sun.<br />
Varanasi also has cremation ghats because Hindus believe that those who die and are cremated in Varanasi go directly to heaven, bypassing the lengthy reincarnation process. First the dead are burned on riverside pyres, then their ashes are scattered on the sacred Ganges River.
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  • Hindu holy men perform a "puja" which is a ceremony to their gods, along India's Ganges River in their holiest city, Varanasi (formerly Banaras). Varanasi is principally known to travelers for its ghats (stone steps leading directly into the water). Most ghats are used for ritual bathing. Hindu pilgrims, while standing waist high in the water, pray to cleanse their souls as they face the rising sun.<br />
Varanasi also has cremation ghats because Hindus believe that those who die and are cremated in Varanasi go directly to heaven, bypassing the lengthy reincarnation process. First the dead are burned on riverside pyres, then their ashes are scattered on the sacred Ganges River.
    _DSC7404.jpg
  • Postcard of Hindu Gods and Indian Bollywood stars are sold in a street of Katmandu as King Gyanendra sacked his government and declared emergency rule on February 1 saying that the country  is under threat from Maoist rebels and political instability.  Most people of Nepal felt caught in the middle of a war between government forces and Maoist insurgents that has claimed over 11,000 lives since 1996. They crave a return to normalcy where Bollywood and religion merge side by side.(Ami Vitale)
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  • Hindu holy men perform a ceremony to their gods, along India's Ganges River in their holiest city, Varanasi (formerly Banaras). Varanasi is principally known to travelers for its ghats (stone steps leading directly into the water). Most ghats are used for ritual bathing. Hindu pilgrims, while standing waist high in the water, pray to cleanse their souls as they face the rising sun.<br />
Varanasi also has cremation ghats because Hindus believe that those who die and are cremated in Varanasi go directly to heaven, bypassing the lengthy reincarnation process. First the dead are burned on riverside pyres, then their ashes are scattered on the sacred Ganges River.
    _DSC7472.jpg
  • Hindu holy men perform a "puja" which is a ceremony to their gods, along India's Ganges River in their holiest city, Varanasi (formerly Banaras). Varanasi is principally known to travelers for its ghats (stone steps leading directly into the water). Most ghats are used for ritual bathing. Hindu pilgrims, while standing waist high in the water, pray to cleanse their souls as they face the rising sun.<br />
Varanasi also has cremation ghats because Hindus believe that those who die and are cremated in Varanasi go directly to heaven, bypassing the lengthy reincarnation process. First the dead are burned on riverside pyres, then their ashes are scattered on the sacred Ganges River.
    _DSC7453.jpg
  • Hindu holy men perform a "puja" which is a ceremony to their gods, along India's Ganges River in their holiest city, Varanasi (formerly Banaras). Varanasi is principally known to travelers for its ghats (stone steps leading directly into the water). Most ghats are used for ritual bathing. Hindu pilgrims, while standing waist high in the water, pray to cleanse their souls as they face the rising sun.<br />
Varanasi also has cremation ghats because Hindus believe that those who die and are cremated in Varanasi go directly to heaven, bypassing the lengthy reincarnation process. First the dead are burned on riverside pyres, then their ashes are scattered on the sacred Ganges River.
    _DSC7428.jpg
  • Hindu holy men perform a "puja" which is a ceremony to their gods, along India's Ganges River in their holiest city, Varanasi (formerly Banaras). Varanasi is principally known to travelers for its ghats (stone steps leading directly into the water). Most ghats are used for ritual bathing. Hindu pilgrims, while standing waist high in the water, pray to cleanse their souls as they face the rising sun.<br />
Varanasi also has cremation ghats because Hindus believe that those who die and are cremated in Varanasi go directly to heaven, bypassing the lengthy reincarnation process. First the dead are burned on riverside pyres, then their ashes are scattered on the sacred Ganges River.
    _DSC7423.jpg
  • Hindu holy men perform a "puja" which is a ceremony to their gods, along India's Ganges River in their holiest city, Varanasi (formerly Banaras). Varanasi is principally known to travelers for its ghats (stone steps leading directly into the water). Most ghats are used for ritual bathing. Hindu pilgrims, while standing waist high in the water, pray to cleanse their souls as they face the rising sun.<br />
Varanasi also has cremation ghats because Hindus believe that those who die and are cremated in Varanasi go directly to heaven, bypassing the lengthy reincarnation process. First the dead are burned on riverside pyres, then their ashes are scattered on the sacred Ganges River.
    _DSC7416.jpg
  • Hindu holy men perform a "puja" which is a ceremony to their gods, along India's Ganges River in their holiest city, Varanasi (formerly Banaras). Varanasi is principally known to travelers for its ghats (stone steps leading directly into the water). Most ghats are used for ritual bathing. Hindu pilgrims, while standing waist high in the water, pray to cleanse their souls as they face the rising sun.<br />
Varanasi also has cremation ghats because Hindus believe that those who die and are cremated in Varanasi go directly to heaven, bypassing the lengthy reincarnation process. First the dead are burned on riverside pyres, then their ashes are scattered on the sacred Ganges River.
    _DSC7432.jpg
  • Hindu holy men perform a "puja" which is a ceremony to their gods, along India's Ganges River in their holiest city, Varanasi (formerly Banaras). Varanasi is principally known to travelers for its ghats (stone steps leading directly into the water). Most ghats are used for ritual bathing. Hindu pilgrims, while standing waist high in the water, pray to cleanse their souls as they face the rising sun.<br />
Varanasi also has cremation ghats because Hindus believe that those who die and are cremated in Varanasi go directly to heaven, bypassing the lengthy reincarnation process. First the dead are burned on riverside pyres, then their ashes are scattered on the sacred Ganges River.
    _DSC7408.jpg