‘It takes me back’: How VR is helping some N.W.T. elders reconnect with tradition [Video]

The drumming and chanting of hand games is a familiar sound for Noel Drybones.

But on this October day, there’s no tournament in town. The sounds are coming from a set of virtual reality (VR) goggles Drybones is wearing. When the 81-year-old removes the headset, he’s back in the quiet TV room of the seniors centre in Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T.

The headset is part of a VR project marrying modern technology with tradition. It allows elders, and others who struggle with mobility, to travel to the land without ever leaving home. 

“It takes me back,” Drybones said. “Helps my memories.”

The Tłı̨chǫ Government started the project during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way of bringing the land to residents during lockdown. Users can put on the VR goggles and choose from …