In 2024/2025, the Yellowknife Community Foundation supported Dene Nahjo with a grant from the Sharon Morrison Memorial Indigenous Education Fund. The funding went towards Dene Nahjo’s Hide Tanning Mentorship Program: a ten day camp for Indigenous people to gather on the land to teach and learn traditional hide tanning skills.

Previously, the camps had been held in late summer and autumn. However, the increased frequency and intensity of forest fires in recent years has caused Dene Nahjo to strategically restructure the timeline of the program. This year, the camp took place from May 14th to May 24th. It opened with a feed the fire celebration, featuring ceremonial contributions from the Yellowknives Dene First Nations drummers and Ndilǫ Chief Fred Sangris.

Over the course of ten days, the camp saw around 100 daily visitors and 50 tanning practitioners. People were excited to bring in their unfinished caribou and moose hides, which were in all different stages of the tanning process. Beyond the tanning itself, the success of the camp was seen in the exchange of language, mutual aid, and delicious food. Yellowknives Dene First Nation’s Wellness Division even provided a shuttle that transported Elders to and from the hide camp.

The camp had so much interest and enthusiasm from participants, leading to instructors supporting large groups and the catering team working hard to meet the high level of demand. The popularity of the camp shows how important and impactful this camp is for community. And with so many new learners, Dene Nahjo saw that there will be a greater need for caribou bone scrapers and other tools for next year, so they will be hosting tool-making workshops in February 2026 to help create that supply and support the continued growth of the camp!

Indigenous revitalization initiatives, by their nature, are full circles of self-sustaining growth. The Sharon Morrison Memorial Indigenous Education Fund is dedicated to supporting this focus area. Get involved today by making a donation to the fund!