Preparations are being made to possibly include Northern Saskatchewan as a team in the Arctic Winter Games.
The circumpolar games are held every two years and includes teams from Northern Alberta, Yukon, The Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Northern Quebec, Alaska, Greenland and the Sampi of Norway, Finland and Sweden.
Yet regions north of the 55 parallel are eligible for entry, making it possible for Northern Sask. to join.
Youth participate in common winter sports such as hockey, skiing, curling, biathlon, snowshoeing and snowboarding. Indoor events like wrestling, badminton, basketball and volleyball.
However what makes them unique are traditional Dene games of the finger pull, stick pull, hand games and snow snake.
“These games are unique in themselves. To me it’s the true Canadian games,” said Northern Lights School Division Board Member Rick Laliberte. “These are traditional games of our own people.”
A resolution to the Northern Lights School Division seeks to prepare youth for future games. While no formal membership application has been submitted to the Arctic Winter Games International Committee, Laliberte said inquiries have been made about future participation.
The next games are scheduled for Whitehorse, Yukon in 2026. Since Russia, due to its conflict in Ukraine, is not eligible, Laliberte suggested Northern Saskatchewan could serve as a fill-in team.