Fisher River Cree Nation students hunt for higher learning through land-based program
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students → hunt → program
Annual moose hunt lets students from Manitoba Interlake First Nation connect with culture, identity
WARNING: This story contains images of dead animals.
When Aidan Traverse returned to Fisher River Cree Nation following a hunting trip on Friday, he brought more than 500 kilograms of fresh moose meat with him.
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he → let → him
Traverse, 18, is one of eight students who travelled nearly 400 kilometres to Moose Mountain Provincial Park in southeast Saskatchewan on Oct. 5, as part of a land-based education program offered through Fisher River High School.
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who → travel → School
The group harvested four bull moose over the course of the five-day hunting trip, returning triumphant with the meat packed into a cooler trailer.
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group → harvest → trailer
It was Traverse's first time hunting big game, and he plans to share the harvest with the community in Fisher River, a First Nation in Manitoba's Interlake, about 175 kilometres north of Winnipeg.
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he → hunt → Winnipeg
"You feel honoured to be out there," said Traverse, who hunted with his elders in mind.
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who → feel → mind
"I have my granny — she's always been wanting moose meat, and then my grandmother-in-law, she's been asking me too."
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she → have → me
Traverse and other Grade 11 and 12 students are benefitting from a renewed focus on land-based learning in Fisher River, where leaders believe academic success should prioritize emotional, spiritual and cultural health — not just letter grades.
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success → benefit → health
He met with CBC News on Oct. 2, as preparations for the hunting trip were underway.
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preparations → meet → trip
Traverse helps load camping supplies alongside Ashton Amos, 25, a Fisher River outfitter and assistant in the school's land-based education program.
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Traverse → load → program
Working alongside Ashton Amos, a local outfitter and assistant in the land-based education program, Traverse helped load gear for the trip into the back of a pickup truck.
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Traverse → work → truck
The haul included two large prospector tents, a pair of 113-litre coolers, four propane tanks and 90 litres of fuel, among other items.
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haul → include → items
"This is only half of the stuff," Amos, 25, said with a laugh.
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Amos → say → laugh
This year marks the second time Amos has helped lead students on a guided hunt at Moose Mountain.
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Amos → mark → Mountain
The group took down multiple moose and other game last year and later hosted a community feast for more than 300 people.
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group → take → people
Amos and students from Fisher River High School's land-based education program brought down this bull moose on Oct. 6.
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Afterwards, community members lined up to shake hands with the young hunters, he said.
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he → line → hunters
"There was a spark in the kids after," Amos said.
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Amos → be → kids
"When we go hunting, we always say it's not just about killing.
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it → go → killing
It's just enjoying the moment — it's about who you are and making memories.
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you → enjoy → memories
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Land-based learning leads the way
Outdoor teaching has been a feature of education in Fisher River for years, but a band council resolution passed in 2024 prioritized land-based learning in the local school system.
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resolution → base → system
The resolution means more cultural and land-based activities are being introduced to the community's high school and elementary school, said Nora Murdock, Fisher River Cree Nation's director of education.
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Murdock → mean → education
Elders and knowledge keepers are now required to visit classrooms at least three times per month.
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Some lessons incorporate First Nations ceremonies and instructions in the Cree language, teaching students culturally significant words and traditions.
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lessons → incorporate → words
Meanwhile, high school students enrolled in the program earn credits and learn a variety of outdoor skills, including hunting, fishing, medicine picking and shelter building.
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students → enrol → hunting
Prioritizing land-based education is critical to helping the next generation of band members live mino-pimatisiwin, or "the good life," Murdock said.
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Murdock → prioritize → pimatisiwin
I know a lot of different people get that benefit from the land, but for First Nations, it's how we survived for many years," Murdock said.
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Murdock → know → years
"Being outside, I think, just helps them build up their identity and build a closer connection to their culture and history as Cree and traditional people."
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them → think → Cree
Murdock, who oversees students enrolled in Fisher River's elementary and high schools, said land-based education is a net benefit to the kids.
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education → oversee → kids
Amos skins a moose on Oct. 6.
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Amos → skin → Oct.
Outings such as the five-day hunting trip not only teach students how to ethically kill, skin and prepare wild game, but also how to share that harvest with others, says Fisher River Cree Nation Elder Stan McKay.
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McKay → teach → others
"When students go out on the land, they are totally different.
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they → go → land
They behave differently," Murdock said.
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"If we have a difficult class or difficult students, in terms of their behaviour, we take them out on the land and it just calms them right down.
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it → have → them
It just gives them a different perspective towards themselves and towards others and towards life.
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Fisher River student Traverse said he's felt the benefits of land-based education first-hand.
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he → say → education
"When I'm in the classroom I get … anxiety.
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Being outside just helps me calm down," he said.
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he → help → ?
"I find it kind of cool that they're doing this stuff out here.
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they → find → stuff
Culture, identity critical
Elder Stan McKay has lived in Fisher River since the 1970s and previously worked as a school teacher.
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McKay → live → teacher
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
