Gwich'in: Regional Youth Council
Objective: To coordinate a leadership retreat and hide tanning culture camp with a focus on building capacity amongst the Gwich’in Tribal Council’s Regional Youth Council and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation’s Regional Youth Advisory Committee, sharing knowledge and skills, and strengthening a collaborative relationship for future projects. An additional goal was to create gender equity and advocate for equal representation for both groups in the region. |
Description: In August, 18 Gwıch’in and Inuvialuit youth aged 15 to 30 years old gathered at Midway Lake for a leadership retreat. During the retreat, participants were guided by Elders and knowledge holders as they harvested caribou and fish, sewed, hiked, listened to stories, and discussed coping mechanisms, climate action and advocacy, food sovereignty, and the cycles of grief. At the Gwıch’in Campgrounds in late September, the Council hosted a nine day hide tanning culture camp with 12 Gwıch’in and Inuvialuit youth. With guidance from Elders and mentors, participants learned to tan a variety of hides, including caribou, reindeer, and moose. They gathered the poles necessary to build frames, stretched the hides for fleshing and scraping to prepare for the final stages of the process. Furthermore, youth spent three days learning how to set up a traditional tent frame camp then assisted in camp maintenance. Other activities that youth enjoyed were setting snares, making dry meat, identifying plants, sewing fur mitts and hats, creating tools from bones, and hiking.
Successes: The youth participants emphasized the value of creating spaces for youth to gather on the land together as it fosters a sense of belonging, safety, and community. Many of the participants left inspired to create positive change in their community with the support of a new network of allies. The organizers were also able to invite selected youth from the Sahtú, Dehcho, and Old Crow, Yukon, that were keen on leadership development and forming similar youth initiatives in their communities.
Sahtú: Honouring Our Traditions for Our Future
Objective: To honour and share our traditional way of life with community and strengthen relationships among Elders, youth, community members and the land. Description: Various departments of Délı̨nę Got'ı̨nę Government, Parks Canada and the Sahtú Dene Council collaborated to coordinate on the land programs for the community from March to October. Approximately, 80 to 150 community members participated in each traditional activity at the campsites on the shorelines of Sahtú (Great Bear Lake). Many of the activities focussed on preparing a community of young adults and youth to effectively address the challenges of decolonization and their cultural learning. The Elders provided handicrafts and shared stories. Participants learned how to harvest dry wood for their cabins and tents; traditional fishing practices, including how to filet fish, make fish sticks, and prepare a cookout; bush survival skills; drumming; hand games; and moose hide tanning. As they walked, fished, and prepared hides, Elders shared their wisdom and knowledge about the history of Whiskey Jack, Sahtú history, traditional trails, and cultural life skills.
|
Successes: Families were able to create a supportive environment for Elders to share traditional activities with youth. These activities are important teachings in regards to education, mediation and emotional regulation. Furthermore, these camps brought Elders and youth closer together which will promote knowledge transfer to the next generation. By giving youth the opportunity to participate in cultural activities, they were able to foster self-esteem and pride as Dene people.
|
NWT: Summer Programming
Description: Thirty-nine youth aged 11 to 16 participated in one of four Northern Youth Leadership summer camps in 2019. Youth participants came from 17 communities across the North, including K’áhbamį́túé (Colville Lake), Denı́nu Kų́ę́ (Fort Resolution), Uluksaqtuuq (Ulukhaktok), Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ (Fort Simpson), Tthebacha (Fort Smith), and Inuuvik (Inuvik). At the Leadership Development Training Camp, youth staff gained certification in Wilderness First Aid, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills, and High Five Principles of Healthy Childhood Development. On Shúhtagot’ı̨nę territory, participants of the Gana River Girls Leadership Camp learned traditional activities, such as fishing, making dry fish, harvesting spruce gum and survival skills while also enjoying a series of increasingly difficult hikes, including one 13 km trek and one hike up a mountain! On the North Arm Advanced Leadership Canoe Trip, participants paddled 130 km from Sǫ̀mba K’è (Yellowknife), Akaitcho territory, to Behchokǫ̀, Tłı̨chǫ territory, while learning paddling and camping skills. Lastly, during the Boys Leadership Trip, the boys started and ended the paddling trip at Powder Point, Akaitcho territory, portaging into and out of Hidden Lake where they learned to pluck and prepare a grouse, harvest fish, identify plants, and enhance their paddling skills.
Successes: By providing spaces for youth to learn leadership skills, the camp built and strengthened communication, problem-solving and emotional regulation skills that will help youth overcome challenges they may face in the future. They further created an opportunity for each youth to participate in all aspects of camp life, including camp set-up and take-down, food preparation, water purification, and fire starting. Northern Youth Leadership saw an overall increase in participation in land-based activities in 2019, connecting 39 youth to the land, culture, and traditions, while also supporting them to develop interpersonal skills.
Successes: By providing spaces for youth to learn leadership skills, the camp built and strengthened communication, problem-solving and emotional regulation skills that will help youth overcome challenges they may face in the future. They further created an opportunity for each youth to participate in all aspects of camp life, including camp set-up and take-down, food preparation, water purification, and fire starting. Northern Youth Leadership saw an overall increase in participation in land-based activities in 2019, connecting 39 youth to the land, culture, and traditions, while also supporting them to develop interpersonal skills.
Inuvialuit: Ice Fishing
,Objective: To teach children and youth how to harvest, cook and store char, trout, and loche. Description: Forty-five students from kindergarten to grade six, along with guardians, Elders, guides, and teachers participated in the April fishing camp held near Paulatuuq (Paultatuk). Over the course of the camp, the children learned how to auger an ice fishing hole, as well as how to fillet and prepare a variety of fish for meals and storage. Although the camp is for the students, there was general excitement among the community and many community members were enthusiastic to teach the students about ice fishing. When the weather was cold, there was a wall tent available for participants to warm up in and enjoy a hot lunch.
Successes: This became a community event where guardians and other community members were excited to participate and pass down traditional ice fishing knowledge. The children caught a delicious trout and were very excited! The participants learned how to harvest, cook, and store a variety of fish.
|
Tłı̨chǫ: On The Land Cultural Trips
Objective: To teach students about living on the land and how their ancestors used to live on the land. Description: Students at Elizabeth Mackenzie Elementary School in Behchokǫ̀ had the opportunity to participate in two spring cultural camps, as well as boat safety day trips. In early spring camp, students in grade three to grade six travelled by snowmachine for an overnight camp at Edaek’o. There, students set and checked muskrat traps, set a fishnet under the ice, learned the names and parts of fish in Tłı̨chǫ, learned how to prepare fish to eat, and skinned and cooked muskrats. On the boat safety day trips, students were able to see wildlife at Frank Channel, including seagull nests with eggs, eagles, and bears, as well as people checking their fish nets, while also learning safe boating practices. In late spring, the grade sixes spent two nights at Enekookwo Whela. While there, they fished, set a fishnet, harvested and plucked ducks for supper, and visited the Slemon Lake rapids.
|
Successes: At Edaek’o, students were eager to set up their sleeping area and sleep in -30! On a boat safety trip, students found an old paddle that was handmade from a spruce tree. While on the overnight boat trip, students enjoyed eating the fresh food from the land. Teachers and students learned together about the land and Tłı̨chǫ language by listening to Elders. All students from junior kindergarten to grade six had the opportunity to participate.
Dehcho: Yundaa Gogha
Description: Twelve Indigenous Dehcho youth aged 15 to 25 and nine staff members paddled canoes for 11 days from Zhatıé Kų́ę́ (Fort Providence) to Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ (Fort Simpson). Along the way participants learned the oral history of the area, including spiritual teachings, traditional family areas, cultural practices, political history, harvesting, and Dene Zhatıé. Once they arrived in Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́, the youth stayed to participate in the Regional Elder and Youth Gathering, and the Dehcho Assembly. They were welcomed in a traditional Dehcho Dene way with gunshots, prayer, and drum dance songs. The local Chief and Dehcho First Nations Grand Chief congratulated the paddlers and gifted them with bush kits and shirts.
Successes: At the end of the trip, youth were able to introduce themselves in Dene Zhatıé to the Dehcho Assembly. During the Assembly, one of the youth presented to the leadership about her experience, tying in intergenerational effects of residential school, addictions, health and wellness, and how on the land experiences and the canoe trip helped her to stay grounded, connected, and made her want to pursue more language and cultural learning opportunities. Additionally, each participant received Paddle Canada basic canoeing certification, and credits towards their high school diploma. Many youth want to join the trip again!
South Slave: Reconnecting to the Land- Our Intergenerational Connections
Objective: To reconnect Elders and youth in the community of Hay River through on the land experiences, sessions, and cultural activities; and to encourage our Indigenous community to self-identify with their culture and strengthen connections to the land through cultural activities, language lessons, and group sessions with Elders. Description: Fifteen participants, along with many day visitors, joined Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre’s two week culture camp held at Kátł’odeeche First Nation’s camp near Enterprise. Over the first week, the group focused on hide tanning, gathering medicinal plants, sewing, drumming, firearm safety, and hand games, along with daily harvesting and preparing of animals and fish. During the second week, the participants were guided by local Elders Dene Yatıé teachings as they made dry meat, tanned hides, shared stories, prepared pelts, made drums, cooked bannock and played Dene games. The participants ate delicious traditional foods, such as rabbit soup and stew, roasted duck, duck soup, beaver meat, beaver stew, and bannock. The best meal of all was roasted and fried moose meat on an open fire pit!
|
Successes: Hosted by Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre in partnership with Kátł’odeeche First Nation, the culture camp provided participants and Elders an opportunity to bond while gathering and preparing traditional foods, sharing legends around the campfire, and instilling Dene Yatıé teachings. Led by Elders and knowledge holders, the camp created opportunities for the participants to strengthen their relationship with the land and Dene culture.
Akaitcho: The Sacred Tree Camp
Objective: To learn the story of Yamozhe and the Sacred Tree, and to embed Dene Kede and Wıìlıìdeh language into daily learning. Description: Grade four students from Weledeh Catholic School spent two days at the Yellowknives Dene First Nation’s Wıìlıìdeh cultural site to learn the story of Yamozhe and the Sacred Tree. With permission from Elders, the students used technology to document the activities at camp, capture their learning, and create a virtual 3D tour of the site to share with their community. The students took photos of the Sacred Tree in its current location and at its original site, as well as of the stone beaver lodge. Wıìlıìdeh language and culture were embedded into the program as students learned about plants and medicines, played traditional Dene games, participated in daily prayers, feeding the fire ceremonies, and listening to Elders. Students also had the opportunity to prepare and eat delicious traditional foods, such as trout, whitefish, bannock, duck, and caribou stew.
|
Successes: Through their documentary work, the students preserved important teachings connected to the Sacred Tree. After the camp, they were able to explain the importance of the tree. The growth in their Wıìlıìdeh language development was demonstrated through their confidence in using the language more often and trying to learn new vocabulary. Many talented individuals and organizations collaborated to ensure this project was successful.