The Week's News: Wildfires, Pride and a scorpion surprise
Plus giant golf balls, bison meatloaf and a new mural
Hello readers, this is Emily, Cabin Radio’s assistant editor.
June is Indigenous History Month and Pride Month and both are in full swing in the Northwest Territories.
Events have been planned across the territory for National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, from hand games to fish fries.
There have also been Pride events in Yellowknife. Four members of the Cabin crew attended the Pride fundraiser golf tournament last week (and we only got the cart stuck once).
There was also a Pride event in Inuvik. Fort Smith, which has previously held Pride marches, had its first Pride festival last weekend.
Many people in the NWT are enjoying the arrival of summer weather, which means camping, fishing, paddling, morel picking and other fun outdoor activities.
Unfortunately, hot weather and persistent drought means there is also an increased wildfire risk in much of the territory. If you plan on camping or going out on the land, please check for any fire bans and make sure to properly put out any fires you start.
Residents in Fort Good Hope are currently displaced by a wildfire that started as an abandoned campfire. Territorial wildfire officials say eight of the nine wildfires reported in the North Slave region this year were caused by humans. (Many of those were reported as abandoned campfires – the territory hasn’t suggested any fires were caused by arson).
Fire bans are in place in Yellowknife, Hay River, the Sahtu region, Dehcho region and several territorial parks.
IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
Our most important stories
A sneak peak at the Prospector Challenge
What we’re reading
Stories to catch up on
Impromptu fiddle jam sessions held for Fort Good Hope evacuees
Fort Good Hope evacuees and Norman Wells residents came together to share music and meals after a wildfire evacuation brought them together.
In Norman Wells, residents rush to help evacuees
From free children's clothing to pet supplies, residents of Norman Wells have been finding ways to help people fleeing the Fort Good Hope wildfire.
More than 100 Fort Good Hope residents evacuate to fishing camp
Facing a wildfire but not wanting to be too far from home, many Fort Good Hope residents used boats to evacuate to a nearby fish camp on the Mackenzie River.
Norman Wells comes together to support Fort Good Hope wildfire evacuees
Community members in Norman Wells have sprung into action to support those displaced by the Fort Good Hope wildfire.
This is a scorpion. Here’s how it got to Yellowknife.
"And then I see this thing with eight legs and pincers, and I'm like... oh my God." This is the tale of a scorpion that showed up in a Yellowknife bathroom.
Behind a gruff exterior, a ‘big softie’ – remembering Dr Tom Pisz
The late Dr Tom Pisz grew up surrounded by animals in communist Poland. He reached Canada as a refugee, set up a clinic in Yellowknife and became a city icon.
Who built the giant golf balls on the edge of Yellowknife, and why?
More than 20 large domes in a Yellowknife field are a new "satellite network portal," connecting low-Earth orbit satellites to the planet. We took a tour.
Leadership students find a space on Yellowknife school’s walls
A gallery of students' art was unveiled at a Yellowknife school, in part to celebrate the difference being made by its leadership program, Dǫ Edàı̀zheh.
In pictures: Mine rescue teams compete in Yellowknife
Teams from the NWT, Nunavut and the US demonstrated mine rescue techniques over a weekend-long competition (and picnic) in Yellowknife.
‘Protecting the past,’ Northern Life Museum celebrates 50 years
A museum about northern life in Fort Smith, with its roots in a collection begun by a "motorcycle missionary," is half a century old. Explore some highlights.
Drug use in Yellowknife jail highlights need for addiction supports
Drugs have been getting into Yellowknife's jail. Lawyers say more addictions supports and programming are needed.
Menu involves ‘a northern experiment’ at this summer’s Wildcat Café
Bison meatloaf, fried Klik sandwiches and wild plants are on offer at Yellowknife's Wildcat Café this summer. Chef Niki Mckenzie walked us through the menu.
‘Gothic’ Yellowknife art takes over PEI gallery for the summer
Southern gothic is a literary genre. How about northern gothic? A range of NWT artists contributed to an art show exploring that theme at a PEI gallery.
Inuvik Hope House mural aims to ‘bridge mental health with art’
Where once there was a tiny sign, Inuvik's Hope House is now home to a large mural that's designed to bring communities together and help people feel pride.
‘If I was going to be homeless, this is how I would want to heal’
A roofing company, a Tłı̨chǫ-language instructor and their supporters are building what they call a tent encampment to help people in Yellowknife without homes.
Watch: Members of JTFN take on the Prospector Challenge
Every year, members of Joint Task Force North run, canoe and portage around Yellowknife as part of the Prospector Challenge. Caelan Beard followed participants in this year’s race.
Stay tuned for this story and more on cabinradio.ca.
What we’re reading
Nearly half of journalists covering climate crisis globally received threats for their work
While climate change is profoundly affecting communities across the world, many of the people who report on it are facing threats for doing so. A new survey of more than 740 reporters and editors from 102 countries found 40 percent had been threatened as a result of their work and 11 percent subjected to physical violence.
Inside the brain school
For CBC, Geoff Leo explores the controversial “brain school.” The neurofeedback program promised to cure trauma and experimented on Indigenous children. "All I can think of is … how did this get approved?"
How the “Queen of Canada” and Conspiracy Theorists Splintered a Small Town
You may have heard of Romana Didulo, the self-described “Queen of Canada” and prominent figure in the QAnon conspiracy movement. For The Walrus, Rachel Browne digs in to how the arrival of Didulo and her followers in Richmound, Saskatchewan, has affected the community.