The 2023 Arctic Winter Games were held in Fort McMurray. This competition brought together athletes from the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut, Alaska, Greenland and Nunavik. Our employee, Hullik Gadbois Kudluk has participated in the Dene Games several times. This year, she was part of the delegation as the coach of 8 young girls.

Two Aboriginal communities in Canada are participating in the Games: the Inuit and the Dene Nation (a First Nations community that extends to the Arctic Circle). The sports and activities of the Arctic Winter Games are one of the ways in which the cultural traditions of the beneficiaries of Nunavik and Nunavut continue to be practiced today.

In 1990, the Dene Games became an official event of the Arctic Winter Games. The Dene Games test endurance, speed, physical strength, pain resistance and mental agility.

They were originally used by the Dene to prepare for travel, hunting, fishing and food gathering. There are five Dene games: The hand game, snow snake, stick pull, pole push and finger pull. In the latter, the two competitors grab each other's finger and use their strength, agility and pain tolerance to wrestle their hands in competition.

Congratulations Hullik on your involvement!