Maric David James Cockney-Raddy of Tuktoyaktuk does his best to draw a reaction out of Mary Olifie of Ulukhaktok during the Feb.19 opening night of the eighth annual Northern and Dene Games Summit at East Three School. Called "social games" the objective is to get your opponent to smile or look away while drum dancing and making animal call sounds.
Maric David James Cockney-Raddy of Tuktoyaktuk does his best to draw a reaction out of Mary Olifie of Ulukhaktok during the Feb.19 opening night of the eighth annual Northern and Dene Games Summit at East Three School. Called "social games" the objective is to get your opponent to smile or look away while drum dancing and making animal call sounds.
Students from across the Beaufort Delta of all ages were in Inuvik Feb. 19-22 for the eighth annual Northern and Dene Games Summit at East Three School.
Students from Fort McPherson, in the foreground, battle it out against Tsiigehtchic in the final round of the Pole Push on the third day of the summit. The objective is the opposite of tug 'o war, instead trying to push a log over a line while the other team resists. Fort McPherson took the crown this year.
A four-day competition for kids aged eight to 18; the gathering is as much a show of physical prowess as it is a chance for old friends to catch up on good times. In total, 180 students came as far away as Ulukhaktok, Sachs Harbour and Paulatuk but also from Tuktoyaktuk, Tsiigehtchic, Aklavik and Fort McPherson, along with the local crew.
Kobe Keevik takes to the air during the Alaskan High Kick during the second day of the summit. While holding oneself on one hand, the objective is to hit the sealskin ball and land on the same foot you are kicking with.
Born out of the ashes of the Beaufort Delta Education Council (BDEC) sports fest, the format was changed over to provide students with more opportunities to connect with their culture.
Jodi Arey of Aklavik shows her hands during the ene Hand Games competition to cap off the second day. The objective is to guess which hand is holding an object during heavy drumming and chanting.
"Communities would gather through different schools in the region and participate in various sports, and looking at the costs of continuing that it was very hard to sustain," said principal Krista Cudmore.
Dayle Cole of Tsiiigehtchic performs a Two Foot High Kick during the second day of the summit. Cole was the winner of the competition, then for a victory lap added another half a foot to the height before calling it a night.
"With switching our focus to Northern and Dene games, we had a different funding opportunity and it was definitely a culturally relevant activity. When we moved to the format, East Three became the host."
Edward Kay of Aklavik performs a Two Foot High Kick during the second day of the summit. Just like it sounds, the objective is to leap up in the air and hit the sealskin ball with both feet, then land on them and maintain your balance.
To that end, it has been a huge success, introducing students from all backgrounds to historical games practiced by both the Inuvialuit and Gwich'in cultures.
Ahmed Altaher of Inuvik throws a spear during the Snow Snake on the second day of the summit. The Snow Snake involves throwing a spear along the snow and seeing how far you can get it.
Both give a huge variety of activities for the students, so Cudmore noted the school usually had to narrow the scope of competition down to fit it in four days.
Bianca Rogers of Inuvik practices the Alaskan High Kick during the lunch break of the second day of the summit. The kick involves leaping off a foot from a sitting position and kicking the sealskin ball, then landing on that foot.
"Events change each year, the one foot high kick, the two foot high kick and the stick pull have been involved every year, but all the others rotate in and out," she said. "We change out the social games each year as well."
Hillary Savoie and Sydney McLeod compete in the stick pull during the second day of the summit. The stick pull is a straight arm contest on who can hang onto a greased up stick the longest.
Staying within the school itself, the students also get a chance to check out Inuvik and enjoy the facilities. But Cudmore noted the strongest effect the gathering had on the students was the long-term friendships they made between communities often separated by miles of ocean.
Chase Nogasak of Tuktoyaktuk takes to the air with a One Foot High Kick during the second day of the summit. The feat entails leaping off a foot, kicking the sealskin ball and then landing on that same foot.
"Some are first timers, some of them have been coming for seven or eight years," she said. "The kids always look forward to coming back and seeing people that they know from other communities. It's a really nice way to bring kids together from the region.
Fox Reardon of Inuvik throws a spear during the Snow Snake on the second day of the summit. The Snow Snake involves throwing a spear along the snow and seeing how far you can get it.
"Huge thank to our sponsors, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Gwich'in Tribal Council and Municipalities and Communities Association, as well as major support from each of our schools and their Department of Education Authorities."
Isabella Thrasher takes to the air to perform an Alaskan High Kick during the morning of the third day of competition.Hillary Savoie and Sydney McLeod compete in the stick pull during the second day of the summit. The stick pull is a straight arm contest on who can hang onto a greased up stick the longest.Fox Reardon of Inuvik throws a spear during the Snow Snake on the second day of the summit. The Snow Snake involves throwing a spear along the snow and seeing how far you can get it.Ahmed Altaher of Inuvik throws a spear during the Snow Snake on the second day of the summit. The Snow Snake involves throwing a spear along the snow and seeing how far you can get it.Kobe Keevik takes to the air during the Alaskan High Kick during the second day of the summit. While holding oneself on one hand, the objective is to hit the sealskin ball and land on the same foot you are kicking with.Edward Kay of Aklavik performs a Two Foot High Kick during the second day of the summit. Just like it sounds, the objective is to leap up in the air and hit the sealskin ball with both feet, then land on them and maintain your balance.Chase Nogasak of Tuktoyaktuk takes to the air with a One Foot High Kick during the second day of the summit. The feat entails leaping off a foot, kicking the sealskin ball and then landing on that same foot.Bianca Rogers of Inuvik practices the Alaskan High Kick during the lunch break of the second day of the summit. The kick involves leaping off a foot from a sitting position and kicking the sealskin ball, then landing on that foot.Dayle Cole of Tsiiigehtchic performs a Two Foot High Kick during the second day of the summit. Cole was the winner of the competition, then for a victory lap added another half a foot to the height before calling it a night.Jodi Arey of Aklavik shows her hands during the ene Hand Games competition to cap off the second day. The objective is to guess which hand is holding an object during heavy drumming and chanting.Isabella Thrasher takes to the air to perform an Alaskan High Kick during the morning of the third day of competition.Students from Fort McPherson, in the foreground, battle it out against Tsiigehtchic in the final round of the Pole Push on the third day of the summit. The objective is the opposite of tug 'o war, instead trying to push a log over a line while the other team resists. Fort McPherson took the crown this year.
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