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KA'A'GEE TU/KAKISA
Jackfish, loche, whitefish and suckers were among the haul students from Kakisa Lake School pulled out of their namesake lake on March 8.

Tarek Chicot holds up one of the jackfish that students at Kakisa Lake School harvested. - photo courtesy of Lee Fillion

The students spent two afternoons learning about ice fishing. Their experience will also help other youth in the Deh Cho learn about the traditional activity.

Anyes Fabre-Dimsdale, of Fort Simpson, filmed the students as they set the net and later hauled it back in. Last fall, Fabre-Dimsdale and the Deh Cho Friendship Centre launched an interactive DVD-ROM designed to help children from pre-school to Grade 1 learn how to speak Dene Zhatie. The DVD-ROM includes audio and video clips to demonstrate the sound and use of Dene Zhatie letters and words

Fabre-Dimsdale is now gathering content to include in the website version of the DVD-ROM that is expected to be launched in the late spring. Video footage of the Kakisa students ice fishing will be included in the section on country foods.

That part of the website will have video demonstrations of harvesting techniques and the preparation and cooking of country foods, she said. Each video will include an audio narration in Dene Zhatie and will also emphasize the nutritional value of country foods.

Fabre-Dimsdale said she is trying to include as many Deh Cho communities as possible in the website. The Kakisa students were the second group to be filmed for the country foods section. Fabre-Dimsdale had earlier filmed a clip about moose meat and dry meat making in Fort Providence.

Fabre-Dimsdale said she learned a lot while being on Kakisa Lake with the students.

"It's hard work," she said of ice fishing.

Chris Chicot showed the students how to set the net.

Cutting a hole through the ice is the first step of the process. Chicot used a chainsaw to start and then an ice chisel. Students helped by chipping the ice and pulling the ice blocks out, said Lee Fillion, the principal of Kakisa Lake School.

Next, a jigger was lowered into the hole and positioned under the ice. The jigger is a wooden board with a metal arm on it. A rope is attached to the arm and by pulling on the rope and releasing it the arm swings up and down and drags the board along under the ice. A second rope is attached to the board and used to determine when it has travelled far enough.

Tarek Chicot, one of the students, followed the board by listening for the tapping sound of the metal arm on the ice. When it had gone far enough the students helped shovel the snow off the ice to locate the board, which could faintly be seen because it is painted orange.

A second hole was cut in the ice and the jigger was pulled out. The net, with floats and sinkers attached, was then pulled under the ice using the rope that was attached to the jigger.

With the net in place, students waited 24 hours before pulling it out. Their catch included approximately 20 fish.

Fillion said the process was a learning experience for all of the students except for Tarek, who had clearly been ice fishing before.

The students are eager to continue ice fishing after March break, said Fillion.

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