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Elders from six Northwest Territories Indigenous groups took part in the second annual fish tasting at Gahcho Kué Mine.

The event is one the ways De Beers Canada seeks traditional knowledge input as part of the mine’s environmental monitoring program.

A dozen Lake Trout were caught September 6 from Kirk Lake by elders from Behchoko and Lutsel K’e who were accompanied by a member of the mine’s environment team. Kirk Lake is about 20 km downstream from the mine site.

The tasting took place September 7, when additional elders travelled to the mine. The event included a mine site tour and an opportunity to pick cranberries, blueberries and crowberries.

Elders examined and filleted each fish, providing comments on the size, colour and exterior shape as well as the colour, texture of the tissue, parasites, and other observations of the fishes’ internal organs.

The fish were then boiled without salt, or any other spices, so the elders could provide comments on the taste of the fish.

“I love the taste of it; it tastes just like home,” said Lorette Edjericon from the Northwest Territories Métis Nation.

Wayne Langenhan with the North Slave Métis Alliance made use of the remains of the fish, taking the heads home to feed his dog team.

Once the fish were boiled, elders then had the fish cooked or fried for them how they liked and enjoyed bannock made on a barbecue outside the mine’s Cultural Centre to close out the day.

“It is a great opportunity to show the communities how we operate and to learn from the elders,” said Alex Hood, the De Beers Canada aquatics specialist who coordinated the event. “The fish was so good that elders brought home uncooked fillets to share with their families!”