Skip to main content
Home Story NAKA Festival: A Celebration of Aurora and Culture

NAKA Festival: A Celebration of Aurora and Culture

There’s a new light in Yellowknife’s winter festival scene and it’s shining as brightly as the Aurora.

Naka, pronounced “nah-kah”, is the word for the Northern lights in the local Wiiliideh language of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. The festival is a celebration of all things Aurora and features local First Nation activities, food, games, drumming, and dancing. The festival winds up the week of celebration in the community of Dettah at the Chief Drygeese Centre with an Indigenous fashion show Gala on Saturday March 7th .

The Naka Festival first came about through a partnership between the City of Yellowknife and the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. Showcasing Indigenous culture hand-in-hand with Aurora has meant that in two short years the festival has grown to having events in four different locations and features a variety of different cultural activities. This year it will feature the Yellowknives Dene First Nation history, culture and fashion and in addition there will be an afternoon of Métis sash-making, fiddling and jigging demonstrations provided by the North Slave Métis.

The Tlicho First Nation will also share their traditional stories through film screenings each day. And the Aboriginal Sport Circle will be holding a demonstration of traditional Dene and Inuit games where participation is encouraged. Be sure to try out games like the stick pull, the airplane, and the one-foot high-kick. A researcher will present on Northern Dene Astronomical Knowledge, as well as an evening Northern Dene Star Gazing workshop.

The festival also brings together some of the best chefs in Yellowknife for an evening event called “Taste of the North” where you’ll have a chance to sample traditional Indigenous food with a modern touch. The week will wind up with a truly spectacular Gala Fashion Show featuring local Indigenous designers and artists, and a chance to win a trip for two to Frontier Lodge, the newest Indigenous-owned fishing lodge in the NWT.

With a unique combination of food, dancing, science, arts, and stories, the Naka Festival has something for everyone. Let it be your springboard to learning about Indigenous cultures in the Northwest Territories and all things Aurora. Be sure to check out all the Naka Festival has to offer. 

Offering four-hour Aurora tours including the ice road and City of Yellowknife. Pick-up and drop-off available. Small groups. Service in......

With over 30 years of living in Yellowknife, we offer a variety of tourism experiences for our guests. We are......

Book an adventure with us at Trail Blazer Tours for an unforgettable experience! Your adventure with us will create lasting......

We are a local Aboriginal tour company based in Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Our focus is on......

We offer winter clothing rentals. Our winter clothing will keep you warm and comfortable for your outdoor fun – ask us......

Northern and Remote Wilderness Adventures Ltd. (NARWAL) is a small, friendly, majority Aboriginal owned and operated family business. Our reputation......

Etching popular northern designs on unique 100% recycled glass, since 1994. Visit our gift shop in Old Town or come......

Aurora Village – A Class of Its Own Aurora Village is a unique Aurora-viewing facility situated 25 minutes from downtown......

We operate a fully equipped luxury coach and offer City Tours, Aurora Tours and tours to the Nahanni National Park Reserve......

Our goal is to provide unique customized services for high-end customers. We excel at making personalized tours. You can see......

Raven Tours is a tour operator in Yellowknife, NT, Canada. We offer Aurora Viewing, Snowshoeing, and Hiking Tours. We hope to......

Our professional tour guides will take you on amazing Aurora viewing tours, city tours, ice road tours and much more.......

World class dogsled tours! We are one of the largest professional sled dog kennels in Canada. Over 150 happy, healthy......

Authentic Arctic Experiences Tundra North Tours is an Inuit company based in Inuvik, Northwest Territories that was established with the dream of being......

100% Indigenous owned!  We are the world’s first Aurora Hunting tour company, we know Aurora. Learn about Aurora, why Yellowknife is the......

Your Dene Connection in Yellowknife. B. Dene Adventures is a Traditional Dene Culture Camp business which teaches the Dene way......

Join us on an Aurora hunting adventure. Our skilled tour guides know all the best places around Yellowknife to capture......

Arctic Tours Canada is a Yellowknife based tour operating company that offer Aurora Hunting and Viewing tours, Yellowknife sightseeing tours,......

Come experience world-class Aurora Borealis viewing in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. We are the only guides in the Northwest Territories......

Great Slave Lake Tours offers winter and summer trips on Great Slave Lake, the ninth biggest lake in the world......

We are a small business, owned and operated by a northern Indigenous family, catering largely to visiting families and friends,......

Best Northern Road Trip! Now you can drive all the way to the Arctic ocean linking Canada from coast to......

Yellowknife Online produces Yellowknife specific articles and content for visitors, residents, and newcomers. Yellowknife Online has recently transferred that knowledge......

Aurora photography tours for groups of 25 or less, available in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. Our tours offer specialized knowledge......

To truly experience the Northwest Territories, take your camping gear for a highway driving adventure! Long ribbons of road without......

Summer and winter packages on the Taltson River. Drive out by snowmobile from Fort Resolution or fly out from Fort......