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 Travis Van Metre, left, and Philip Liske really enjoyed riding on the snowmobiles at the Bliss Lake bush camp. - photo courtesy of Leo Ehrenberg/ Mildred Hall School |
The three Grade 7 Mildred Hall students returned from a two-day bush camp at Bliss Lake last week.
They may not have bagged a caribou but they have nothing but enthusiasm for cold weather camping.
They especially liked driving the snowmobiles and learning how to fish under the thick lake ice.
"It was cool when the elders did the demonstration on stretching the mink," said Philip.
"It was probably the best (bush camp) I've been involved in because it had a really strong cultural component," said Grade 7 teacher Leo Ehrenberg, adding he never heard a complaint and everyone was eager to help with the work.
The Bliss Lake camp was the first of two camps the school co-hosted with a Government of Northwest Territories renewable resources trapping and training program.
The program is usually offered to high school students but the 15 members of Mildred Hall's aboriginal language and culture program had no trouble keeping up with the elders during the two days.
The 15 members were split into two groups of seven. Each group camped for two days at the Bliss Lake facility which includes a cabin and canvas tents.
The camp was funded by the aboriginal program and was organized by Danny Beaulieu, a renewable resources forest officer.
The students learned to ice fish, gather wood, track caribou, make traditional foods and process pelts.
"It's a chance for them to appreciate their elders, grandparents and for some their parents and to understand that people did work hard," said vice principal DiAnn Blesse.
"The nice thing is that it's a natural way of learning. There are natural dangers the children pick up very quickly so the instruction, I think, is gentle."
The school hopes to continue offering a bush camp component in the aboriginal language and culture.
