The Arctic Inspiration Prize awarded a total of $2.4 million in prizes at their sixth annual award gala in Ottawa on Wednesday evening. Taking the top prize of $1 million was the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Project, a traditional healing program for Inuit, First Nations and Métis people in the NWT.
The Arctic Indigenous Wellness Project is working to bring on-the-land and culturally based healing and educational practices to clients at risk of suicide and/or incarceration. Their first project will be setting up canvas tents and teepees for traditional healing, counselling and education programs near the new Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife. Longer term, they'll be moving into communities around the NWT to provide access to traditional healing and cultural education.
The Dene Heroes Publication Project, from Dakota Orlias in Colville Lake, was the other NWT project to win a big prize. They were awarded $100,000 in the youth category.