AKLAVIK, N.W.T. — Sharon Firth remembers childhood as an unhurried rhythm of family, work and the land.
Rooted in the trapline
Born a twin on Dec. 31, 1953, in Aklavik, Sharon Firth and her sister Shirley were raised on their parents’ trapline and in a household of 13 children. In conversations with Northern broadcaster CKLB, Sharon described an upbringing where daily life was hands‑on and community centred, and where scarcity did not equate to privation but to shared labour and resourcefulness.
“Okay, my name is Sharon Ann Firth. I was born a twin on December 31st, 1953, in Aklavik. We grew up on my mom and dad’s trapline…we lived at all a one room, one room house…When she sewed, we sewed, and we were just little girls.”
Those early years, spent outdoors and learning practical skills, shaped a pair of athletes who would become trailblazers for Indigenous sport in Canada. Sharon emphasised the collaborative nature of her success, pointing to family and community as steady supports.
A pioneering sporting career
Sharon and Shirley Firth were among the first Indigenous women to don the maple leaf at the Olympic Games, participating in cross‑country ski competition across four Winter Olympics. The twins also maintained a continuous presence on the national team for an unprecedented 17 consecutive years.
Their record at national competitions was formidable: together they amassed 79 medals at the Canadian championships, including 48 national titles. Those accomplishments eventually earned both sisters a place in Canada’s sporting history.
| Achievement | Number |
|---|---|
| Winter Olympic appearances | 4 |
| Consecutive years on national team | 17 |
| National championship medals (combined) | 79 |
| National titles (combined) | 48 |
Recognition and legacy
The Firth twins broke new ground for Indigenous athletes. They were the first Indigenous women inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, a recognition that acknowledges both athletic excellence and barrier‑breaking representation. They have also been named Members of the Order of Canada and were inducted into the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame.
Shirley Firth died in April 2013. Sharon continues to speak about their shared journey, and both sisters’ stories remain central to discussions about Indigenous participation in national sport and the visibility of Northern athletes.
Residential school and resilience
Sharon’s memories include being sent to residential school — an experience she referenced in interviews — and the twin sisters’ navigation of education systems that removed Indigenous children from their homes and cultures. Despite those challenges, the twins endured and excelled on the international stage, a trajectory tied closely to their upbringing on the land and the collective effort of family.
Her account underscores how the Firths’ sporting achievements were not solely individual triumphs but the product of community preparation and support. Their story is often told as one of quiet determination rather than spectacle.
Continuing influence in the North
For the Northwest Territories and Indigenous communities nationwide, Sharon Firth’s life is a touchstone. Her recollections — of sewing with her mother, of outdoor childhoods and of the twin bond — provide context to athletic feats that might otherwise be reduced to statistics. They remind northern readers that elite sport can spring from the rhythms of everyday life in small communities and on the land.
- Sharon and Shirley Firth grew up in Aklavik and on their parents’ trapline.
- Together they competed in four Winter Olympics and spent 17 straight years on Canada’s national cross‑country ski team.
- The twins won 79 combined national championship medals, including 48 titles, and have been honoured in multiple halls of fame.
The Firth twins’ narrative remains relevant not only to sports historians but to communities across the North that see in their lives an example of cultural resilience, community investment in youth, and the potential to reach international arenas while remaining rooted in home places.
