CONTENT WARNING: RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS

You may not have heard much from the organizers, but the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 annual fitness kick this year is happening SA国际影视传媒� albeit with a lower profile and seeking a new name.

Formerly known as SA国际影视传媒淲alk to Tuk,SA国际影视传媒� the annual contest where participants clock their time exercising for a month to simulate travelling the distance from Fort Providence to Tuktoyaktuk will simply be called the NWTRPA Walking Challenge until a new name can be determined.

NWT Recreation and Parks association President Derek Squirrel explained the decision came during a meeting Dec. 20 after organizers were informed in January of 2021 the old name was offensive to residential school survivors, particularly because two of three children died walking to Tuktoyaktuk trying to escape an institution.

SA国际影视传媒淭hese three boys, Bernard Andreason, Lawrence Jack Elanik, and Dennis Dick, escaped from Inuuv谋kSA国际影视传媒檚 Stringer Hall residential school in 1972 before embarking on a two-week trek on foot through the bush towards Tuktuuyaqtuuq (Tuktoyaktuk,)SA国际影视传媒� wrote Squirrel. SA国际影视传媒淭wo of the boys, Lawrence and Dennis, died on the way, while Bernard was rescued.

SA国际影视传媒淥ver eleven years, the Walking Challenge has grown and evolved into the Northwest TerritoriesSA国际影视传媒� largest and longest physical activity event. Over the years, the event has sought to support family, language, and connection to the land - the very things that residential schools sought to destroy.SA国际影视传媒�

A new name will be decided on in 2022 after consulting with stakeholders, participants, Indigenous groups and members of the NWTRPA.

This isnSA国际影视传媒檛 the first time the event has rebranded in its 11 year history. Right out of the gate, the NWTRA Walking Challenge was initially called the Mackenzie River Nordic Walking Challenge, but was changed to the old name after feedback from participants that year.

Since beginning in 2010, the walking challenge has grown into the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 largest single walking event. In 2021 over 5,579 people from 31 out of 33 NWT communities took part in the event, collectively walking 752,215 kilometres, which was nearly 30,000 km more than the year previous. It drew 495 teams, which was an increase of 40 to 50 teams from 2020.

In previous years T-Shirts were given to all participants and prizes were given out to the teams with the most mileage. These will be included in 2022 as well, though organizers note with the change in branding there may be delays in program delivery this year.

SA国际影视传媒淭he NWTRPA staff will make every effort to make these changes as soon as possible. However, many will affect all the programSA国际影视传媒檚 communications and, therefore, will take some time to put in place,SA国际影视传媒� said Squirrel. SA国际影视传媒淭he NWT Recreation and Parks Association (NWTRPA) would like to apologize for any harm caused by the NWTRPASA国际影视传媒檚 walking challengeSA国际影视传媒檚 former name.

SA国际影视传媒淭he aim of the review is to seek advice from decolonization and reconciliation experts and community members, on how to adapt our programs to follow the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 94 Call to Action, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirited Calls for Justice, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, as well as work towards delivering more decolonial programs. SA国际影视传媒�

Anyone interested in participating in the NWTRPA Walking Challenge can visit the website at to register.