For over 25 years, usually in the month of May, the Tsaa? che ne Dene community of DRFN, welcomes over 500 grade 4 school children, parents, teachers as well as guests from industry, government and the public who are all excited to experience Tsaa? che ne Dene culture during ‘Doig Day’.
Background
We offer a wide range of opportunities for attendees to experience and participate in Beaver culture on this special day of the year. People can try their hand at: – drumming – dancing to the Doig River Drummers – skinning a beaver – stretching and scraping moose hide – using a bone scraper and learning about other traditional tools – digging, sifting for and learning about artifacts – watching how meat is butchered and dried over a smoky fire – roasting hot dogs wrapped in bannock over a campfire – learning how to track animals
Elders and community members interact with participants educating them about cultural activities and sparking their imaginations with traditional stories passed down through generations. The day long event wraps up with hundreds of participants dancing to the Doig River Drummers.
The hands-on, interactive opportunities at this event culminates in an amazing experience and fosters respect, appreciation and understanding of a rich, traditional way of life of the Indigenous peoples who have lived in the area for over 10,000 years.
Doig Day Gallery
The buses have come! June 2023Here the school kids come to the bannock making station – first stop for these ones! June 2023Some of the bannnock makers – Annie Acko and Lorraine Gelata. June 2023Obsidian teacher making arrows. June 2023Jack Askoty with obsidian. June 2023Carving a beaver. June 2023Working the archaeology site. June 2023Getting spoonfuls of dirt. Searching for treasure. June 2023Fleshing a moose hide. June 2023Flouring the moose hide. June 2023Scraping a moose hide. June 2023Stretching a moose hide. June 2023DRFN member, Amanda Gauthier explaining the hide processing. Laid out moose hide. June 2023Smoking a moose hide. June 2023Turning moose hide into moccasins, etc. June 2023Cutting the meat before drying. June 2023Laying the meat on the rack to dry. June 2023Elder Billy Attachie at the trapping booth. June 2023Alyssa Currie from Tse’K’wa (Charlie Lake Cave). June 2023Moose antler toss game. June 2023Doig River Drummers on the stage doing a song for everyone to dance to. June 2023Participants dancing to the Doig River Drummers. June 2023Skinning a beaver.DRFN Elder Billy Attachie.Teaching DRFN youth to sing in Beaver.Having fun!Cooking beaver tail.Beaver skinning.In memory of DRFN Elder Tommy Attachie.DRFN Elder Jack Askoty explains drum making.Making spears with real arrowheads!Sifting for artifacts.Discussing First Nations artifacts.Cooking bannock over the campfire.Busy making bannock.More bannock makers!Drying meatTaking a turn at hide scraping.Hide softening is demonstrated – using flour.Skinning a moose hide. It’s hard work!A 360 degree view inside the Tea Dance Arbour.The Tea Dance Arbour was the perfect place to listen to drumming, Elders and dance around the campfire.Inside the Tea Dance ArbourDRFN DrummersThe audience loves joining the dances around the campfire!