Inuvik students learn traditional skills at school-operated bush camp 

Students in Inuvik, N.W.T., are learning to cut and fillet fish at the East Three Elementary School on-the-land camp running through December. 

Noel Cockney, a cultural support worker at the school, said he wants to pass on as much of his knowledge as he can. 

“Not a ton of people do this much anymore, so to be able to show our young students how to do this and how the process works is actually really important, and something I love to teach,” he said. 

The school operates a small bush camp. They send students to the fish camp on the Mackenzie River by bus to check nets and clean fish. 

“We’re learning how to set the net underneath the ice,” Cockney said. “We wanted them to get hands-on with gutting them, and we have other groups doing activities so we can show as many students close up as possible,” said Cockney.

Local knowledge-holders and elders also join the classes to help teach youth about living off the land.

Ellyra Lennie, a Grade 5 student at the school, said she’s keen to learn to cut fish. 

“The most interesting thing is seeing what's inside the stomachs of the fish,” she said. 

She said she was grateful for the instruction and hopes other students take advantage of the classes.

“You should totally come to this place, everyone is so kind and helpful,” she said.

Cockney also taught the youth to set snares for rabbits.