A Gwich'in youth project to document how the Peel Watershed is changing from climate change and a youth dog sledding club have been awarded $100,000 through the Arctic Inspiration Prize.

Wisdom From the Watershed aims to connect Gwich'in youth to hunters and Elders as they document how wildlife and flora have changed over the past decades.

"It's very emotional," said Eileen Kay as she accepted the award. "I'm really happy and excited. Wisdom from the Watershed was created from the growing interest of our youth, a project on our traditional homelands in a place that we, the Tetlit Gwich'in, have existed for generations.

"Our project will provide an opportunity and environment for our younger generation to return to these places and connect with their culture. To learn how to traverse the land and the water, develop the skills necessary for survival and continue to pass on our stories."

Kay added the effects seen so far include changing landscape and migratory patterns of animals.

A group of 20 hunters will take seven youth from Chief Julius School in Teetl’it Zheh — also known as Fort McPherson — through the watershed as they introduce them to Elders living on the land. The Elders will then tell the delegation of the changes they've seen over their lifetimes.

"It is our hope that those who participate in our ongoing fall camp will gain the knowledge and skills of our people and carry forward these as they become our future leaders," said Kay, who thanked Margaret Gordon for nominating the project for the prize.

All of this will be filmed and produced into a short documentary at the end. The aim is to " broaden the discussion about climate change in Canada’s North" and the team behind the project consists of Brandon Firth (Team Leader), Aiden Kunnizzi, Edwin Kay, Rylan Firth, Lucas Francis, Darius Keevik, Jordan Stewart, Dakota Koe, Phillip Kay, Alice Vittrekwa, George Vittrekwa, Eileen Kay and Tony Devlin.

Also earning a $100,000 youth prize was the Uniaraqtuq Youth Dog sledding club. The club teaches youth both Gwich'in and Inuvialuit learning while on the land through the traditional way of transport. The funding will go to film a documentary on the club to showcase the rich history of both the Gwich'in and Inuvialuit peoples.

"Our goal is to increase ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø sovereignty," said Brooke-Lyn Jade . "We will guide our nation using language, hunting, trapping and dog sledding to build a future where youth can embrace traditions and build a strong relationship to culture.

"We have been taught fragments of our culture through stories and textbooks. However, nothing will compare to the knowledge youth gain from being on the land."

Over $3.7 million was given out to 12 teams on May 13 during the Arctic Inspiration Prize ceremony in Ottawa. The ceremony featured performances by Kathy Snowball of Nunavik performing L'amour, Deantha Edmunds and emerging Nunavut singer Princess Autut performing an operatic version of Nuliajuk, the Inuit guardian of sea animals and a visual circus and musical performance telling the story of a Dene Hunter witnessing an animal transformation.