Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
ArtsCultureTraditionalArts9TuesdayMay272014Traditionaltool-makingworkshopequipsnewgenerationofyounghidetannersByMEAGANWOHLBERGAntlerwoodsteelandtra-ditionalknowledgefusedlastweekinWhitehorsewhereagroupofaspiringandprac-ticinghidetannersfromtheNWTventuredtolearntheartoftraditionaltoolmakingintheworkshopofaprac-ticedexpert.Withthegoalofreconnect-ingtothelandandculture10individualsfromcommu-nitiesthroughouttheNWTmetwithartistGeorgeRob-ertslastweekathisworkshoptomakescrapersandknives-preciousresourcesforbeingonthelandhuntingandtan-ningmooseandcaribouhides.AlotofusarelearningtotanhidesintheNWTandwhatIfoundwasthatIdidnthaveenoughtoolstotanhidesandmostofthetoolsyouhavetomakeyourselfbecausetheyreprettyspecicsaidworkshoporganizerTaniaLarssonaGwichinwomanbasedinYellowknife.Becausethetoolsaresospecicitsreallyhardtogetaholdofanyifyoudidntinheritsome.LarssonsaidshehadmetRobertsseveralyearsagoattheGreatNorthernArtsFes-tivalinInuvikwhileshewasrstlearningtotanmoosehidesandbecameenamoredwiththeideaofcreatingherowntools.Hethoughtholdingaworkshopwouldbeagreatideaandthetwoteamedup.Overthevedayspartici-pantssetoutwiththegoalofeachcreatingtwotoolsmadefromwoodantlerandsteel-knivestobeusedforhuntingorgeneralbushlivingandhidescrapersfortanning-learn-ingtocutgrindandsandthematerialsusingpowertools.Larssonsaidknowinghowtoproperlymaketoolsen-surestheystaysharperlongerwhichmakesthechallengingprocessoftanninghideslessdiscouragingforbeginnersandensuresthetoolslongevity.Asidefromagroupofbur-geoningyoungtannersLars-sonalsoinvitedherrsttan-ningteacherJudyLaffertyandsisterLucyAnnYakeleya-botheldersfromFortGoodHopewithvaluableexperience-tobepartoftheworkshop.ConnectingtolandandcultureLarssonwhospentalargepartofherlifeinFrancesaidshefoundherpassionfortan-ningwhileonapersonaljour-neytoreconnectwiththelandandherGwichinrootsfollow-ingherreturntotheNorth.Ifoundthattanninghidewasoneofthemosteffectivewaysofdoingthat.WhatIre-allywantedtodowasmakemyselfapairofmoccasinsbutitwasjustsohardtondbeau-tifulhideanditssoexpensivesoIsaidIjustwanttolearnhowtodoit.Thatwasaboutveyearsagosheshared.Findingelderswiththeknowledgeandspendingtimewiththemhasbeencru-cialforbuildingthoseskillsLarssonsaid.Justbeingaroundelderswithsomuchknowledgeisarealblessingbecausetheycanteachyousomuchandallyouhavetodoisgiveyourtimetothemandyoullgetsomuchoutofit.Theprocessoftanninghasalsobroughtherclosertothelandshesaid.Irealizedthatonceyoureoutthereworkingwiththemoosehidesyoualsohavetoknowwhichwoodtopickuptosmokethehideshowtogointhebushtondtherawmaterials.Yourrespectforthelandgrowsandyourappreciationforit.TanningworkshopsconferencealsoplannedThetool-makingworkshopwastherstactivitytobeorga-nizedofciallyundertheaus-picesofDeneNahjoourwayoflifeanewgrassrootsorga-nizationofyoungindigenousandnon-indigenousNorthern-ersinterestedindevelopinganewgenerationofleadersandcommunitybuildersthroughtheguidanceofelders.Wewantedtodoculturalrevitalizationandpromoteleadershipinyoungpeoplewiththewholecultureofre-spectingyoureldersandcon-nectingtothelandandbeingpartofyourcommunityandalsomaybestartingsomepo-liticalengagementforyoungpeopleLarssonsaid.Withtheirinauguralactiv-itysuccessfullycompletedmembersofthegrouparenowmovingontothe8-MilessitenearFortMcPhersonthisweektotancaribouhidesforthreeweeks.Wewantedtodoawork-shopthatwasoutsideofYel-lowknifesowecouldconnectwitheldersintheGwichinregionandlearnhowtotancaribouhidesbecausemostlypeoplehavebeentanningmoosehidessofarLars-sonsaid.OtherssuchasStephaniePooleofLutselKewillbetakinghernewskillsandtoolshomeforacommunitymoosehidetanningworkshopinearlyJuneLarssonsaid.Thenalinitiativeunder-waybyDeneNahjoisaNorth-ernleadershipconferenceforindigenouswomenplannedforthisNovemberinYellowknife.Itsgoingtobeaseriesofleadershipandcapacity-buildingsessionsorganizedforestablishingemergingindigenouswomenleadersinthecircumpolarworld.Soweregoingtobefocusingonissuesthatareimportanttousandtoourcommunitiesandthatwillhelptocreateanetworkofleadersandchange-makersLarssonsaid.FormoreinformationonDeneNahjoanditsactivitiesvisitdenenahjo.comoremailcontactdenenahjo.comPhotosTaniaLarssonInstructorGeorgeRobertsleftteachestheclasshowtomakehidescraperslastweek.Studentsmadeavarietyofcuttingandscrapingtoolstobeusedfortanninghides.StephaniePooleofLutselKesandsdownascrapertobeusedfortanninghides.5108A53rdStreetYellowknifeX1A1V6867-765-085862WoodlandDr105HayRiverX0E1G1867-874-2101CONGRATULATIONSontheGrandOpeningofthenewEMSCentreThankyoutoallHayRiversFireandEmergencyMedicalServiceVolunteers