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SudburyHunters & Gatherers

The spirit of the harvest: keeping the tradition of hunting alive

The Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre in Sudbury holds a camp every year to pass on the tradition of hunting to young people, who might not otherwise get a chance to go out on the land.

He might be dressed in bright orange and carrying a rifle, but Darren McGregordoesn't call it hunting.

The Sagamok First Nation man, who is a youth mentorship worker at theShkagamik-Kwe Health Centre in Sudbury, says that's not the best way to describe the spiritual connection between people and animals.

"Don't say you're going moose hunting, because that's exactly what you're going to do. Hunt around for that moose," McGregorsays.

He says it is more about asking an animal to come out and be harvested and being grateful for that sacrifice.

It's the most important lesson he passed along at a recent week long hunt camp for Indigenous youth from the Sudbury area.

"Somewhere along the line, some of our people kind of lost that and looked at creation as a resource and less with sprit and we're hoping tore-instillthat," says Perry McLeod-Shabogesic, the director of the traditional program at the health centre.

The CBC's Erik White visited thecamp in October, the morning after a very exciting night for the dozen of so young people experiencing hunting for the first time.

Here's his documentary: