Yellowknife hosts Indigenous Summer season Video games
Round 50 youth and adults gathered round a desk on the Weledeh Catholic College area in Yellowknife on Saturday to look at Irene Sangris, an elder and information holder with the Dechinta Centre, display methods to lower whitefish, caught by her husband Charlie.
This was the primary time the occasion was provided as a part of the Indigenous Summer season Video games.
The video games ran from June 30 to July 3, bringing athletes from throughout the North, together with the Yukon and Alaska.
Carson Roche, the occasion supervisor for the video games, defined the fish chopping occasion showcased traditions from numerous areas.
“You noticed loads of cool types, we had a woman from Paulatuk utilizing an ulu making dry fish and she or he was so slick and easy along with her chopping,” Roche mentioned.
Lorna Storr, is an elder from Aklavik, N.W.T., an athlete and longtime competitor in Dene video games, she was on the video games as an officiant and competitor.
The fish chopping was thrilling for her.
“It is a new occasion, and I am taking part, which makes it fascinating trigger I am not an knowledgeable,” she mentioned.
Storr is an knowledgeable in tea boiling, the place she shortly and easily chopped wooden, lit matches and boiled water, whereas additionally managing mentor others.
Beth Hudson of Fort Simpson, N.W.T., additionally competed within the occasion.
“I am tremendous happy with myself and it was tremendous enjoyable as a result of for me, my dad taught me methods to make a hearth after I was like 5 years previous or one thing. And so I texted him instantly and I used to be like, ‘guess what? I simply did that,'” she mentioned with amusing.
Knuckle hop was one other recreation held through the occasions.
Chris Stipdonk of Fort Simpson is the world report holder for the knuckle hop, setting it on the Arctic Winter Video games in 2020. He beat that report on the Indigenous Summer season Video games, hopping over 206 ft.
Roche mentioned he was “fairly emotional” after the occasion wrapped up.
“I am simply humbled, honoured that every one these athletes competed in our occasion,” he mentioned.
However he additionally is aware of it will not be the final one, the following might be held in two years, probably on the identical venue. However there are plans to maneuver the situation.
“I just like the venue, the venues very nice, however I would not thoughts to do it in a extra conventional panorama,” he mentioned.
Roche mentioned he hopes to have winter video games sooner or later and to someday broaden so the communities can host.