In late 2022, the Tlicho GovernmentSA国际影视传媒檚 Department of Culture and Lands Protection and the University of Alberta came together to host a first-of-its-kind research expo in Behchoko.

The event was such a success that plans quickly developed for a second edition, which is now less than two weeks away.

SA国际影视传媒淭he first year it was really good, so we decided to do another one this year,SA国际影视传媒� said Tyanna Steinwand, manager of research operations and training at the Tlicho Research and Training Institute. SA国际影视传媒淭he other departments do conferences and stuff, but this is our only research expo, so it will probably be an annual thing.SA国际影视传媒�

The 2023 Research Expo is set to occur on Dec. 6 at the community museum on the second floor of BehchokoSA国际影视传媒檚 Ko Gocho Sportsplex Centre. It will be open to the public, and free to attend.

Just like the 2022 event, the expo will feature booths staffed by researchers working on Tlicho lands. They will share information and answer questions about their work, and explain how community members can get involved. This year, that includes projects on plant medicine, food security, wildlife monitoring, traditional economies, Tlicho families and children, and Covid-19 vaccines and immunity in Indigenous people.

There will also be a booth dedicated to a project called the Tlicho Cultural Commons, the Tlicho GovernmentSA国际影视传媒檚 digital archive of pictures, videos, documents and recordings from past research and events.

The Dec. 6 expo will be followed by a two-day focus group, which is intended to fine tune the Tlicho Cultural Commons archive project. That event will be led by the University of AlbertaSA国际影视传媒檚 Rebecca Bourgeois, a PhD candidate in anthropology.

The focus group will not be open to the public, but invitations have been extended to 25 Elders and eight young people from across the four Tlicho communities.

SA国际影视传媒淭he next two days, Rebecca is going to have her focus group where the Elders and the youth can dive into more detail about the archive and how to organize the archive and what should be in the archive and things like that,SA国际影视传媒� Steinwand said. SA国际影视传媒淲e want a research strategy where the community people are telling us what we should be focusing on, because what I find is we always get researchers coming to us and saying what they want to do, but weSA国际影视传媒檙e looking for research that the community wants rather than the other way around.SA国际影视传媒�

Steinwand admitted planning for the 2023 expo and focus group started somewhat SA国际影视传媒渓ast minute,SA国际影视传媒� but sheSA国际影视传媒檚 confident preparations are on track, and is expecting another successful event when all is said and done.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have a planning team together and weSA国际影视传媒檙e inviting the people, getting researchers allocated to tables, and doing the catering and translation, just making sure everyoneSA国际影视传媒檚 good to go,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e really excited. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 just good to see the Elders and the community people and show them what we do and get their feedback.SA国际影视传媒�