Derek Neary
Northern News Services

WRIGLEY (Aug 14/98) - People from around the North converged in Wrigley to take part in the variety of workshops and enjoy the entertainment during the Pehdzeh Ki's annual Spiritual Gathering last week.

The gathering featured workshops on grieving, personal development based on traditional values and drug and alcohol awareness. The grieving workshop alone attracted more than 20 people, according to co-ordinator Sally Nayally.

Denia Lamothe, one of several people to take part in the personal development based on traditional values workshop, said the thrust of the seminar was on the tradition roles men and women held in native society. Led by facilitator Rebecca Martel, of Edmonton, there was also discussion on how those time-honored values can still be applied to address today's problems.

"I have a new daughter and it really reinforced in me the way I should be raising her -- to be a caring person," Lamothe said, adding that Martel didn't lecture so much as relate personal experiences.

The second day of the workshop saw some elders come in to pass on their wisdom, including a couple who have been married for 42 years.

"They shared some insight on how they did that, and that it's not easy all the time," she said. "It was a really positive experience for me."

In the evening, the spotlight was on entertainment. That included the John Landry Band, from Fort Providence, Hay River fiddling sensation Cole Crook, Ronald Tecomba and band, from Assumption, Alberta and the Dreamcatchers dance troupe.

Overall, the event didn't attract as many people as last year because it was scaled back to keep it financially viable, Nayally said. -30-