INUVIK
Elders such as Gerry Kisoun are the reason why aboriginal heritage is on the rebound in the Beaufort Delta, according to a veteran dog sledder from the Yukon.

Whitehorse's Frank Turner gets close to a sled dog in Inuvik. He is a big fan of the elders around the Delta such as Gerry Kisoun and Edward Lennie, who are working to preserve their heritage and culture. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

Frank Turner and Kisoun, who helps run Up North Tours from Inuvik, have teamed up to offer a wild trip by dogsled to Herschel Island from Inuvik for the second time in four years. That's a 253 kilometre trip as the crow flies.

Turner, a Whitehorse outfitter and famous musher, says he loves coming to the delta to see the rich heritage of the "real North."

"We're going to go to the island, hopefully, starting from here and the Aklavik ice road," Turner said in an interview on April 4 at Inuvik's Arctic Chalet, where they were mustering the equipment and supplies.

"We're going to be out for about 16 days, and we've got visitors from the United States, Japan, France and Canada. It's a great opportunity for people to see Canada's North and meet local people here and have an idea of what you guys are about."

It's a trip that used to be a tradition for the people of the Delta, and one that Kisoun remembers his family making in past generations, he said.

"Gerry and I are partners, and we've been friends for more than 35 years," Turner said.

After some time kicking the idea around in many long and rambling conversations, the two finally decided four years ago to introduce the bi-annual trips.

"I just look so forward to going out and doing this trip with him. We have a great time and we work well together. I consider myself very lucky to be able to do this," Turner said. "It's a personal aspiration of mine to do these trips as long as we can and share the experience. I just like to come up and do this, and I'm very comfortable here."

Turner said that due to Kisoun's input, and other elders such as Edward Lennie, the trip strives to be a step back in time for the participants.

"Gerry is kind of the keeper of stories. He knows the stories passed down by his father Victor Allen, and so, as well as seeing the landscape and being out with the dogs and seeing some wildlife, it's also the cultural experience," Turner said.

"Gerry is a superstar at it, and I don't care where you're from or what you do, we all like hearing good stories, and he's got a million of them. He's very social, and after these trips, people remember Gerry the best, along with Edward Lennie, who we've stayed with quite often."

"Many people who live in big cities are just in awe of the lifestyle," Turner added. "It's the people who make the biggest impression, I think."

The trip left April 5, after the participants and Turner were delayed getting to Inuvik because of the frequent closures on the Dempster Highway between Eagle Plains in the Yukon and Fort McPherson over the past couple of weeks.

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