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TSIIGEHTCHIC - Tsiigehtchic elder Victor Modeste has spent all his life in the community

"I was born there and lived there. I'm gonna die there too," said Modeste with a wink and a laugh.

Tsiigehtchic elder Victor Modeste plays a tune. Modeste started playing when he was 13 and said he will be 73 next June. That's almost 60 years of experience. - Brodie Thomas/NNSL photo

Modeste has been playing fiddle almost as long as he has been living in Tsiigehtchic.

He started playing when he was 13 years old. He is now 72.

After almost 60 years of rosining up the bow, Modeste can play a jig as well as just about anyone.

"I used to carry my violin with me all the time," said Modeste. "I would even carry it around when I was hunting geese."

Modeste said once he was out hunting geese and he wasn't having much luck. Instead of waiting quietly, he took out his fiddle and began to play, just to pass the time.

"All of the sudden, all of them were flying around," he said. "I think it sounds like geese."

He said the only time he left his fiddle behind was when he had too many traps to carry on his back.

Like many of the elders in Tsiigehtchic, Modeste lived a traditional life close to the land. Trapping and hunting was a way of life for Modeste. As an elder he doesn't get out as much as he used to but he still loves going on the land.

Now that he is in his golden years, he likes nothing more than playing his music. He doesn't mind if there are two or 200 in the audience. Modeste plays regularly with a group from Tsiigehtchic known as the Mackenzie River Ramblers.

His practice has paid off. Many fiddlers can play a slow waltz, but it takes skill and fancy finger-work to play a good fast jig. Modeste recently played for a group of patients in the Inuvik Regional Hospital. His tunes caused many eyes to light up and toes to start tapping.