Where Are They Now

Brianna Wright was an Engage North intern with Yellowknives Dene First Nation in the summer of 2017.  She graduated from the Faculty of Education and recently worked in the north.

What drew you to apply for the Engage North Internship program?

I often think back to when I read the Engage North poster about the Environmental Education Internship working with Yellowknives Dene First Nation. I was intrigued at the opportunity to try working in the field of Education, but more memorably, I was drawn to the opportunity to live with and learn from an Indigenous community. As I was studying Biology, I found myself thinking more and more deeply about my relationship with nature. I always had an idea that Indigenous people and nations had insightful relationships with nature, and I was drawn to the opportunity to learn about the environment within an Indigenous community. 

How did your Engage North experience influence your life after graduation?

When I returned from my Engage North Internship, I knew that my direction as an Educator was completely changed! I began seeking further opportunities to learn about Indigenous Education by taking classes, attending workshops, and volunteering. When I (finally) graduated, I took an opportunity teaching in an Inuvialuit community on the coast of the Arctic Ocean. My Engage North experience helped me to develop skills for working in an Indigenous community, and I was able to get out and start meeting people and attending community events right away. As I continue in my career as an Educator, I know that working with Indigenous communities will remain a priority for me. 

Were there any experiences or learning moments that stood out for you while you were an intern?

One of the most memorable learning moments during my internship was when I first learned to pluck, butcher, and cook duck. I remember being invited to help an Elder, and I remember as I sat next to her and watched her techniques and tried to practice them on the duck in my own hands. When I finished the whole process on that first duck, I thanked the Elder for teaching me and got up to leave. She looked at me and very matter-of-factly asked me to get back down and do another one with her. She had many more ducks to fix up for the community and she wanted some help in exchange for teaching me new skills. I’m so grateful that I had this experience on my third day in the community because I was really confronted on my ideas about knowledge exchange. 

Would you recommend this program to other students?  Why? 

I highly recommend this program to other students! My internship with Engage North had a bigger impact on my life than any other part of my degree. When people ask about my work with Indigenous Education it always seems to start with something like “In 2017 when I first went up north…”