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North of 60 actor Dakota House goes way up to Whatì for workshop
'He always told the youth, I’m a phone call away. I think that just that grabbed the youth ... he made sure that they were heard, it was really good,' says event organizer
A Whatì-based workshop brought North of 60 actor Dakota House to speak to Tłı̨chǫ youth about the importance of school attendance and education.
Organized by Whatì ‘s Samantha Migwi, the event was held on Sept. 11 to 13 at the Johnny Nitsiza Culture Centre.
Several youth from Whatì, Gamètì, Wekweètì and Behchokǫ̀ participated in sharing circles and youth panels, with support from Elders and social workers.
House is best known for his role in the NWT-based 1990s TV drama series ‘North of 60,’ where he played Trevor ‘Teevee’ Tenia.
Having struggled with alcohol abuse and several encounters with the law in the past, House offered particularly valuable insight into the importance of staying on a straight path, said Migwi.
Prior to the event, she shared with House some of the local youths’ struggles in order to ensure that the young participants felt heard, and that the workshop’s programming was tailored specifically to the community.
Migwi said that school attendance and exposure to alcohol and drug abuse are some of the main issues facing Whatì youth, and that when they initially spoke about bringing House to the community, they wanted these topics to be the focus of the workshop.
“We wanted to make sure when we hosted this, it was meaningful,” she said.
She and House worked closely to plan a timeline for the event that would allow House to visit in person, something Migwi said was important to driving home the messaging.
“Dakota shared his experience — he had a lot of one-on-one with everybody. We all (sat) in a circle, we all shared, and a lot of people knew Dakota and heard his stories,” she said. “He always told the youth, I’m a phone call away. I think that just that grabbed the youth and they took that resource and they used it. He made sure that they were heard, it was really good.”
Calling the event a success, Migwi said she’s already planning similar workshops for the future.
“At the end of it all we talked about, hey, next year we’ll go bigger and better and we’ll try to rotate communities,” she said.
She was sure to thank the various community governments involved in putting together the workshop, including the Behchokǫ̀ and Whatì community presence offices, and specifically Tlicho director of cultural practices Tony Rabesca.
“If it wasn’t for my partnership with Mr. Tony Rabesca, I don’t think we were able to make this happen. He supported this 100 per cent,” said Migwi.
“Our youth are the future of our community, and supporting them is something we all have a role in,” she wrote on social media, after the event. “Let’s continue to show up, encourage our young people, share opportunities and create spaces where they feel heard, supported and empowered.”
Kody Ferron / Local Journalism Initiative reporter / Yellowknifer
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- Dakota House. (Photo: House/M.I.L.E.S)
So, who is Dakota House and Going M.I.L.E.S?
Dakota House is a proud father and is registered with the Tall Cree First Nation in northern Alberta, says his website. He has a successful career in numerous movies and television productions. Best known for his role as TeeVee Tenia on the CBC Series North of 60, Dakota has starred in numerous feature films and made numerous guest star appearances in TV shows such as Heartland, X- Files, and Dreamkeeper. Dakota has over 20 years of sobriety and prides himself on being a strong role model for youth.
For over two decades, Dakota has devoted much of his time to educating youth on motivation, self-esteem and making positive choices. He also has a Martial Arts background with a blackbelt in Hopkido. Dakota has travelled extensively across North America, bringing hope and inspiration to youth through his Going Miles presentations, youth conferences and other special events. He was honoured recently in the province of Alberta with a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022 for service to his community.
The Going M.I.L.E.S team will come to your community, no matter how isolated or remote, to Motivate, Inspire, Lead, Empower, and Support (M.I.L.E.S ) youth in reaching their full potential. Going M.I.L.E.S brings laughter, learning, and cultural connection to complement frontline workers and strongly supports prevention services. The program is designed with a clear focus on prevention and empowerment, helping to strengthen the safety and well-being of Indigenous children, youth, young adults, families, and communities in a culturally grounded way.
The team works alongside communities to encourage positive attitudes, build self-esteem, and promote healthy personal growth. By supporting prevention efforts, we help address community, family, and individual risk factors while fostering resilience, confidence, and a sense of hope. Our goal is to uplift youth and families long before challenges escalate, reinforcing the strengths that help Indigenous communities thrive.
(CKLB compiled)
