INSPIRING AWE
L ICE & DIAMONDS A SONG OF AN ARCTIC ADVENTURE THROUGH CANADA'S NORTHWEST TERRITORIES WITH LILY JAMES, GLOBAL AMBASSADOR FOR NATURAL DIAMOND COUNCIL. By Grant Mobley Lily James stood on a frozen lake under the Northern Lights in -40 degrees. Her journey to Canada’s North, into winter’s grasp, was a quest to witness the profound impact of natural diamond recovery on this land and its people. As the Natural Diamond Council global ambassador, the Emmy- nominated actress traveled to Botswana in 2022. Witnessing the transformative effect of natural diamonds on communities and environments opened her eyes to the industry’s reality. This is how James found herself in the icy expanses of Canada’s Northwest Territories — the globe’s third-largest natural diamond source. James touched down in Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories and home to half of the territory’s forty-thousand inhabitants. Excited to meet locals, James headed to B. Dene, an indigenous-owned camp nearby. Yellowknife’s lake, as big as Belgium, transforms into an expanse of ice in winter, allowing James to drive across it to get there.
cutting facility, while Drygeese helps operate the B. Dene camp. They ushered James into a sled, traveling through thick snow to B. Dene. The camp is an educational hub, immersing visitors in the Yellowknives Dene First Nation’s heritage. Upon arrival, James, welcomed by a community gathered around a fire, witnessed the “feeding the fire” ceremony led by elder Jonas Sangris. This ritual honors nature’s elements and ancestors. The ceremony, highlighted by handcrafted drums and singing, deeply moved James, underlining the bond between tradition, community, and the natural environment. As the cabin filled with the scent of fish stew, James and Sangris discussed the impact of natural diamonds on the region. Sangris shared his story as the chief of the Dene First Nation before the diamond discovery. He talked about the early 1990s when economic instability loomed. The elders’ assurance, “Don’t worry, something will come up,” preceded the discovery of diamonds by merely a year. Since 1999, the economic landscape of the Northwest Territories has surged by 80%, credited to natural diamonds. Sangris was critical in negotiating
Once across, James met Kateri Lynn and Cody Drygeese. Lynn, Dettah’s youngest elected councilor, works at the local diamond-
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