Minister Caroline Cochrane hosted the Minister’s Culture and Heritage Circle at the Legislative Assembly on Monday.
The annual awards celebrate the contributions of northerners who promote arts, culture and heritage in the Northwest Territories.
Alice Twa from Yellowknife received the youth award, recognizing her work with the Aurora Fiddle Society. She is currently in Argentina on a year-long exchange trip, so her parents Erin O'Rourke and Cameron Twa accepted the award on her behalf.
“It's pretty amazing to be able to know that you've raised such an amazing kid, who takes to heart what you've taught her and is exploring that opportunity to spread that out,” said O'Rourke.
“As parents it feels like we've done something good by encouraging that,” she said.
“This here is all her motivation,” said Twa. “We helped her get into fiddling and she just took it to some crazy level, a good crazy.”
The award for the group category went to the Old Town Community Association, which coordinates the annual Ramble and Ride festival.
“To whoever nominated us we appreciate it a lot,” said Lisa Seagrave, President of the Old Town Community Association.
The Ramble and Ride Festival first started 13 years ago, and was the inspiration of Darron Letts, who owned a used bookstore in the neighbourhood at the time, she said.
“So a few of us got together and started Ramble and Ride on a shoestring, a small grant from the city of Yellowknife,” said Seagrave.
Tishna Marlowe from Łutselk’e received the award in the individual category. The professional Dene designer grew up watching her grandmother and great-grandmother scrape and tan hides and do beadwork, and her work merges those traditional designs with the contemporary.
She recently lost her grandmother and said this award represents their relationship.
“Receiving this award is like an acknowledgment that I learnt and did everything she had asked me to,” said Marlowe.
The Minister’s Choice award went to the Designated Gwich’in Organization of Fort McPherson, which promotes Gwich'in culture with language classes, cook-outs and on-the land activities.
“Thank you, mahsi cho,” said the organization's coordinator Anita Koe, thanking her staff as she accepted the award.
Joanne Tetlichi from Fort McPherson received the award in the Elder category recognizing her work with youth.
For ten years Tetlichi has brought youth to her cabin to teach them traditional skills like hunting, sewing, picking berries and making traditional medicines.
“I'm very honoured and proud to accept this award,” said Tetlichi, thanking her community of Fort McPherson as she accepted her award.
“You love your children, you love your grandchildren, there's a whole lot of room in your heart to love each and every one of the kids that come through your life,” she said.