TaloyoakSA国际影视传媒檚 Crystal Mitchell has newfound admiration for her ancestors after her time on the reality television series Merchants of the Wild.

Each season of the show features six Indigenous Canadians, who are challenged to survive in a remote location with nothing but the clothes on their back, for up to 25 days.

No junk food, no caffeine, no phones.

Mitchell, who applied for a spot on the show in 2021, appeared on the fourth season, which was filmed in the MiSA国际影视传媒檏maq territory of Kespukwitk in Nova Scotia that year.

Her season of the show will begin airing on Cottage Life TV on July 4, and later on APTN.

SA国际影视传媒淚t made me realize how strong our ancestors were,SA国际影视传媒� Mitchell said of her time on the series. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 very difficult to live out on the land.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 thought I appreciated them a lot, but I appreciate them so much more. They were very strong people.SA国际影视传媒�

During their time on the show, Mitchell and her five cast mates were forced to create their own fires, build their own shelters, make their own hunting tools, and harvest their own food SA国际影视传媒� all in the face of mounting hunger and homesickness.

It was challenging for all of them, but particularly so for Mitchell, who is accustomed to life far above the tree line.

SA国际影视传媒淕rowing up, I always went out on the land with my mom and my grandparents and my family, so I knew quite a bit [about survival], but not down southSA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 know skills in Nunavut. I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 grow up with trees, so I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 know how to make a fire with a bow drill. It was really out of my comfort zone.SA国际影视传媒�

Despite being on unfamiliar terrain, Mitchell still found ways to use the skills that her parents and grandparents imparted when she was growing up in Nunavut, most notably when it came time to harvest animals.

To put those skills to use on the land in Kespukwitk was a profound experience.

SA国际影视传媒淢y grandfather used to say we Inuit learn by watching,SA国际影视传媒� she said, holding back tears. SA国际影视传媒淚 used to think I wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 watching, but I was.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淗is words came back to me when I was out on the land because I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 know what to do, but looking back and remembering what he taught me helped me along the way.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 want to say to people, watch your Elders when they teach, and watch your parents, because someday youSA国际影视传媒檙e going to need those teachings, and they will be useful in your life.SA国际影视传媒�

Over the course of their time on Merchants of the Wild, Mitchell and her cast mates were introduced to MiSA国际影视传媒檏maq Elders, who not only imparted valuable wisdom about surviving on the land, but also provided crucial survival tools, such as axes, knives, cordage and bow drill kits.

SA国际影视传媒淚 learned a lot from the Elders,SA国际影视传媒� Mitchell said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey were teaching us stuff we needed to survive. They were very useful, because living in the North and living down south are two very different things. It helped me a lot.SA国际影视传媒�

Mitchell is now back in Taloyoak, and will head to Iqaluit in the fall for her second year in Nunavut Arctic CollegeSA国际影视传媒檚 environmental technology program. She is unsure if she will do more television in the future, but is open to the possibility.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檒l see what the future holds,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 had so much fun. If I could do it again, I would. I highly recommend detoxing from social media and going out on the land for a few weeks and just learning about yourself and your culture.SA国际影视传媒�