Fisher River Cree Nation students reconnect with culture through successful land-based moose hunt

Eight students from Fisher River Cree Nation have returned home to Manitoba’s Interlake following a successful five-day moose hunt in Saskatchewan that leaders say is about much more than academic credits. The trip, which concluded on Friday, 9 October 2026, saw Grade 11 and 12 students travel nearly 400 kilometres to Moose Mountain Provincial Park as part of an immersive land-based education program. According to reporting by CBC News, the group harvested four bull moose, bringing more than 500 kilograms of fresh meat back to their community located about 175 kilometres north of Winnipeg. For 18-year-old student Aidan Traverse, it was his first time hunting big game. Traverse noted that he felt honoured to be out on the land and plans to share the harvest with his elders, including his grandmother. Ashton Amos, a 25-year-old outfitter and program assistant, helped lead the guided hunt for the second year. Amos told CBC News that the experience is designed to help students enjoy the moment and connect with their identity, noting that previous hunts resulted in community feasts for hundreds of people and a visible "spark" in the participating youth. Nora Murdock, director of education for Fisher River Cree Nation, explained that a 2024 band council resolution has prioritised this form of learning. The curriculum now requires elders and knowledge keepers to visit classrooms at least three times a month, integrating Cree language and ceremonies into daily lessons. Beyond hunting, students in the program learn medicine picking, fishing, and firearms safety, reflecting a holistic approach to education that values spiritual and cultural health alongside traditional letter grades.