Louis Norwegian students get lesson in hide-handling
Trapline expert Richard Sanguez talks young people through what to do with lynx and more
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, March 24, 2016
TTHEK'EHDELI/JEAN MARIE RIVER
Students at Louie Norwegian School in Jean Marie River got a lesson in hide-handling on March 16 after catching a lynx in their traps.
What would take less-experienced woodsmen an hour took Richard Sanguez a matter of minutes. Sanguez spent some time at Louie Norwegian School on March 16 to show students how to properly stretch a lynx hide to dry. - April Hudson/NNSL photo
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The school has been trapping rabbits and marten mostly - although the latter seems more scarce these days, according to principal Kent Bratton.
Now, with the animal skinned and the hide stretched inside-out on a length of wood, the students are just waiting for it to dry.
The school brought in community member Richard Sanguez to handle the hide. What would take less-experienced woodsmen an hour took Sanguez about 10 minutes as he pulled the hide over the stretching boards he brought with him.
After the main body was in place, the legs received cardboard inserts to properly stretch them as well.
Before leaving, Sanguez warned the class not to let the hide dry for too long, lest the facial area hardens - making it more difficult to turn fur-side-out again.
If that happens, the class would need to water down the hide before proceeding.
Bratton said the pelt will be sent to Toronto for auction after it is finished. As for the meat, the school plans to serve that up at an upcoming community feast.
Bratton said the school puts out traplines every winter for rabbit and marten.
"Trapping is part of our Dene Kede (framework) to guide us in ways of getting cultural education into the classroom," he said.
"It's also something the community wants."
He said when the school creates its program plan, it seeks input from the community on what should be included. Community members such as Sanguez are also brought in to help out with the cultural component.
Sometimes, the trapping component of students' education is connected to the school's winter camp. Bratton said students spend a day or sometimes overnight at one of the camps set up at a bridge on the way to the community.
Student Zaida Sanguez, 14, said she has been trapping for a few years now. Before trapping with her classmates, she went once in a while with her father.
Her favourite wild game is rabbit but she also enjoys catching martens.
"Skinning the martens was one of the coolest parts of learning to trap," she said.
"It's pretty easy to do."
Bratton said the students at Louie Norwegian School enjoy learning to trap.
"It connects kids to their ancestors and where they came from," he said.
"It helps them to develop a sense of identity ... they become very excited about it and motivated by it."
