Dene hand games tournament takes off in Whati, N.W.T.

It's a game of intimidation. And this weekend in Whati, N.W.T., there were $60,000 in cash prizes at stake.

"The whole point is just a guessing game, said Dolphus Nitsiza, who was on the organizing committee for the Dene hand games tournament.

But the key is to kind of psych them out and get them pumped. Once you get them up, the momentum just drives the whole crowd and drives the whole community and the community backs up each other with the drumming."

The accompanying chanting and drumming is meant to throw off the confidence of the other team's leader.

• VisitCBC Aboriginal
• How do Dene hand games work?
• Listen to Harriet Paul's interviews in Dogribwith tournamentorganizers
• Dene games growing in popularity among N.W.T. youth

The firstannual Whati Charlie Zoe Nitsiza Men's Handgame Tournament wrapped up on Sunday.

Forty-two teams and more than 500 people from across the Northwest Territories and northern Alberta travelled to the tiny community160 kilometres north of Yellowknifeto compete.

Many drove in via the ice road. The furthest teams travelled 16 hours from communities likeColville Lake,N.W.T.

Sidney Tutcho, A 22-year-old player whodrove 16 hours from Deline, N.W.T. to Whati,said he couldn't wait to play in such a big tournament.

"It's been passed down from generation to generation and it's really good for our people to come together and just to enjoy it, to have fun with it," he said.

Tutcho started learning the game when he was just a young boy.

"When I'm in the moment you have that feeling, that exciting feeling that you'll just give it and then you'll know when it happens," he said.

"It's kind of hard to explain, but it's really an incredible feeling once you start playing and once you get it [the rhythm], it's just incredible."

Major event

With a population of less than 500, this tournament was a major event for Whati.

Trapping, hunting and fishing are the main economic activities in thisTlichocommunity.There are no hotels or restaurants, so figuring out where to feed and house the hundreds of guests made the tournament a community effort.

• Whati, N.W.T. to triple in size during hand game showdown

Each team paid more than $1,000 to register for the games.All the money went into the pot.In all,there was$60,000 at stake this weekend.

Winter Road, SamMantla'steamfrom Garneti, N.W.T., wasthe grand prizewinnerthis weekend.

I don't think it's the money, just the pure fact of just playing against other people and at the same time, too, just enjoying the game itself.- Peter Husky

But many players say they hardly think about the money as they are highly focused on the game intimidating rival teams to make them lose confidence in guessing and overall, on having fun.

"I don't think it's the money,just the pure fact of just playing against other people and at the same time,too, just enjoying the game itself,"saidPeter Husky, a participant from Fort Smith, N.W.T.

"What's really important is having fun out there and showing how you got it, Tutcho added.

Different communities have their own different ways [of playing the game] and for me, I just really enjoy it and enjoy people and seeing new faces and just the fun of it."

And after 16 hours of driving from Deline,Tutchosaida little bit of fun and traditional sportgoes a long way.

The Whati Charlie Zoe Nitsiza Men's Hand Game Tournament was heldin memory of elder Charlie Zoe Nitsiza, who loved playing hand games until he died two years ago while trappingon the land.

The CBC'sHarriet Paul was in Whati this weekend. Listen to her interviewing the tournament organizers in the Dogriblanguage.

Herhour-long program, Tide Godi, highlights news and stories for Dogrib listeners throughout the southern Mackenzie Valley.