Yellowknife Education District No. 1 (YK1) was busy this past week hosting a community hide camp for students and the community at Mildred Hall School. The final day was Thursday.

Andrea Harding, the regional Indigenous language and education co-ordinator for YK1, said that the purpose of the camp was to provide an opportunity for students to learn alongside Elders how to prepare hides.

SA国际影视传媒淎ll of our Grade 6 classes from across the district are circulating through our camp during the day,SA国际影视传媒� said Harding.

The camp featured three moose hides and three caribou hides at various stages of preparation.

In addition to hide preparation, the camp also had a station for bannock on a stick, a language station, and a story walk.

Harding said that the camp was also a great opportunity for the community to strengthen partnerships with schools and learn from community members.

SA国际影视传媒淚n the evenings, we are open to the community for people to come and participate in the activities as well,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淪tudents can bring their families back, and you donSA国际影视传媒檛 have to be a YK1 family SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 open to anybody.SA国际影视传媒�

For transportation for the students during the day time, Harding said that YK1 chartered buses to take students to and from the school.

Similar events such as this have happened in the past, but the scale was not as big as this year, Harding said.

SA国际影视传媒淚n the past, weSA国际影视传媒檝e had schools do their own individual hide camps, where they might have had one moose hide or maybe a couple caribou hides where they would do their own thing for a week, but it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 open to the community and it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 on this large of a scale like we have (this time),SA国际影视传媒� she said.

It is also a part of YK1SA国际影视传媒檚 commitment to reconciliation to provide these opportunities not just for families in the district, but for the whole community.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e had some people come here from the community who are not Elders or leaders,SA国际影视传媒� said Harding. SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檝e been able to share some knowledge that they have about the hides, and reciprocally been able to learn from us. I think itSA国际影视传媒檚 really important to provide these opportunities for everybody and to provide those opportunities for the community to be a part of the things that weSA国际影视传媒檙e doing in school and working together.SA国际影视传媒�

The city chipped in with a $7,500 grant to support the event.

Kerry Thistle, the citySA国际影视传媒檚 director of economic development and strategy, said the citySA国际影视传媒檚 updated Reconciliation Action Plan included working with the YK to support public access to the hide tanning camp in the evenings.

Other sponsors such United Way NWT, NWT Literacy Council, RochdiSA国际影视传媒檚 Your Independent Grocer, Aurora College and College Nordique Francophone had also helped out by providing funding or refreshments.