Bringing the Classroom to the Land
For students at Clearwater River Dene Nation in northern Saskatchewan, education doesn't always happen between four walls. This week, a group of young learners headed out to the land to pick up one of the most time-honoured skills in Dene culture: snare fishing.
The hands-on lesson is part of a broader land-based learning program that gives students direct access to traditional hunting and fishing methods — the same techniques their ancestors relied on for survival and sustenance for thousands of years.
What Is Snare Fishing?
Unlike rod-and-reel fishing most Canadians are familiar with, snare fishing involves setting wire or natural-fibre loops beneath the water's surface, positioned in spots where fish are known to travel. It requires patience, an intimate knowledge of local waterways, and an understanding of fish behaviour that can only come from spending real time on the land.
For the Dene people, this method isn't just practical — it's deeply cultural. The knowledge of where, when, and how to set snares has been passed down through oral tradition and direct mentorship for generations. Seeing it taught in a school context is a meaningful step toward ensuring that tradition doesn't fade.
Land-Based Learning on the Rise
Across Canada, Indigenous communities and school boards are increasingly recognizing the value of integrating traditional land-based knowledge into formal education. Programs like the one at Clearwater River Dene Nation go beyond teaching specific skills — they help students develop a relationship with the land, a sense of cultural identity, and practical competencies that textbooks simply can't provide.
Research consistently shows that land-based and culturally grounded education improves engagement and outcomes for Indigenous youth. When students see their own heritage reflected in what they're learning, school becomes a place of affirmation rather than erasure.
Conservation and Cultural Continuity
There's also a conservation dimension to this kind of learning. Traditional ecological knowledge — the accumulated wisdom of how to harvest sustainably without depleting fish or wildlife populations — is increasingly valued by environmental scientists and resource managers. Dene communities have long understood the rhythms of local ecosystems in ways that Western science is only beginning to quantify.
By teaching students these methods, Clearwater River Dene Nation is also transmitting an ethic of responsible stewardship: take what you need, respect what gives you life, and protect it for the next generation.
A Model Worth Watching
As Canada continues to grapple with the legacy of residential schools and the ongoing work of reconciliation, programs like this one serve as a reminder of what was nearly lost — and what is being reclaimed. Indigenous-led education that centres traditional knowledge isn't supplementary; for many communities, it's foundational.
For the students of Clearwater River Dene Nation, learning to snare fish isn't just a lesson in technique. It's a connection to who they are and where they come from.
Source: CBC News Saskatchewan
