Food gone and net empty, the strain is telling on the group as Elder Mary arrives with a gift and teaching that drives home the harsh reality of survival. The group learn how to gut and smoke a fish in the traditional way. They learn the importance of Elder teachings and how vital they are in their journey of reconnection.

In the ‘Merchants of the Wild’ series, six Oji-Cree people reconnect to the land, reliving life on a fur trade expedition across northern Cree and Ojibway territories with no modern technology. As they travel in birch bark canoes, elders and knowledge keepers teach them how to make tools and shelter, find food, and use traditional skills, teachings essential to their survival on their 25-day voyage. They gain cultural knowledge and discover ways in which they can better live harmoniously within their environment.