CONTENT WARNING: RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
You may not have heard much from the organizers, but the NWT’s annual fitness kick this year is happening — albeit with a lower profile and seeking a new name.
Formerly known as “Walk to Tuk,” the annual contest where participants clock their time exercising for a month to simulate travelling the distance from Fort Providence to Tuktoyaktuk will simply be called the NWTRPA Walking Challenge until a new name can be determined.
NWT Recreation and Parks association President Derek Squirrel explained the decision came during a meeting Dec. 20 after organizers were informed in January of 2021 the old name was offensive to residential school survivors, particularly because two of three children died walking to Tuktoyaktuk trying to escape an institution.
“These three boys, Bernard Andreason, Lawrence Jack Elanik, and Dennis Dick, escaped from Inuuvık’s Stringer Hall residential school in 1972 before embarking on a two-week trek on foot through the bush towards Tuktuuyaqtuuq (Tuktoyaktuk,)” wrote Squirrel. “Two of the boys, Lawrence and Dennis, died on the way, while Bernard was rescued.
“Over eleven years, the Walking Challenge has grown and evolved into the Northwest Territories’ largest and longest physical activity event. Over the years, the event has sought to support family, language, and connection to the land - the very things that residential schools sought to destroy.”
A new name will be decided on in 2022 after consulting with stakeholders, participants, Indigenous groups and members of the NWTRPA.
This isn’t the first time the event has rebranded in its 11 year history. Right out of the gate, the NWTRA Walking Challenge was initially called the Mackenzie River Nordic Walking Challenge, but was changed to the old name after feedback from participants that year.
Since beginning in 2010, the walking challenge has grown into the NWT’s largest single walking event. In 2021 over 5,579 people from 31 out of 33 NWT communities took part in the event, collectively walking 752,215 kilometres, which was nearly 30,000 km more than the year previous. It drew 495 teams, which was an increase of 40 to 50 teams from 2020.
In previous years T-Shirts were given to all participants and prizes were given out to the teams with the most mileage. These will be included in 2022 as well, though organizers note with the change in branding there may be delays in program delivery this year.
“The NWTRPA staff will make every effort to make these changes as soon as possible. However, many will affect all the program’s communications and, therefore, will take some time to put in place,” said Squirrel. “The NWT Recreation and Parks Association (NWTRPA) would like to apologize for any harm caused by the NWTRPA’s walking challenge’s former name.
“The aim of the review is to seek advice from decolonization and reconciliation experts and community members, on how to adapt our programs to follow the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Call to Action, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirited Calls for Justice, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, as well as work towards delivering more decolonial programs. “
Anyone interested in participating in the NWTRPA Walking Challenge can visit the website at https://user.walktotuk.com/account/signup to register.