Charlene Liske is many things: a mother, a volunteer, a coach and an inductee in the NWT Education Hall of Fame.

But above all else, sheSA国际影视传媒檚 a member of her community.

SA国际影视传媒淢y community is very important to me. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e a small community, about 250 people outside of Yellowknife,SA国际影视传媒� said Liske, a member of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation in Dettah.

When Liske, the director of traditional knowledge and cultural resources at the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, first learned she was an inductee in the 2023 Education Hall of Fame, she said she didnSA国际影视传媒檛 quite realize the gravity of the impact sheSA国际影视传媒檚 made SA国际影视传媒� not until the award was in her hands.

SA国际影视传媒淯ntil I brought the award home, and sat there looking at it, putting it on my wall, I was like, SA国际影视传媒極h my god, I was recognized.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�

The distinction has made her all the more grateful for the work she does.

SA国际影视传媒淚 have another award that itSA国际影视传媒檚 next to,SA国际影视传媒� Liske said, referring to when she was awarded Youth of the Year by the Akaitcho Territory Government, about 13 years ago, which also hangs on her wall.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne youth is selected every year in the community for their hard work and efforts and volunteering in the community. And I got it, so itSA国际影视传媒檚 right next to that award,SA国际影视传媒� said Liske.

Liske has been working with her community for more than a decade, in particular in the areas of recreation and wellness.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat really connected me to a lot of Elders and the youth,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

But what sticks out to her most is her first hide camp with Dechinta.

SA国际影视传媒淚 worked for our First Nation, and we were very limited with funds and to gather people. And then as soon as I started with Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, they said, SA国际影视传媒榃hat is one thing that you really want to get going? LetSA国际影视传媒檚 make it happen.SA国际影视传媒� And I was like, SA国际影视传媒楬ide tanning.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�

What made the experience stand out, Liske said, was that she invited the wellness division of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation to participate in hide tanning for the two and a half weeks.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey came in as community members,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hat whole wellness team, I think there were eight of them. Eight people and by the end of the camp, they really emphasized how healing it is to process caribou hides.SA国际影视传媒�

Dechinta is an Indigenous initiative, working with the University of British Columbia (UBC).

SA国际影视传媒淚f you take any of our accredited courses, you get credits through UBC for Indigenous Studies,SA国际影视传媒� said Liske.

So, not only is she attached to her own community, but also helping others reattach to theirs.

SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of these people that come to our camps, and people from our community, havenSA国际影视传媒檛 worked on hides for many, many years, either because of residential schools or nobody in our family knows how to tan hide and weSA国际影视传媒檙e relearning this,SA国际影视传媒� said Liske, adding that the process can pull at a personSA国际影视传媒檚 heart strings.

SA国际影视传媒淩elearning a skill, or learning the skill that hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 been taught to them by their family members or their parents or their ancestors for any reason, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 the emotional part of it. A lot of people get very emotional,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

When campSA国际影视传媒檚 over, students have not only earned some credits through the university, but also some new hide. In 2023, 11 students took home some moose hide.

SA国际影视传媒淓very camp they do, they walk away with some kind of piece of hide or clothing that they made at camp,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey also take away all the traditional knowledge that was taught to them, traditional foods that they harvest throughout the three weeks. They always leave happy and crying, and everybodySA国际影视传媒檚 so grateful by the end of the camp.SA国际影视传媒�

As for Liske, what she wants to see next is more culture and traditions taught in her community and schools. She also mentioned an EldersSA国际影视传媒� program in Dettah thatSA国际影视传媒檚 been running well. SheSA国际影视传媒檇 like to see it continue.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think uniting our community, with our Elders and with our youth. It will bring back the culture and traditions in our community. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 what I really strive for.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒擣or more stories from Degrees of Success 2024, click this link and scroll down to Special Features: /e-editions-nno