Fort McPherson Traditions

Fort McPherson Traditions

The beadwork of the Fort McPherson artists create distinctive items you'll treasure for years. Dene mukluks and other wares are made from a variety of skins including moose and caribou.

Midway Lake Music Festival

The Midway Lake Music Festival has been a summer tradition for the past 8 years. It is held 25 km south of Fort McPherson along the Dempster Highway. The festival attracts hundreds of people who come to enjoy the music and midnight dances. Musicians from Aklavik, Tuktoyaktuk, Old Crow, Fort McPherson and Inuvik fiddle, strum and drum their way into everyone’s hearts.

Dene Mukluks with beading

Dene Beadwork

The Nitainlaii Visitor Centre is a traditional log building

Gwich'in elder give guided tours of the displays

Nitainlaii Visitor Information Centre

The Nitainlaii Visitor Information Centre is located at Nitainlaii Territorial Park, on the Dempster Highway just south of Fort McPherson. The centre provides a glimspe of the life of the Gwich'in Dene people. Nitainlaii is located in the heart of Gwich'in territory. A Gwich'in elder gives guided tours of the displays, and explain traditional life out on the land, as it has been practiced for many generations.

You'll see a:

• birch bark water pail
• caribou legging sled
• birch bark canoe
• moose hide boat

and learn about traditional uses for many of the local plants and animals.