John Curran
Northern News Services

Fort Norman (Sep 12/05) - With 21 teams vying for $30,000 in cash prizes, Tulita was the hand games capital of the North over the Labour Day long weekend.

"We had 17 teams come in from as far away as Meander River, Alta., and Ross River, Yukon, as well as four from Tulita," said Jessie Campbell, one of the event's volunteer organizers. "It was our fourth annual Deneke Nagots'eye, which means Apeople playing.'"

She said it takes a team of about 20 volunteers to make everything happen. Her part was the hand games, but others looked after the feast, drum dance, talent show and the fundraising.

Without the efforts of the players and parents involved in Tulita Minor Hockey, who operated the canteen all weekend, and the other volunteers - including Lee Ann Yakeleya, Jimmy and Mary Mendo, Rosemary Andrew, Debbie Yallee, Helen Squirrel, Suzie Siliastiak and Stella Bayha-Yallee - she said the event wouldn't have been such a success.

"We had great weather, a great drum dance and the food was great," she said. "Shirley Bernarde, Evelyn Peter, Mary Louise Clement and Elsie Naedzo were the cooks and did a great job feeding everyone."

Deline wins top prize

In the end, Raymond Taniton's squad from Deline took the $10,000 top prize after Philip Nitsiza's Whati side was forced to forfeit as their plane was leaving to take them home along with their $8,000 second place award.

Rounding out the top five and their prizes were Gordon Peters' Ross River team, $6,000; Morris Moses's Wrigley team, $4,000; and Leo Modeste's youth team from Deline, $2,000.

Teams also attended from Norman Wells, Fort Good Hope, Rae-Edzo, Gameti and Wekweti. Having such a large crowd for all of the festivities was wonderful, said Chief Frank Andrew. "My favourite part was that a lot of people came for the hand games. It was great for the community having so many visitors fly in from outside Tulita."