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TuesdayNovember4201411CulturalambassadorshonouredwithministersawardsByMEAGANWOHLBERGAfteradozenyearsrunningtheforemostculturaleventinFortResolutionDollieSimonoftheDeninuKueFirstNationsaidgettinganodfromtheministerhimselfistrulyanhonour.ItwasawesomeespeciallyfromtheministerSimonsharedwithTheJournal.DeninuKuewasgiventheMinistersChoiceAwardduringlastweeksCultureandHeritageCircleawardsforitsannualtraditionalculturecampatMissionIslandwhichpassesonavarietyofculturaltradi-tionstohundredseachsummer.Theawardsarehandedoutbythede-partmentofEducationCultureandEm-ploymentECEeachyeartoselectNorth-ernerswhodeserverecognitionfortheireffortsinpromotingandpreservingNWTcultureandheritage.Simonfirstproposedtheweek-longMis-sionIslandcamptoherFirstNationoveradecadeago.ThoughmanyresidentsofFortResolutionwouldtraveltoLutselKefortheirspiritualgatheringeachAugustshesaidnoteveryonewasabletogoandshewantedtohostsomethinglocallythatcelebratedculture.Sincethentheeventhasgrowntobe-comeastapleforthecommunitybringingout150to200peopleperdaytotakepartinanarrayofculturalactivitiesspreadacross10differentvenues.Peoplefromsurround-ingcommunitiesandevenasfarawayasSaskatchewanwillcometothegatheringandlocalorganizationsandbusinesseshavecomeonboard.Basicallyitslocalpeopleteachingeachother.Wehireinstructorsforbannockmak-ingdrymeatmakingdancingdrummingdifferentcraftsanddryfishSimonsaid.Theymakeapieceofdrymeathangitupinthesmokehouseandmoveontoan-othervenue.Itsjustaweekofcultureandgettingtogetherandvisitingshesaid.IndividualsgroupsrecognizedTheDeninuKueFirstNationwasnottheonlyonetobehonouredwithawardsfromECEMinisterJacksonLaffertylastweek.JanelleNitsizaa21year-oldTlichowomanfromWhatireceivedtheyouthawardforherparticipationintraditionalonthelandandculturalprojectshavingrecentlycompletedtheTlichoImbeepro-gramasaprojectassistant.PhotographerstorytellerandpriestReneFumoleauofLutselKewasawardedintheindividualcategoryforhiseffortstopreserveculturethroughhisphotogra-phy.Formorethan50yearshisphotoshavedocumentedDenelifeintheNWTandcanbeviewedinexhibitionsandanumberofbooks.IntheeldercategoryCamillaTutchoofDelinewashonouredforherguid-anceleadershipandvisioninpromotingculturalknowledgeprimarilyherskillsintanninghidesandsewingthemintobeautifulmoccasinsmukluksvestsmit-tensandotherclothinginanattempttokeeptraditionsaliveinhercommunity.TheFosterFamilyCoalitionoftheNWTwasalsogivenanawardinthegroupcat-egoryforitssummercampprogramforfosterfamiliesintheNWT.CampConnectionsaculturalcampforkidsaged7-18whohavebeeninvolvedwithsocialservicesallowsyouthtoconnectwithAboriginalcarversdrummerssto-rytellerssongwritersbeadersandcrafts-peopletopassonthoseskillsandensuretheyouthhaveopportunitiestoconnectwiththeirculture.AsNorthernersourculturesandheri-tagewraparoundeverythingwedo.Hunt-ingandtrappingartworkandcraftsman-shipandtraditionalvaluesandlanguagesareallpartofwhoweareasindividualsandasaterritoryanditisimportantthatwepromotepreserveandcelebratethemremarkedLafferty.ARTSCULTUREHERITAGEElderCamillaTutchoreceivesaCultureandHeritageCircleawardfromMinisterJacksonLaffertyforherroleinpreservingSahtuculture.JanelleNitsizaofWhatiacceptsherawardforculturalpromotionandpreservationintheyouthcategory.The21year-oldwasrecognizedforcommitmenttotraditioninherhomecommunityandregion.PhotosBobWilsonTuNedheMLATomBeaulieucentrecelebrateswithtwoawardwinnersfromhisridingStanleyBeckleftwhoacceptedtheMinistersChoiceAwardonbehalfoftheDeninuKueFirstNationandLutselKephotographerReneFumoleauwhowashonouredasanindividualforhisdocumentationofDenelifeovermanydecades.MaryRichardsonleftandNicoleGarbuttoftheFosterFamilyCoalitionoftheNWTwererecognizedinthegroupawardcategoryfortheirsummerculturecampthatallowsfosterchildrenaccesstotraditionalculturalactivitiestheymaynotbeexposedtowhileincare.