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TULITA/FORT NORMAN
Three teams from Wrigley came close to making a grand sweep at the Tulita Annual Handgames Tournament earlier this month.

A team of handgames players from Wrigley and Fort Simpson captained by Darwin Moses captured second place at the Tulita Annual Handgames Tournament. Team members include, from left, Arnold Hope, Brandon Moses, Darwin Norwegian, Derwin Clillie, Dwight Norwegian, Hart Apples, Paul Eyakfwo and David Moses, and Johnny Denethlon, kneeling. - photo courtesy of Darwin Norwegian

Darwin Norwegian's team came within one match of winning the Sept. 2 event. Instead, the team finished in second followed by the Wrigley teams, of George Moses in third and Maurice Moses in fourth.

The tournament, organized by Tulita Dene Band employees, attracted 24 teams from the Deh Cho, Sahtu and Tlicho. Matches began on Friday evening.

"It was awesome," Norwegian said about the event.

There were a good number of teams and everyone drummed for everyone else, he said. Norwegian's team of players from Wrigley and Fort Simpson, which included Dwight Norwegian, David Moses, Arnold Hope, Hart Apples, Derwin Clillie, Brandon Moses, Johnny Denethlon and Paul Eyakfwo, won all of their games, which allowed them to stay on the A side, until they played George Mackenzie's team from Behchoko in the last game before the finals.

Mackenzie's team won, knocking Norwegian onto the B side where he had to compete against a team led by one of his uncles, George Moses, in the semi-finals. Moses' team had also faced a tough path to reach that point.

Moses' team, which included Tim Lennie, Freddie Lennie, Jamie Moses, Jarrett Moses, Jenssen Clille, Lawrence Nayally, Darcy E. Moses and Kenneth Moses, had been knocked into the B side during their first match.

"Every game we had to win to get back to third," Moses said of the approximately 15 games his team played. "It was really good, I really enjoyed it," he said.

The match against Norwegian's team was difficult, said Moses, adding he felt "just tired." It took about three hours to finish it, with Norwegian's team being the eventual winner.

The tournament, however, wasn't over yet. Matches on Sunday began at approximately 1 p.m. It was Monday morning before the final between teams Norwegian and Mackenzie began.

To win the tournament, Norwegian's team had to win two matches – the first to tie them with Mackenzie again and the second to take the tournament. The outcome of each match was determined by the team who won the best out of three games.

Norwegian's team won the first match. At that point, Norwegian said he thought his team had a chance.

Mackenzie, however, used an elder, Robert Mackenzie, as his shooter in the last match.

"He was a really good shooter," said Norwegian.

Mackenzie's team won the first two games of the set to take the tournament win. The game didn't finish until around 4:30 a.m. on Monday morning.

"Everyone was tired," said Norwegian.

The players from Wrigley, who drummed for each Wrigley team, were exhausted, he said.

"It was good to see Wrigley come in second, third and fourth," said Maurice Moses.

Maurice's team of Lloyd Moses, Craig Cli, Trent Cli, Napem Moses, Josh Moses, Loyal Moses, Lucas Cli and Jesse Clillie, finished in fourth. They also ran afoul of Mackenzie's team who knocked them into the B side after their sixth game.

Maurice's team was permanently taken out of the tournament by George's team in the match that determined who would play Norwegian in the semi-finals. Maurice said he would have rather flipped a coin than play against a hometown team. When people know each other well it often makes for long games, he said.

The match between Maurice and George went for approximately two-and-a-half hours.

Overall, the tournament was good although the final day was long, said Maurice.

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