Lidlii Kue Cultural Tourism Centre: immersing visitors in Dene culture on the land
Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ Tourism Centre just outside Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ (Fort Simpson)
Just off the Dehcho and Nácháh Dehé (the Mackenzie and Liard Rivers), the Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ Cultural Tourism Centre sits nestled in the forests around Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ (Fort Simpson). The site has everything visitors need for a comfortable stay on the land, and more: cabins, tents, a gazebo and gathering place, washrooms with showers, and a sauna!
The centre invites visitors and locals to connect with the land and learn about Dene culture, a twenty-year vision come to life. It's part of Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation's work to revitalize culture and promote community well-being. The off-grid site provides space for the First Nation's members to share their culture and language free from distraction. And, it allows Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation to promote Dene culture through tourism while providing culturally-relevant employment to their members.
Cabins and tents at the completed site.
The site opened in December 2024, with funding support from CanNor and the Government of the Northwest Territories. Instead of relying on outside contractors, Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation provided carpentry training for community members, ages 16-65, to build the site. Afterwards, participants received certificates and gear to support other carpentry work. One individual is now working on their Red Seal certification.
Since opening, the centre has hosted groups and individuals all year, including two groups who each stayed for a week in the middle of winter. The site is powered by solar in the summer and a generator in the winter. Cabins and tents are heated by wood-burning fires, and staff service the site 24/7 to keep guests safe and warm during long winter nights. Guests can rent canoes from Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ Tourism and skidoos from Nogha Enterprises, or they can explore the ski hill nearby.
But visiting the centre is more than a comfortable stay in a beautiful corner of Canada's North. Because the site supports Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation's work to revitalize culture, guests can also gain a deeper understanding of Dene culture and history.
Wellness Coordinator, Dëneze Nakehk’o, cooks for a staff activity.
Community Tourism Coordinator Jonathan Antoine said, "In order to do that, you've got to do it in the bush… For our people, the land and the water are the most important thing for us. The facility totally immerses you in the Dene way of life. When groups from around Canada and the world come here, they get a sense of that."
Now, Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation is thinking about what's next. There are no plans yet, but the tourism team wants to immerse the facility in the Dene Zhatıé language, like adding labels next to common items or QR codes where you can listen to the pronunciation of Dene Zhatıé words. The team is also considering partnering with the Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation Guardians to build a trail nearby and possibly add signs naming local plants.
Stretched moose hide for a cultural program.
Jonathan said, "For us as Dene people in the NWT and Canada, we like to share our culture, our language, for people to thrive and to learn. We're very rooted on the land. We're not going away. We're going to be taking care of the land and waters for future generations."
Whether now or in the future, the Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ Cultural Tourism Centre is a unique and fulfilling experience for your trip to the Northwest Territories!
Photos provided by Jonathan Antoine