Learning Story – The Caribou Continues to Teach Us
May 1, 2026
What Happened?
Before the session began, we needed to spend a lot of time caring for the site. The change in temperature and melting snow created a slippery surface everywhere. We assessed the risk and took action by laying down sand, rocks and chipping away at the ice.
Larry dropped off a caribou hide for us to work with. He had soaked it in soy lecithin for 24 hours. This softens the hide and prepares it for punching. First, we gently twisted the hide to remove the lecithin solution. We encouraged the Bushkids to each spend some time with the hide throughout the day.
The hide was the centre of the learning for the day, but so much play and other happened too such as: playing an epic baseball game, building mini fires, helping make lunch, singing drum songs, chopping wood, sliding down the hill.
Why is it Important
The caribou continues to teach us this year.
As the seasons have changed, the Bushkids have seen the caribou in many different stages. We have heard Elders and Knowledge Holders speak about how to respect the caribou and build relationship with them. The Land needs us more than ever and so do the caribou. As the year has passed, the Bushkids are now able to articulate and share much of the knowledge that has been shared with them. The relationship between the Bushkids and the caribou has deepened and the foundation of respect has grown.
Dene Kede p 83
To give students skills for physical survival, to give students understanding and appreciation of the caribou as a spiritual entity, to give students an appreciation of Dene hunting technology in the past, to give students ideas for possible uses of caribou for economic development. By giving students a respect for the caribou, the caribou will continue to provide for the Dene.
What’s Next?
Next week, Donovan Boucher will join us to share his knowledge about how to harvest, and process a beaver skin. The Bushkids are very excited about spring and look forward to heading down to the water. There is also talk of more Bushkids baseball.
Bushkids Quotes
“I’m disguising the rock with mud.”
“I noticed that dirty snow melts faster than clean snow.” Why? “I think because the sun is absorbed into the dirt and warms it up.”