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For North Slave Métis Alliance President Marc Whitford, Indigenous Peoples Day is all about bringing the community together.
And nothing draws a crowd in Yellowknife quite like a fish fry.
“We’re part of a larger family of Indigenous people living here in our city,” he said.
North Slave Métis Alliance President Marc Whitford estimates that they’ll serve upwards of 5000 portions of fish at the annual Indigenous Peoples Day fish fry. (Jessica Davey-Quantick/CBC)
Despite initially cloudy weather at the start of the event in Somba K’e Park, the line of people waiting for a taste stretched the entire length of the park, or nearly 200 metres.
Whitford estimates that even on a slower year, they’ll serve around 3000 portions of fish. On a busy year, that can go up to 5000.
Luc Steele, a volunteer from the Canadian Armed Forces, dishes out fish at the North Slave Métis Alliance’s Indigenous Peoples Day event. (Jessica Davey-Quantick)
“It’s important to do as a community, that we’re able to give back to everybody in our city,” he said.
The North Slave Métis Alliance has been putting on the fish fry as long as he can remember.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of National Indigenous Peoples Day, since it was first declared a Canada-wide holiday in 1996.
The Northwest Territories was the first jurisdiction in the country to declare June 21 a statutory holiday, in 2001.
Gerri Sharpe has made bannock at almost all of them. This year she was doing it for the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission, setting up in Somba K’e park with a sun shelter, two frying pans, and numerous cans of Crisco.
Gerri Sharpe has made bannock at nearly every Indigenous Peoples Day for 30 years. This year she served up the fried treat on behalf of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission. (Jessica Davey-Quantick/CBC)
“I’ve been making this since I’m nine, so it’s just something I know how to do,” she said, adding that she’s had chefs stand beside her and copy her technique, but it doesn’t turn out quite the same.
“It represents Inuit for me,” she said. She agrees that events like Indigenous Peoples Day are a way to bring the whole community together.
“We are proud of who we are, and we need to share that with everybody,” she said.
Warren Whitford serves up bannock at the North Slave Métis Alliance’s annual Indigenous Peoples Day fish fry at Somba K’e Park in Yellowknife. (Jessica Davey-Quantick/CBC)
Tiger, left, had her uncle Chris Bock on hand to carry her favourite crocodile toy while she greeted people at Somba K’e Park during the annual Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations. (Jessica Davey-Quantick/CBC)
There’s always time for a fish fry, even when you’re busy fighting wildfires. Wildfire fighters, clockwise from left, Eric Tsetta, Keaton Charlo, Boniface Charlo and Mark Crookedhand. (Jessica Davey-Quantick/CBC)
Dancers from the Edmonton Métis Traditional Dancers perform the sword dance over a Métis scarf as part of the entertainment at the North Slave Métis Alliance’s Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations. (Jessica Davey-Quantick/CBC)
Lilian Gullion, left, excitedly learns to jig, and teaches Sharla Gullion a few steps of her own, in Somba K’e Park. (Jessica Davey-Quantick/CBC)
Coco, 2, would have preferred some of the fish supplied by the North Slave Métis Alliance, but a cold cup of water as the sun came out in Somba K’e Park on Indigenous Peoples Day was an almost-adequate substitute. (Jessica Davey-Quantick/CBC)
Winter Harmon, six-months, Emily Harmon and River Harmon, 7, arrived at the annual North Slave Métis Alliance’s Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations decked out in ribbon skirts, Métis sashes and beadwork. Winter’s sling was made by Janet Bishop. . (Jessica Davey-Quantick/CBC)
Lylah Desjarlais took time out to literally sniff the flowers during the Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations. (Jessica Davey-Quantick/CBC)
Alan Harman Jr., vice president of the North Slave Métis Alliance, fishes corn on the cob out of one of several vats being used to prepare side dishes at the annual Indigenous Peoples Day fish fry. (Jessica Davey-Quantick/CBC)
Brian Peers, an RCMP volunteer, mans the grill at the North Slave Métis Alliance fish fry. (Jessica Davey-Quantick/CBC)
Tyson Smith, an RCMP volunteer, fries fish for a line of visitors that extended the entire length of Somba K’e Park in Yellowknife. (Jessica Davey-Quantick/ CBC)
The Edmonton Métis Traditional Dancers taught Yellowknifers young and old the Seven Step, a friendship dance, in Somba K’e Park. (Jessica Davey-Quantick/CBC)