In September 2019, a group of six elders from Tulita Dene Band took an extended family of 23, ranging in age from 4 up to 78, out on the land to Stewart Lake, Northwest Territories for 15 days.

In 2019, groups like the Tulita Dene Band, the Liidlii Kue First Nation and the Fort Simpson Métis embarked on Enbridge-sponsored treks into the wilderness—reintroducing their members to the traditional cultural way of life, and re-establishing a connection with wildlife and their environmental knowledge.

The Tulita Dene's journey by boat from Tulita to Stewart Lake took eight hours. During the boat ride, parents showed secret areas on the journey and paid respect to acknowledge past ancestors and ensure a safe journey

At Enbridge, we see our relationships with Indigenous communities near our operations as mutually beneficial—economically, socially and culturally. As part of this relationship, we regularly fund these cultural reawakenings in the Northwest Territories with donations of $15,000 for two-week journeys or $7,500 for shorter excursions.

From the Tulita Dene daily diary: “Younger grandchildren were shown how to cut meat. The lesson was to show respect for food. The family patiently waited for the meat to dry, and then taste test the first dry meat made by the younger girls.”

Says Sally Horassi, Tulita Dene Band manager: “This project was so successful. Some younger family members experienced Stewart Lake for the very first time—and many of them wanted to stay longer.”