Edàıdzęę̀cho Zaà - Big Sunday Month

Dear Guest, 

January is coming to an end already! 

The Tłı̨chǫ got'ı̨ı̨̀ call this month Edàıdzęę̀cho Zaà (Big Sunday Month). Historically, "Sunday" (Edàıdzęę̀) was a day of rest, prayer, and gathering. It was seen as a month of "Long Sundays" or one continuous "Big Sunday” because the weeks surrounding the New Year were filled with feasts, tea dances, games, and church services. Traditionally, this was a time when families who had been away on their winter trap lines would travel back to their communities—like Behchokǫ̀, Whatı̀, Gamètı̀, and Wekweètı̀—to trade, reconnect with relatives, and celebrate the new year together.  

Habenı̀yè guests! (Happy New Year!) 🎉 

This month has been unseasonably cold—just kidding, January is always freezing here in the subarctic! However, a disrupted Polar Vortex meant the winter roads (roads built over iced portages and across frozen lakes) opened much earlier than usual. After this last week in January, everyone in North America has had the privilege of meeting said Vortex—another shared experience thanks to Mother Nature. A longer winter road season means more equipment and supplies too large for air transport can make their way north by truck. Spring waits for no one, so the sooner the roads open, the better.  

The best thing about a deep freeze, however, is that it is often too cold to snow. If it’s too cold to snow, the skies stay clear—and if the skies are clear, the lights are dancing! Above Yellowknife, the Aurora is always performing; our city sits directly beneath the Northern magnetic halo, the Auroral Oval, that attracts the Sun’s plasma eruptions, creating a spectacular show of Aurora Borealis for us and our visitors. 

One of the things that sets My Backyard Tours’ Aurora Fireside Tour apart is its flexibility. Guests begin the evening gathered around a fire on the ice, with hot tea, bannock, and storytelling—but the experience doesn’t end there. 

Nàhkà - Northern Lights viewing is always guided by the sky. When clouds roll in at one location, our guides can pack up and travel along the winter road system - driving directly on the ice - to seek clearer skies elsewhere. Guests can also choose to remain fireside in a cozy, sheltered setting or join the search for the aurora, making the evening both comfortable and dynamic.  

There really is nothing like sitting outside all bundled up on the deepest lake in North America, in your winter best, listening to some great storytelling, warming your hands, and even sharing some of your own stories, feeling that connection with the elements and the people around you.   

Hypnotic Embers

Watching the orange glow of a fire can be hypnotizing. One of my favorite ways to relax and unwind is to sit next to a fire and get lost in the intricate and unpredictable movements of the flames. I suggest, Dear Guest, that if you get a chance to sit fireside, to take some moments for yourself to connect with the fire and the light and warmth that it offers you. I’m also going to offer another suggestion, make your Bannock on a stick long and thin and rotate it just above the flames, not too close. When it's cooked, spread on a bit of butter and jam on and enjoy - it is just what you need on a cold parka night! 

Next month is Sa Nek'ǫ̀ą—Short Month. To me, it's also the coldest. They somehow knew we needed February to be the shortest month of the year! But as we gain 5-7 minutes of light each day, we can literally see the light at the end of this cold winter tunnel.  

The Aurora Fireside tours take place on a barge featuring warm wall tents and an outdoor firepit, and is anchored off Jolliffe Island, which in itself is steeped in history. The island once served as an oil tank farm where barges could dock directly on the island, and it previously housed a general store, a lumber yard, and Dr. Jolliffe himself. By mapping the gold deposits that led to the local mines, Dr. Jolliffe became an integral part of our city’s growth. Ask one of our guides for a walk across the island; you might just come across some of the old houses. Did we just add a "haunted house" side-tour? I think so!  

Happy haunting Dear Guests! 👻 

"Bill on the Hill" resided here for 40 years.