Canoeists t.

Forty canoeists received a warm welcome Sunday in Behchokǫ̀, in the Northwest Territories, with drum beats, cheers and firecrackers to scare the bears.

It was really an incredible feelingsaid Peter John Apples, who participated in the trip Trails of our Ancestors. The expedition, organized each year by the Tłı̨chǫ government, traces the ancestral roads on the territory.

Mr. Apples belonged to the Gamètì canoeist group who had to face an extreme situation during the expedition: an evacuation due to a forest fire.

It happened in the middle of the night, it was quite frighteninghe testifies.

The group went to Yellowknife by helicopter, then finished its journey from the capital.

According to John Apples, the historic roads have experienced several transformations over the years. This year, the low water level forced canoeists to get out of their boats and carry their equipment to avoid being trapped on rocks.

Even with these changes, Mr. Apples believes that the young generations must experience the lives of their ancestors.

Join the celebrations

This week, the Behchokǫ̀ community is hosting not only the annual assembly of Tł̨chǫs, but also the celebration of the 20th anniversary of their agreement in matters of government autonomy.

Rebecca Alty, the federal deputy for T.N.-O.was present among the people gathered. It has underlined major infrastructure and service progress for Tł̨chǫs in the past 20 years.

According to Apples, the Tłı̨chǫ government still has a lot to learn about the governance of the region. However, it is important to recognize the successes it has won.

I am very proud to be tłı̨chǫhe concludes.

With information from Meghan Roberts