Yellowknife (Apr 27/05) - After enjoying a traditional feast surrounded by her children and grandchildren, elder Christie Albert sat back and watched the jigging unfold in the basement at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre.

"I'm happy to see all the Gwich'in that are here," said the 74-year-old with a smile.

Albert was raised by her grandmother in Fort McPherson and went on to work in Aklavik at the nursing home there. She lives in Yellowknife now and so does most of her family.

They are among the more than 200 Gwich'in members who live in the capital city and away from the traditional Gwich'in settlements of Inuvik, Aklavik, Tsiigehtchic and Fort McPherson. With so many people living in the city, it made sense to start celebrating Gwich'in Day as they do in those communities - so this year they did.

With no day off as in the settlement areas, the Izhii K'aiik'it Tat Gwich'in group met up at the Friendship Centre, April 23, to feast and jig and just get together. The official day was April 22.

The annual day is officially a celebration of the signing of the Gwich'in land claims agreement from 1992.

Nadira Begg, one of the organizers and a young Gwich'in woman, cherished the gathering of young and old, Gwich'in and non-Gwich'in.

"It's to be able to gather and take more time for our culture and heritage. To be able to represent ourselves and our Gwich'in people," she said.

"It's a pretty important day in the settlements. It should be an important day for us, too," said Begg.

The traditional language wasn't heard much at the celebration, proof that it is badly endangered in the territory.

Albert's own daughter can understand it, but she can't speak her mother's language. One generation down the line can't even do that.

For the Izhii K'aiik'it Tat Gwich'in, that will hopefully change in the future. Begg is hoping to start Gwich'in lessons in Yellowknife soon.

In the meantime she is making sure her four-year-old son grows up with the proud knowledge of his language and culture.