Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 07/00) - So, there you are, passing through a Northern community. Say Fort Providence or Hay River, maybe Deline, even so far up as Aklavik.

You want to take something home with you, a souvenir of your passage.

What to buy that fits your experience in that distinctive community?

First off, explains Doug Bryshun in Fort Providence, there are two types of tourists.

"There's the tourist that wants to buy the arts and craft type of thing. They're looking for a higher purchase point. There's some tourists that come in ... I mean they just may not like arts and crafts, but they want the souvenir type of thing."

He adds that, either way, people are looking for something unique.

"Something they haven't been able to find elsewhere. Unique to the area. Anything with porcupine quill work is popular. Moosehair tufting is very popular in the Fort Providence area. Souvenirs with Fort Providence on it or Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary has been popular down here. Something with the bison on it."

At the Hay River Visitor Information Centre, they see a bit of both kinds of tourists. A display filled with Hay River souvenirs sits in the centre.

"There's t-shirts and mugs. A lot of people are interested in the licence plates," says Jennifer Rosendahl, who was manning the centre last Thursday.

The polar bear licence plate?

"Yeah. That's a big thing," she emphasizes. "And a lot of people just want to take a t-shirt home."

People do also ask about arts and crafts. Rosendahl will refer them to the Dene Cultural Institute in town.

In Deline, a traditional craft is definitely the thing to take home.

"A popular item would be slippers or little carvings," says Dennis Kenny, the arts and crafts co-ordinator for the community. "Little models of snowshoes and stuff like that. But the popular item is slippers."

Kenny means beaded slippers. Definitely. Slippers sporting that incomparable beadwork found in the Sahtu.

"With flower designs or a geometric shape," he adds.

As for the carvings, Kenny says they depict the traditional lifestyle.

The items are made locally by the citizens of Deline.

In Aklavik, Susan Ross talks about souvenirs related to special events.

"We just finished our Gwich'in gathering and we have maps left over from that. Also T-shirts from the Pokiak Festival. We have sweaters, jackets, bags, t-shirts. We have some stuff with Aklavik Indian Band written on it. Pins."

Crafts are available, but only privately since the craft shop shut down.