Kate and William meet Canada's Aboriginals

Updated



The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge continue their nine-day tour of Canada arriving in the Northwest Territories on their sixth day and meeting Aboriginals in Yellowknife.

They were greeted by a group of Dettah Drummers and dancers dressed in traditional native clothing at the Somba K'e Civic Plaza and they stopped to chat to the Aboriginal people and Yellowknife locals.



Prince William thanked the Northwest Territories Aboriginals in their local Dene dialect and the couple received a warm welcome from the crowds.

The couple took part in traditional games, which are also used for everyday survival skills for the harsh northern environment that sees 10 months of winter per year.



Kate and William didn't leave empty handed as the Aboriginals presented them with a gift to show their 'mutual respect and affection' - a pair of platinum and diamond pave cufflinks and a brooch with a polar bear design.

Yellowknife got its name from the copper knives that were carried by the Chipewyan tribe who used to live in the area. The vast area it covers has a population of just 43,000, many being Aboriginals with 11 different languages being spoken in the region.



The couple also enjoyed a game of street hockey or 'shinny' with the locals. Kate and William met the Yellowknife hockey team and William showed off his hockey skills.

Kate, however chose not to play in her dress and heels and according to the Daily Mail, speaking to local girl Gloria Francis, she said: 'I would have taken a shot if I wasn't in heels.'



The Duchess, who was a hockey player at school, did throw the ball to start the game and laughed as William took a shot that hit a cameraman.

Later in the day the couple were due to visit the beautiful Blachford Lake, join some young rangers for a campfire and row themselves in a canoe to a private island for a barbecue.


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