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TLICHO - When the Tlicho people started deciding what they wanted from the federal government through the land claim and the diamond mines through various impact benefit agreements, priority was given to protecting and strengthening their culture.

Lloyd Lamouelle and 18-year-old Arielle Tinqui were part of the five-night canoe trip to Whati from their home community of Behchoko through the Trails of our Ancestors program. - John Curran/NNSL photos

It's now three years beyond the beginning of life under the Tlicho Agreement and that investment in tradition is already paying dividends.

Several key programs form the backbone of this initiative, including Trails of our Ancestors, the Canadian Aboriginal Handgames Championship in Behchoko, the fall orientation camp at Messa Lake and the canoe purchase program.

This year alone, these items combined are expected to cost the Tlicho $600,000 of the projected $3.4 million in payment they are predicted to receive via impact benefits agreements with BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and De Beers Canada - operators of the NWT's three producing diamond mines.

Trails of our Ancestors - which this year brought elders and youth together for a five-night canoe trip to the Annual Tlicho Gathering in Whati from Behchoko - is one of the highest priorities with its projected budget of $150,000.

"These canoe trips are very important to our culture," said Lucy Lafferty, director of education with the Tlicho Community Services Agency. "Traditionally these trips have been part of our summer gatherings for centuries."

The agency, together with the Tlicho Government, co-organizes the trips and she said she has been on three in previous years - this year she had too much work on her desk to be able to get away.

All told, 12 canoes carried more than 70 participants on this year's adventure. Among them was Behchoko's Lloyd Lamouelle.

As an able-bodied adult, he was one of the crew bosses on the voyage. It's a job that brings with it many responsibilities.

"Most of the younger people are beginners so we teach them about respect for the land, the good fishing and hunting spots as well as trapping," he said.

"On the portages, it's up to the crew boss of each boat to make sure all of the gear they're carrying with them gets across."

While most of the travel across land is limited to short carry-overs far less than 100 metres in length, there were two longer portages that really put the crews to the test.

"There's one that's one kilometre and one that's five kilometres near Whati Falls," Lamouelle said. "Once we started carrying the boat across the big one this year we just kept trading people out and hardly set it down at all."

Lafferty said the portages give youth a glimpse at what life was like for their ancestors and a better appreciation for what it has meant to be Tlicho for the past few hundred years.

"The canoes are heavy and you see them dripping with sweat and blood from the insect bites ... it's clear they're working hard," she said.

"Before taking one of the trips, when we talk about the hardships people used to face on the land, it can be a concept the youth have trouble identifying with."

For 18-year-old Arielle Tinqui, who took part in her second such canoe trip this year, Trails of our Ancestors has given her a huge appreciation for Tlicho culture and history.

"When we came to the burial sites we would stop and feed the fire and pray for a good trip," she said.

"I saw an old paddle out there that someone said was 100 years old and parts of old canoes that are breaking down and going back to the land."

She said she thinks it is important for young people to hear the traditional stories and learn lesson about hard work and functioning as a team.

As a veteran camper, she took it upon herself to help her crew boss with the cooking duties.

"I made several meals for my boat," she said. "One night I cooked ribs, corn, noodles and potatoes ... I think it turned out well."

While relaxing around camp each night after a hard day's work is one of her favourite parts of the journey, she very much enjoyed the stories participating elders told them.

"They teach us a lot about how it used to be," she said.

This year, seven elders took part, said Lamouelle.

"We even had about four of them who are in their 70s now," he said.

Elders on the 2008 trip were Alphonse Apples of Gameti, Jimmy B. Rabesca and Louie Wedawin of Whati, as well as Eddie Weyallon, Francis Gon, Robert Mackenzie and Joe Rabesca, all from Behchoko.

"You should have seen some of them moving their packs over the portages," Lamouelle added. "They've still got it."

Also among those joining the group for the entire adventure were representatives of De Beers Canada, Monfwi MLA and Tlicho citizen Jackson Lafferty and a film crew from the History Channel making a documentary about the Tlicho region and its people.