Hay River elder remembered for his music, Chipewyan stories and birch syrup

A well-known Mtiselder from Hay River, N.W.T., is fondly remembered as someone who helped keep the Chipewyan language alive.

When he wasn't entertaining family and friends with his accordion, Frederick James Beaulieu, a retired steam engineer, was speaking and teaching his mother tongue.

"What I know about Chipewyan, he has helped me learn. Frederick just had a way of being patient and was always in a good mood and he always had a fun way to teach you something,"said Hay RiverMtis Council President Trevor Beck.

"Frederick was awesome."

In the spring,Frederick would head to the bush to tap birch trees atraditional skillFrederick has passed onto future generations, saysHay River North MLA Wally Schumann.

"He was quite famous at doing that ...That will be another great legacy left behind by Frederick."

Frederick was also a frequent guest and Chipewyanlanguage contributor to programs on CBC and CKLB Radio. Many hosts and his family members werefans of his jokes.

"He never repeated his jokes always had new jokes for us and always had a smile on him whenever we saw him," said his sister Germaine Michel.

She says she'll miss his daily phone calls and sense of humour.

Frederick passed away earlier this week after battling heart issues and pneumonia.

He was 78-years old.

The funeral will be on Saturday afternoon at Our Lady of Assumption church in Hay River.

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