by Janet Smellie
Northern News Services

NNSL (Oct 29/97) - Students at Aurora College's pre-employment cooking program last week learned some of the best-kept secrets of the past at a special traditional cooking workshop.

Dogrib elders Fred Erasmus, Teresa Sangris and Alexie Mackenzie spent Friday afternoon with the students, teaching them everything from making bannock to how to turn a hind quarter of caribou into stew and dry meat.

"It was very nurturing for everyone," said Joanne Erasmus, a college councillor who helped convince her father Fred to take part in the special workshop.

"They brought the meat. Teresa showed students how to make dry meat, which is a tradition a lot of people aren't learning. There was also some storytelling which the students seemed to really enjoy."

Rosalyn Moore, a first-year student who grew up in Inuvik, said the elders' instructions on how to properly work with traditional foods was "invaluable."

As a Gwich'in who grew up in Fort Smith and Inuvik, Moore is planning to look for work in a mining camp when she graduates.

"It was a great experience. I learned how to cut a hind quarter of caribou properly in order to make dry meat. I've always intended to learn to make dry meat and now I know."

The program's head instructor, Colleen Proctor, said the afternoon also included learning how to prepare caribou stew and arctic char.

Proctor is planning to continue bringing in guest chefs throughout the program, including some from Yellowknife's finest dining establishments.