Cultural events throughout the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n Settlement Area will soon have a new centrepiece as the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n Tribal Council (GTC) seeks to bring more canoeing back to the region.

Four replica voyageur canoes SA国际影视传媒� designed to showcase the traditional watercraft of traders, explorers and travellers of the Mackenzie water basin SA国际影视传媒� have been commissioned by the the GTC and are anticipated to be in the water this summer. There will be one canoe for each GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n Settlement Area community, including Tsiigehtchic, Aklavik, TeetlSA国际影视传媒檌t Zheh (Fort McPherson) and Inuvik.

The GTC is also planning a traditional paddling trip this summer using the new watercraft from TeetlSA国际影视传媒檌t Zheh to the soon-to-be-opened GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n Wellness Camp. Still in the early stages of planning, the multi-day trek would follow the traditional routes used by GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n as they traversed the region.

SA国际影视传媒淎s a health and wellness initiative, the GTC board decided to purchase these voyageur canoes,SA国际影视传媒� said GTC grand chief Ken Kyikavichik. SA国际影视传媒淭hey come at a cost of about $70,000 to $80,000 each. What we would like to do is utilize these canoes along with some of our community members and knowledge keepers to work with our youth.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey are larger canoes, not unlike the canoes the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n used to use in the area that were made out of things such as moose hide.SA国际影视传媒�

Kyikavichik said moose hide canoes were in regular use in the area up until the early 1900s. The vessels are built to modern racing standards, using a fibreglass shell, and will crew six to 10 people to paddle effectively.

GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n and other Dene peoples were canoeing the waterways of the North long before European colonists and traders showed up. The three major waterways of the GSA, Nagwichoonjik (Mackenzie River), TeetlSA国际影视传媒檌t Gwinjik (Peel River), and Tsiigehnjik (Arctic Red River) served as the means of trade, travel and self-development. So the idea of developing a community river trek following those historic trade and travel routes has gathered considerable support.

A date is still being finalized, but Kyikavichik said organizers were aiming to have the trip before the Midway Music Festival in August, so he anticipated the voyage would cast off sometime in the later weeks of July.

He added that the plan is for a wellness trip, not a race, and the underlying goal is to give youth a way to connect with their heritage and learn valuable on-the-land skills.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 an opportunity for young people to stop along the way to take their time,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淢ore importantly, learn how to live out on the land and set up camps along the way. To cut wood for themselves and live like the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n have in the Mackenzie delta here for thousands of years.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne of the things weSA国际影视传媒檙e doing here is replicating what other Indigenous nations such as the Tlicho are doing. The Tlicho have a pretty successful summer canoe trek to some of their communities in the North Slave region of the Northwest Territories. We believe that young people in particular have a better understanding of who they are and our history and how we have existed in our territory, and that sets them up very well for their careers, whether they go to post-secondary education or undertake trades training.

SA国际影视传媒淭he idea is that we are providing instruction to our young people in traditional ways of the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n, while also encouraging them to pursue post-secondary studies. A lot like the Tlicho, we believe that [when] you are skilled in the ways of the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n but also in the Western world, you are strong like two people, so these types of opportunities help us develop that and help to unlock the potential for very young people.SA国际影视传媒�

Putting together a trek like this takes extensive organizing. Kyikavichik said the GTC is hoping to attract guides, support workers and youth counsellors.

He said more information will be released on social media as the plan develops.

SA国际影视传媒淲e do have a very open approach right now and we are part of the reason why I issued what I did SA国际影视传媒� to let our people know that these issues are coming and we will require the expertise of our people to help hold this trip together,SA国际影视传媒� he said.