Family, friends reunite in Whati as Tlicho Assembly begins.
People from all 4 Tlicho communities fly, boat and canoe into Whati for weeklong assembly. "Hey, pass me another piece of dry fish!"
Russell Drybones calls over to his cousin Victor while their families eat lunch in Whati, N.W.T. They laugh and joke around the picnic table as they butter their fish and rest in the shade.
They arrived in Whati by boat from Behchoko the night before for the yearly Tlicho Assembly, where people from Gameti, Whati, Wekweeti and Behchoko come together. The assembly rotates between communities each year.
The meetings are an opportunity for people interested in community government politics to get financial updates, ask accountability questions of their leaders and hold elections.
The official work happens during the day, but the family connections — and reconnections — happen during evening poker games, volleyball tournaments, fishing derbies and lunchtime feasts.
