More than 1,000 people gathered at the Wıìlıìdeh Site last weekend for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation’s Xat’ǫ̀ Gathering.
The four-day gathering featured a $150,000 men’s hand games tournament, with 72 teams competing, alongside drumming, music, food and cultural activities.
“It’s a big gathering, just to see old friends and old communities,” said Bobby Drygeese, one of the tournament organizers and a hand games player.
Players travelled from across the North to compete and reconnect with friends and family.
Jayden Grandjambe, who played on a team from Łútsël K’é, said the gathering was an opportunity for people from different regions to come together.
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“We don’t get to see each other very often,” he said. “So it’s good to say hi and good to see everybody again.”
For Grandjambe, the atmosphere is a major part of the experience.
“You’re 50 feet that way, you can already hear the drums. You can feel it in your chest,” he said.
Handgames is more than a game. It’s culture. Connection. Competition. Community. We asked players at last weekend’s Xat’ǫ̀ Gathering what handgames means to them – and why keeping it alive matters. #canada #dene #ykdfn #northwestterritories #indigenous Advertisement. Advertisement.
Drygeese said his advice to players is simple: “Just keep moving, just have fun, and just tease each other.”
For those who attended, the weekend offered a chance to celebrate culture, compete and spend time together.
Here are some of our favourite pictures from the 2026 Xat’ǫ̀ Gathering.
