CANADA’S ARCTIC JOURNAL
JULY/AUGUST 2013 • $ 5.95
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Dundas Harbour Northwest Passage Vigil
High Arctic Exploration Canadian Seismic Expedition
Aqpik Jam A sweet-sounding recipe
Kiteskiing in Nunavik Inuit Youth Reclaim their Land
Northern Scene
PM40050872
Showcasing Inuit Artistry
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www.arcticjournal.ca
RANKIN INLET cq6Oi6 (Kangiqliniq)
Located on the west coast of Hudson Bay about 300 km north of Churchill, Rankin Inlet is the transportation, health services, and business centre of the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut. Rankin Inlet has a rich mining history. The town grew up around the North Rankin Nickel Mine, which operated from 1957-1962. The underground miners were Inuit from all over Nunavut. The Federal Government started a soapstone/clay project in the early ‘60s after the mine closed to help create a sustainable economy for the Inuit. Today, many of their children and grandchildren are working in mining and related industries, for the Meadowbank Gold Mine, the new Meliadine Gold Project and other mineral exploration projects in the region. Our community is the Kivalliq centre for government and educational activity, but private business also thrives. Business activity includes everything from arts and crafts, tourism and country food processing to construction, restaurants, and hotels. There is large government activity as well. We have all the amenities you expect of a Northern hub, including a downtown area with offices, the RCMP detachment, Hamlet office, hotels, shopping, apartments, banks, schools, and the post office. There are five hotels and a Bed & Breakfast, several restaurants, a dental clinic,
drugstore, three convenience stores, and two hardware stores. The health centre includes a hospital and a birthing centre. Nunavut Arctic College offers many courses that prepare people to work with government or business, and the associated Trade School prepares Nunavummiut for careers in trades like electrician, housing maintainer, plumber and heavy equipment mechanics. Step outside and you’ll feel the pulse of the activity that drives our community. Rankin Inlet combines the best of land and sea. Rocky islands with sheer cliffs support one of the healthiest populations of peregrine falcons in the world, and several rocky rivers offer great fishing for Arctic char and grayling, and wide inland lakes harbour large lake trout. Great gravel eskers stretch across the land, enticing families out for superb berry picking in late summer. Tundra swans nest on the edges of larger lakes, and the land echoes with the rattling calls of sandhill cranes. Comical sik siks (Arctic ground squirrels) stand like sentinels along the roads, and Arctic foxes and hares can often be seen. Caribou from the Qamanurjuaq herd often pass close to town in late summer. Ringed and bearded seals and beluga whales are commonly seen on boat trips from the community, and polar bears are sometimes seen at Marble Island or on other islands.
Whether you are here for business or pleasure, there is a lot to see and do during your visit to Rankin Inlet. We hope you enjoy your time in one of Nunavut’s busiest communities!
867-645-2895
info@rankininlet.ca
www.rankininlet.ca
Jobie Tukkiapik / JW bexW4 President, Makivik Corporation & Chairman, First Air xzJ6√6, mr=F4 fxS‰nzk5 x7m w4y?sb6, {5 wsf8k5 Président, Société Makivik et président du conseil, First Air
Brock Friesen / XÇ4 K‰n8 President & C.E.O., First Air xzJ6√6 x7m xsM5tp7mE, {5 wsf8k5 Le président et directeur général, First Air
A message from our CEO It’s an eventful summer at First Air. In addition to the usual anticipation of community festivals and events, we are also busy gearing up for some key upcoming initiatives. We recently welcomed our new Sales Manager for the Nunavik Region, Shelly Watkins, to the team. Born and raised in Kuujjuaq, Shelly speaks English, Inuktitut and French. Shelly is based at our Head Office in Ottawa and will be traveling to Kuujjuaq regularly to support our efforts in business development and customer service as we continue to increase resources and focus in this key market. First Air is proud to be the Official Air Carrier and Platinum Sponsor of the Nunavut Tradeshow and Conference this fall. From September 24 to 26, Nunavut businesses, Government agencies, suppliers, investors and entrepreneurs will gather in Iqaluit for three days of networking and business development. We are looking forward to working with the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce to facilitate delegate travel and exhibitor cargo, while taking the opportunity to connect with our customers at this very important event. The most exciting news continues to be our three B737400s. The first aircraft is expected to be introduced on the Ottawa-Iqaluit market as an all passenger aircraft in early August, while the remaining two will undergo engineering modifications to operate as combi aircraft. The combi aircraft are expected to enter service in late 2013 and early 2014. The B737-400 is close to 6 metres longer than the B737-200, allowing us to increase capacity and operate at a higher level of efficiency. We are excited to build on these initiatives while continuing to strengthen our operation and customer service levels. I am making a personal commitment to travel our network as frequently as possible. Having already visited our major hubs of Rankin Inlet, Kuujjuaq, Iqaluit and Yellowknife in the coming weeks, this summer I will be spending time in some of the communities we serve in the High Arctic. See you onboard and thank you for flying First Air, the Airline of the North.
ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᑦᑕ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᒃᓴᖓ
ᐱᕘᔅᑎᐊᑯᓐᓂᑦ (First Air) ᐊᐅᔭᖅ ᐱᔭᒃᓴᖃᐅᕈᓘᔭᖅᑐᑦ.ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᓐᓂ ᖃᓄᕈᓘᔭᖅ ᐱᔭᒃᓴᖃᕐᓂᐊᕆᓪᓗᓂ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐅᖓᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᐊᒍᑦ ᐸᕐᓇᒃᐸᓪᓕᐊᔪᒍᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᔭᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓂᒃ.
ᓄᑖᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᑖᑲᐃᓐᓇᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᒍᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔾᔭᒃᓴᕐᓂᓕᕆᓂᒧᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥᑦ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᖅᓱᓂ, ᓯᐊᓕ ᕚᑦᑭᓐᓯ. ᐃᓅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᕈᖅᓴᓪᓗᓂᓗ ᑰᔾᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ, ᓯᐊᓕ ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ, ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᐃᕖᑎᑐᑦ. ᓯᐊᓕ ᐊᓪᓚᒡᕕᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖃᕐᕕᑦᑎᓐᓂᑦ ᐋᑐᕚᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᐃᓇᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᑰᔾᔪᐊᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑦᑕᕐᓗᓂ ᑮᓇᐅᔾᔭᒃᓴᕐᓂᓕᕆᓂᑦᑕ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᒐᓱᒡᓗᒍ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᐃᒫᒃ ᐊᖏᒡᓕᑎᕆᒐᓱᒃᑎᓪᓗᑕ ᐊᑐᒐᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂᒡᓗ ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥᑦ.
ᕘᔅᑎᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᐱᒍᓱᒃᑐᑦ ᐅᓯᔨᐅᑎᑕᐅᒋᐊᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᒻᒪᕆᐅᒋᐊᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᑦᒥᑦ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖃᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐱᔫᒥᓵᕆᓂᖓᓐᓂᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᕕᒡᔪᐊᕐᓂᖓᓐᓂᒡᓗ ᖃᐃᔪᒥᑦ ᐅᑭᐊᒃᓵᖑᓕᖅᐸᑦ.ᓯᑎᐱᕆ 24-ᒥᑦ 26-ᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦᒥᑦ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᕆᔭᐅᔪᑦ, ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᑎᒥᖁᑎᖏᑦ, ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑎᑦ, ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖃᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᑲᑎᓛᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᖃᓗᓐᓂᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᐃᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᓂᒃ ᐃᓚᓕᐅᖃᑎᒌᒐᓱᒡᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᑦᑎᒐᓱᒡᓗᑎᒃ. ᓂᕆᐅᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᕆᐊᒥᒃ ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒻᒥᑦ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᓖᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖓᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᓛᖅᑐᒃ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᔾᔪᑎᒃᓴᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᓂᐊᕐᓗᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᓯᓂᐊᕐᓗᑕ ᐱᖁᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᖃᕆᐊᒥᒡᓗ ᕘᔅᑎᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᑎᑦᑎᕙᒃᑐᖁᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᔫᒥᓵᕆᓂᖃᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ.
ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒍᑎᒋᓂᖅᐹᕆᒻᒪᔭᕗᑦ ᓱᓕ ᐱᖓᓱᑦ ᓄᑖᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᖁᑎᕗᑦ B737-400. ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᖅ ᑖᒃᑯᓇᙵᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᖅ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᑎᑕᐅᒋᐊᓛᖅᑐᒃᓴᐅᔪᖅ ᐋᑐᕚ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ ᐊᑯᓐᓇᖓᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᑭᒪᔾᔪᑕᐅᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓗᓂ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᔪᓄᑦ ᐋᒡᒐᓯ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᖃᑎᒋᒃ ᒪᕐᕉᒃ ᐱᖁᑎᓂᒃ ᐅᓯᑲᖅᑕᕈᑕᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ. ᑖᒃᑯᐊᒃ ᒪᕐᕉᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᓕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᒋᔭᐅᔫᒃ 2013 ᓄᙳᐊᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 2014 ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂᑦ. B737-400 ᖃᖓᑕᔫᖅ 6 ᒦᑕᑦ ᖃᓂᒋᔭᖓᓂᑦ ᑕᑭᓂᖅᓴᐅᔪᖅ B737-200-ᒥᒃ, ᐅᓄᕐᓂᖅᓴᓂᒃ ᐅᓯᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᓗᑕᓗ ᐊᐅᓚᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᓗᑕᓗ ᐊᑲᐅᓂᖅᓴᒥᒃ.
ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᖁᑎᕗᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᒻᒪᕆᒃᑕᕗᑦ ᓴᙱᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᒐᓱᒃᑎᓪᓗᑕᓗ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ. ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖅ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᓂᖅᓴᐅᑲᓐᓂᕋᓱᒃᑐᖓ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᕐᕕᒋᕙᑦᑕᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ. ᐅᐸᒃᓯᒪᓕᕇᖅᓱᒃᑭᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᖅ, ᑰᔾᔪᐊᖅ, ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᔭᓗᓇᐃ, ᐊᐅᔭᐅᓕᖅᐸᑦ ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᕐᒥᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᓐᓄᑦ ᐅᐸᓛᖅᑐᖓ.
ᑕᑯᓛᖅᐸᒋᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᒐᕕᑦ ᕘᔅᑎᐊᒃᑯᑦ, ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑑᑉ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᖓᑦ.
Message de notre PDG Cet été s’avère riche en événements à First Air. En plus des festivals et des activités communautaires habituelles que nous anticipons, nous nous préparons aussi à la réalisation de quelques projets clés. Nous avons récemment accueilli au sein de notre équipe la nouvelle directrice des ventes, Shelly Watkins, pour la région du Nunavik. Née et élevée à Kuujjuaq, elle parle l’anglais, l’Inuktitut et le français. Shelly travaille à notre siège social à Ottawa et elle ira régulièrement à Kuujjuaq pour appuyer nos efforts tant en prospection qu’en services à la clientèle, au fur et à mesure que nous continuerons d’accroître nos ressources et de miser sur ce marché clé. First Air est fière d’être l’entreprise de transport aérien et le commanditaire officiel du congrès et de la foire commerciale du Nunavut cet automne. Du 24 au 26 septembre, les entreprises, les organismes gouvernementaux, les fournisseurs, les investisseurs et les entrepreneurs du Nunavut se réuniront à Iqaluit pour trois jours de réseautage et de prospection. Nous nous réjouissons à la perspective de travailler avec la chambre de commerce régionale de Baffin pour faciliter les déplacements des délégués et le fret des exploitants, tout en profitant de la possibilité de rejoindre nos clients lors de cette importante activité. Enfin, les nouvelles les plus intéressantes portent sur nos trois aéronefs B737-400. Nous prévoyons utiliser le premier sur le marché Ottawa-Iqaluit pour le transport des passagers au début août, tandis que les deux autres subiront des modifications techniques pour servir comme aéronefs mixtes. Ils devraient entrer en service entre la fin 2013 et le début 2014. Le B737-400 mesure environ six mètres de plus que le B737-200, offrant ainsi une plus grande capacité et un fonctionnement plus efficace. Nous sommes ravis de donner suite à ces initiatives tout en continuant d’apporter des améliorations au niveau des opérations et du service à la clientèle. Je m’engage personnellement à me déplacer dans l’ensemble de notre réseau aussi fréquemment que possible. Au cours des prochaines semaines, je me rendrai dans nos principaux centres opérationnels de Rankin Inlet, de Kuujjuaq, d’Iqaluit et de Yellowknife et compte visiter cet été quelques-unes des collectivités que nous desservons dans le Haut-Arctique. Je serai heureux de vous retrouver lors de votre prochain voyage. Merci d’avoir choisi First Air, la ligne aérienne du Nord.
ᐱᒻᒪᕿᐅᑎᑦᑕᕗᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᓯ ᐊᒻᒪ ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐅᒃᑯᑦ, ᖃᖓᑕᔫᖁᑎᖓᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᑕᖅᑐᒥᑦ. We value your support and thank you for making First Air, THE AIRLINE OF THE NORTH. Nous apprécions votre soutien et vous remercions de votre appui à First Air, LA LIGNE AÉRIENNE DU NORD.
ᕗᔅ ᑎᐊᒃᑯᓐᓂ ᑕᑯᒋᐊᕐᓂᖅ
First Air Focus Congratulations New Flight Attendant Graduates!
ᐅᐱᒋᕙᕗᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᒥᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑎᐅᔪᓴᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕇᖅᑐᑦ! PHOTO COURTESY KATIE MULLIGAN
Our newest Flight Attendants are ready to take to the skies. Pictured left to right:
ᓄᑕᐅᓂᖅᐹᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᒥᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑎᒋᓕᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᒋᐊᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᔪᑦ. ᐊᔾᔨᒦᑦᑐᑦ ᓴᐅᒥᖕᒥᑦ ᑕᓕᖅᐱᖕᒧᑦ: Left side (in black): Alfredo Delos Santos Brittany Bjornson Stacy Ogilvie Jane Flaherty-Lambe Seané d'Argencourt-Printup Josiane Bousquet Katelynn Santos Chad Johnson
Right side (in purple): Temmy Um Qaumaksiaq Jennifer Friesen Alicia Gerlywich Nathalie Champagne Oopik Aglukark Alyssa Thompson Erika Wood
After 3 weeks of intensive training in Ottawa, our newest Flight Attendant recruits are ready to take to the skies. Fifteen students successfully completed the training and practical exercises, which included familiarization with industry regulations, crew communications, security policies and procedures, safety procedures, evacuation procedures, emergency equipment onboard aircraft, live fire fighting, dangerous goods handling, special passenger briefings, customer service and aircraft specifics, and much more. Many of our new recruits are completely bilingual in English and French while three are also fluent in Inuktitut. In addition to classroom study, students participated in practical drills and exercises, and completed six exams during the program followed by a final exam. All exams required a passing grade of 90%. Before stepping into the classroom in Ottawa, all candidates were required to successfully complete the Inflight Institute online Flight Attendant Prequalification course which is approximately 40 hours of additional study.
To learn more about employment opportunities within First Air visit firstair.ca/employment. ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᒍᕕᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᒃᓴᓂᒃ
ᕘᔅᑎᐊᑯᓐᓂᑦ, ᐅᕗᙵᕆᑦ
firstair.ca/employment.
With the Initial Training Program and exams successfully achieved, our new Flight Attendant trainees will now complete their Line Indoctrination as the final phase of training. Line Indoctrination is on the job testing by a qualified Flight Attendant to ensure the trainee is performing duties as required. Line Indoctrinations for our new recruits will take place in the coming weeks to prepare for their first shift as a qualified Flight Attendant. We value training, personal development and encourage career advancement within First Air. If you share our commitment to safety and service, we encourage you to join our team.
ᐋᑐᕚᒥᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᓂᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᓄᑕᐅᓂᖅᐹᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᒥᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑎᒋᓕᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᒋᐊᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᔪᑦ. 15 ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᒐᓂᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐆᑦᑐᕋᕈᓐᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅᓱᑎᒡᓗ, ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐃᓚᖃᓚᐅᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᖁᔭᓂᒃ, ᖃᖓᑕᔫᒥᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔨᑦ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᒌᒍᓯᖏᑦ, ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᖅᑐᒦᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᑐᐊᒐᕐᓂᒃ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᓪᓗ, ᐅᓗᕆᐊᓇᖅᑐᒦᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᑎᑦᑎᔾᔪᑎᑦ, ᖃᓄᖅ ᑐᐊᕕᕐᓇᖅᑐᖃᓕᕐᓂᕈᓂ ᐊᓂᑲᐅᑎᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᒪᖔᑕ,ᖃᖓᑕᔫᑉ ᐃᓗᐊᓂᑦ ᑐᐊᕕᕐᓇᖅᑐᓕᕆᔨᔾᔪᑎᓂᒃ,ᐃᑯᐊᓚᔪᒥᒃ ᖃᑦᑎᕆᓂᖅ,ᐅᓗᕆᐊᓇᖅᑑᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᕐᓂᖅ, ᐃᑭᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑐᑭᓯᐅᒪᑎᑦᑎᔾᔪᑎᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᐅᖏᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑐᖃᓕᕐᓂᕈᓂ, ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᓯᒪᓂᖏᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᓯᖏᓪᓗ ᐅᓄᖅᑐᑦ. ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᒃ 15 ᓄᑖᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᒥᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑎᒋᓕᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑐᑦ ᐅᐃᕖᑎᑐᓪᓗ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᖓᓱᑦ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᕆᓪᓗᑎᒃ. ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐅᑉ ᓯᓚᑖᓂᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕆᐊᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 6-ᖏᖅᑕᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᔭᕇᕈᑎᒥᒃ
ᑭᖑᓪᓕᕐᒥᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᒻᒪᕆᓕᕐᒥᔅᓱᑎᒃ. ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᓂᓕᒪᑦ 90%-ᒥᒃ ᐊᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥᒃ ᐊᔪᙱᓂᖃᕆᐊᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ. ᐋᑐᕚᒥᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᓚᐅᙱᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓱᓕ, ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᔭᕇᑦᑎᐊᕆᐊᖃᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᑦ
Inflight Institute ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᔾᔪᑎᖓᓂᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᒥᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑎᐅᔪᒪᔪᓄᑦ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᔭᕇᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᒻᒪᖄ 40 ᐃᑲᕐᕋᓂᒃ.
ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᒐᓂᒃᓯᒪᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᖅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᓪᓗ,ᖃᖓᑕᔫᒥᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑎᒋᓕᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓕᓴᖅᑎᑕᐅᒋᐊᖃᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᒥᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᒻᒪᕆᒡᓗᑎᒃ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑎᑐᖃᐅᓕᖅᑐᒧᑦ ᒥᐊᓂᕆᔭᐅᓗᑎᒃ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᖑᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᒥᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑎᐅᒻᒪᕆᓕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑳᖅᑎᓐᓇᒋᑦ. ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᓄᑖᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑎᒋᓕᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᖃᐃᔪᓂᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕐᓂᒃ ᐆᑦᑐᕋᖅᑎᑕᐅᒋᐊᓕᓛᖅᑐᑦ ᐸᕐᓇᒍᑕᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑎᒻᒪᕆᐅᓂᒃᓴᖏᓐᓄᑦ.
ᕘᔅᑎᐊᑯᓐᓂᑦ (First Air) ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᑎᑦᑎᔪᒍᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓕᓴᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖅ ᐱᕚᓪᓕᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᕙᑦᑐᒍᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᒥᒃ ᖁᑦᑎᒃᓯᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᕐᒥᒃ. ᐃᑉᐱᒋᔭᖃᑎᖃᕈᕕᑦ ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᖅᑐᒦᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᒃᓴᒥᒃ ᐆᑦᑐᖁᓐᓇᐅᕗᑎᑦ.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
15 Dundas Harbour Keeping Watch over the Northwest Passage
Publisher & Editor Tom Koelbel
On the south coast of Devon Island, the old abandoned RCMP detachment at Dundas Harbour looks out to sea, as if set down there to watch over the entrance to Lancaster Sound and the Northwest Passage. The RCMP sent three constables to open the detachment at Dundas Harbour in August 1924, deposited there with fuel and provisions by the Canadian Government Ship Arctic. — Photography by Dennis Minty; Story by David F. Pelly
Contributing Editor Teevi Mackay Inuktitut Translation Kevin Kablutsiak Advertising Doris Ohlmann (Ottawa) 613-257-4999
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Circulation Patt Hunter Design Robert Hoselton, Beat Studios
My job is to write the blog of the Canadian High Arctic Seismic Expedition aboard CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent as scientists and technologists survey vast sections of the Arctic Ocean for the next six weeks. The voyage is the last of a series to gather seismic and bathymetric data in the Western Arctic in support of Canada’s submission to UNCLOS to determine Canada’s sovereign rights to ocean areas beyond the 200-mile limit. — By Hans Böggild
email: editor@arcticjournal.ca Toll Free: 1 • 877 • 2ARCTIC Volume 25, No. 4
July/August 2013
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Dundas Harbour Northwest Passage Vigil
High Arctic Exploration Canadian Seismic Expedition
Aqpik Jam A sweet-sounding recipe
Kiteskiing in Nunavik Inuit Youth Reclaim their Land
Northern Scene
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Showcasing Inuit Artistry
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High Arctic Exploration
33 Nunavik: Kiteski Paradise With eight-month long winters and ice as far as the eye can see, Nunavik is a kiteskiing paradise for those willing to give it a shot. Over the past seven years, over 1,500 people have learned to kiteski in 15 communities in Nunavik and Nunavut. And more keep coming. — By Guillaume Roy
CHRISTINA SNOWBALL AWASH IN AN AQPIK SEA. © ISABELLE DUBOIS
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9 above&beyond Message
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arcticjournal.ca Celebrating our 25th year as the popular In-flight magazine for First Air, The Airline of the North.
July/August 2013
10 NORTHERN YOUTH A New Era in Inuit Artistry by Teevi Mackay 21 LIVING ABOVE & BEYOND
39 ARTS, CULTURE & EDUCATION NAC Northern Scene by Lee Narraway 45 Aqpik Jam by Isabelle Dubois
51 NORTHERN BOOKSHELF 53 INUIT FORUM Spirit and Intent by Terry Audla 54 ExOTICA by Pierre Dunnigan
49 Tukitaarvik by James Kuptana
PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050872 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: CIRCULATION/ABOVE&BEYOND P.O. BOX 683 MAHONE BAY, NS B0J 2E0 Email: info@arcticjournal.ca
above & beyond
7
above&beyond message
Canada’s Arctic Journal above&beyond Celebrates 25 years ow over half way through above&beyond’s 25th year
Never before have northern cultures been so proudly
publishing as the Inflight magazine of First Air, The Airline
proactive in promoting their traditions and fine arts in order
of the North, what we hope will stand out in this issue, and
to not only reaffirm and maintain them for themselves, but also
indeed all that have preceded it, is just how much the North
in reaching out beyond historic northern delineations to bring
has changed, how much has been achieved and how far this
their values and rich cultures to the forefront of modern society.
once remote, near-forgotten region of the land has come in terms
All indications are that Canadians are embracing the North
of its own development, and how it is destined to continue to
and its people as never before. They are interested in knowing
change.
more and are listening in appreciation and concern to those
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Most heartening amidst all the details of this apparent
issues most important to Northerners as they continue along
progress in territorial governance, social improvement and
their path to assured self-determination and their role as a
economic development (all to be explored in future issues) is
valued element in the fabric of our nation.
the very apparent educational and cultural renaissance First
To be able to share our own unique window on northern
Nations, MĂŠtis and Inuit are spearheading on their own with
living over two and a half decades of this, our favourite part
enthusiasm, not only in their own communities, but on national
of the world, with engaged and new readers too, remains
and international levels too.
nothing short of a true pleasure and privilege.
July/August 2013
above & beyond
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NORTHERN YOUTH
ᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᑲᐅᒋᔭᐅᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐋᑐᕚᒥᑦ. ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᑕᑯᓐᓈᕐᕕᔾᔪᐊᖅ (National Arts Centre) ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᐃᓚᐅᖅᑐ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᐅᔪᕐᒥᒃ ᖁᓪᓕᓂᒃ ᐅᓪᓗᕐᓂᒃ ᐄᐳᕉᑉ ᓄᙳᐊᓂᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᖢᒍ ᒪᐃᒧᑦ ᑎᑭᖦᖢᒍ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᑲᐅᒋᔭᐅᑦᓯᐊᒻᒪᕆᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᑎᒡᓗ.. ᐊᑕᐅᓯᖅ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᕆᐊᖅᑐᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ ᐅᐊᑲᓪᓚᖔᒋᕐᔪᐊᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ. ᓂᓪᓕᕈᖕᓇᐃᒻᒪᕆᒃᖢᖓᓘᓐᓃᑦ. ᑎᒎᑎᓗᒋᑦ ᑭᓯᐊᓂᐅᑐᐃᓐᓇᓕᓚᐅᕋᒪ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᐊᓂᖕᒪᑕ ᐅᐱᒋᓂᕋᕈᒪᓪᓗᒃᑭᑦ. ᑖᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᔭᕋ ᓯᐅᕕᔭ ᑯᓘᑦᓯᐊᑉ (Sylvia Cloutier) ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᓚᐅᖅᑕᖓ ᑐᓗᒐᖅ:ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑐᓗᒐᕐᒥᒃ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᐊᕈᓯᖏᑦ. ᑐᓗᒐᖅ ᐱᙳᐊᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᖅᑎᑦᓯᓪᓗᓂ ᕿᓚᐅᔾᔭᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐃᙱᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ,ᑲᑕᔾᔭᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ,ᐱᙳᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ,ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ,ᑎᑕᖕᓂᕐᒥᒃ,ᐃᔪᖅᓵᕆᓂᕐᒥᒃ,ᐅᐊᐄᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ
orthern scene made quite the impression in Ottawa. A good impression. The National Arts Centre coordinated the weeklong event in late April and early May. Northern artists displayed their talent for everyone to see and without disappointment. I was in awe of one performance in particular. It left me speechless. All I could do after this show was shake the hands of those involved in the production while congratulating them. This show was Sylvia Cloutier’s Tulugak: Inuit Raven Stories. Tulugak is a spectacular play that showcases drum dancing, singing, throat singing, acting,
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Northern scene The dawning of a new era of Inuit artistry ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᒐᒃᓴᓕᐅᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᐱᕚᓪᓕᕆᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᑏᕙᐃ ᒪᑲᐃ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᖓ by Teevi Mackay / ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑐᖅ ᑏᕕ ᒪᑲᐃ
© VINCENT L’HÉRAULT
ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᔪᑦ
PHOTO COURTESY BANFF CENTRE © DONALD LEE
ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᓛᖦᖡᑦ ᕌᐱᒃᖢᑎᒡᓘᓐᓃᑦ (rap). ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᔪᑦ ᐃᒻᒪᖄ 20 ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ, ᐅᓄᕐᓂᖅᐹᖏᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦᒥᐅᑕᑦ, ᓄᓇᕕᖕᒥᐅᑕᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᓛᖦᖡᑦ. ᑐᓗᒐᖅ ᑯᓘᑦᓯᐊᑉ ᑐᑭᒧᐊᒃᑎᑕᖓ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᙱᖃᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᕿᓚᐅᔾᔭᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᖃᑕᐅᖦᖢᓂᓗ. ᑯᓘᑦᓯᐊ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᐃᑎᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᔪᙱᑦᓯᐊᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᖅ ᑲᑎᑎᖦᖢᓂᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥᐅᑕᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᓛᖦᖡᑦ,ᑲᑎᓐᓇᒥᒡᓗ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᖅᑎᑦᓯᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓂᐊᑕᕐᒥᖕᓂᒃ ᐊᔪᕈᖕᓇᐃᖅᓵᓗᒋᐊᖃᙱᖦᖢᑎᒃ.ᑖᓐᓇ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᕐᓂᖅ ᑕᑯᔭᐅᔪᒃᓴᐅᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᑐᑯᒥᓇᓗᐊᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ. ᑖᓐᓇ 70ᒥᓂᑦᓂᒃ ᑕᑭᓂᓕᒃ ᑕᐅᑐᒋᐊᖅᑐᖅᑐᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᐃᑎᕈᑎᓕᒫᖏᑦ ᓄᖑᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᒋᐊᖅᑐᕈᒪᒐᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᑎᒡᓗ ᓱᓕ. ᑐᓗᒐᖅ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᐊᕈᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᑐᓗᒐᕐᒧᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᓗᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ. ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᑐᒐᒃᓴᑦ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᑕᐅᑦᓯᐊᖅᓯᒪᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᑦ, ᓲᕐᓗ ᐊᖏᔪᐊᓗᒃ ᑐᓗᒐᙳᐊᖑᔾᔪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᓕᐊᖏᑦ. ᑐᓗᒐᖅ-¬ᒥᒃ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᕆᐊᖅᑐᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒡᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒍᓐᓇᐃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑕᐅᑐᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓂᐊᓗᖏᓐᓂᒃ. ᑲᓛᖦᖠᖅ ᐊᖑ ᒫᑦᓯᕕᐅᑦ (Angu Motzfeldt) ᐃᓄᑑᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᙱᖅᑎᓪᓗᓂ ᑐᓴᕐᓂᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ. ᑎᑦᑲᓐ ᔮᑲᑉᓴᓐ (Titken Jakobsen), ᑎᑕᖕᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᓯᔨᐅᔪᖅ ᓅᒃᒥᑦ ᑲᓛᖦᖡᑦ ᓄᓈᑦᓂᑦ, ᑎᑕᖃᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᐊᒋᐊᕋᕐᔪᐊᖅᖢᓂ, ᓇᕿᑦᑕᐅᑎᑐᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᑎᑐᔪᕐᒥᒃ ᑯᑭᒃᐸᓗᒃᖢᓂ — ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑎᑕᒍᓐᓇᕋᓗᐊᕐᒥᑎᖦᖢᓂ. ᓄᓇᕕᖕᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᐲᑦᑐᕇᓯ ᑎᐅ (Beatrice Deer) ᐃᖏᖃᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᙳᐊᖅᑎᐅᖃᑕᐅᖦᖢᓂ. ᓵᓕ ᑮᓚᓐ (Charles Keelan) ᐃᙱᖃᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᕿᑦᑕᖅᓗᓂ ᑯᑭᒃᐸᓗᒃᖢᓂᓗ. ᓵᓕ ᐃᙱᐅᑎᒥᒃ ᑎᑎᕋᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᑐᓗᒐᖅ-ᒧᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᒥᒃ. ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥᓄᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᑦᓯᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᓛᑯᓗ ᕕᓕᔭᒻᓴᓐ ᐹᑐᕆ (Laakuluk Williamson Bathory) ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᒻᒪᕆᖕᒥᔪᖅ ᑐᓗᒐᖅ-ᒥᑦ. ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓛᑯᓗᒃ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᑦᓯᐊᒻᒪᕆᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂ ᐆᒻᒪᑎᒥᓂᙶᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐱᙳᐊᖃᑕᐅᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ.ᑕᒡᕙᓂᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖑᔪᒥᑦ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂᑦ ᑐᓂᖅ¬-ᕆᔭᐅᙳᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᑕᐃᓯᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑕ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᑦ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᐃᓐᓇᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᑭᓚᐅᖏᒃᑲᓗᐊᕈᑎᒃ, ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᑐᓂᖅ ᑕᐃᒻ-ᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ (Toonik Tyme). ᓛᑯᓗᒃ ᑲᓛᖦᖠᖅ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᒫᓐᓇ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᒥᐅᑕᐅᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᐃᓂᓗ ᓄᑕᕋᖏᓪᓗ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᔨᐅᕆ ᑳᓐᓯᑦ (The Jerry Cans), ᐃᖃᓗᖕᒥᐅᑕᑦ ᐃᙱᕆᐊᖅᑐᖅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᓇᒧᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᒥᑦ. ᐃᙱᖅᑎᖓᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑯᑭᒃᐸᓗᒃᑎᖓᑦ ᐋᓐᑐᕉ ᒧᐊᕆᓴᓐ (Andrew Morrison) ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐃᙱᖅᐸᒃᑐᖅ. ᐃᓄᓪᓚᑦᑖᖑᙱᒃᑲᓗᐊᖅᖢᓂ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᑦᓯᐊᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᖅ.ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓇᐅᑎᖦᖢᒍ ᒧᐊᕆᓴᓐ ᐊᐃᑉᐸᖓ ᓈᓐᓯ ᒪᐃᒃ (Nancy Mike) ᐸᓂᒃᑖᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᕖᕕᒥᒃ ᐊᑦᓯᖅᖢᓂᐅᒃ. ᒪᐃᒃ ᐃᓵᖅᑕᖅᑐᖅᑎᐅᕙᒃᑐᖅ ᔨᐅᕆ ᑳᓐᓯᑦ-ᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᖅᐸᒃᖢᓂᓗ. ᕖᕕᑦ
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July/August 2013
story-telling, musical ingenuity, humour, Greenland masks and even Greenlandic rapping. The talent comes from about 20 Northerners, mostly Inuit from Nunavut, Nunavik and Greenland, including artists from the National Theatre of Greenland. Cloutier directed Tulugak and she also sings, drum dances and throat sings in the play. Cloutier has mastered the marrying of both Inuit of Canada and Greenland, a mix that gives life to what Inuit have: raw talent. This production deserves international attention. The 70-minute jaw-dropping and entertaining show sold out and left many who vied for a ticket disappointed. Through stories, Tulugak puts the limelight on the raven. The costumes are impeccable, including large raven costumes and Inuit garments. Tulugak audiences are enveloped into a trance by unique Inuit artistry. Greenland’s Angu Motzfeldt entices the audience with his soft and graceful voice during his solo performance. Titken Jakobsen, a music teacher in Nuuk, Greenland, shares his musical talent through playing the cello, piano and bass — just a few of the many instruments he plays. Beatrice Deer, Nunavik’s own, shares her oratory range and acting for the show. Charlie Keelan also sings and plays the piano and guitar. He wrote a song specifically for Tulugak. Laakuluk Williamson Bathory, a well-known storyteller, plays an integral role in Tulugak. She weaves the play through her unmatched ability to voice stories through her beautiful projection filled with heart and intellect. This year she is Iqaluit’s Honorary Toonik, a recognition given to one person annually in Iqaluit for outstanding volunteerism, during Iqaluit’s annual Toonik Tyme festival. She’s originally from Greenland but today Iqaluit is home to her and her family. Northern Scene also showcased The Jerry Cans, an Iqaluit band that has already toured Canadian cities. The lead singer and guitarist, Andrew Morrison, sings songs in Inuktitut. He is not Inuk by blood but his Inuktitut is perfect. Morrison’s aipaq (partner), Nancy Mike, gave birth to their daughter, Viivi, during the Northern Scene festival. Mike plays the accordion in the Jerry Cans and throat sings. Just a day after the arrival of Viivi, the Jerry Cans wowed the crowds with their folk-rock performance at the Library and Archives Canada. Mike’s throat singing partner (together as professional throat singers they are called Kulavak), Kathleen Merritt of Rankin Inlet, took Mike’s spot as a throat singer. This show had the audience circling their seats dancing! The audience loved it so much they convinced the Jerry Cans into two encores. For me it was incredible to see the Jerry Cans doing so well because I went to school with all of them. I was in the same music class as Steve Rigby in high school where he played the drums and now he’s a professional drummer! I also went to school with Brendan Doherty and Andrew Morrison in Iqaluit — their siblings were my classmates — and Nancy Mike and Kathleen Merritt were my classmates in Nunavut Sivuniksavut. Such a talented group! I’m very happy for them. Elisapie Isaac of Nunavik (now living in Montreal) sold out her show at the National Arts Centre. It was one of the first shows to be sold out. Her magnetic personality and charismatic air translates well on stage. Some audience members said that they were in a complete trance while she performed. She has a new CD out called Travelling Love. It mainly voices the many trials and triumphs that love offers in
July/August 2013
PHOTO COURTESY BANFF CENTRE © DONALD LEE
NORTHERN YOUTH
Through stories, Tulugak puts the limelight on the raven. The costumes are impeccable, including large raven costumes and Inuit garments. Tulugak audiences are enveloped into a trance by unique Inuit artistry. ᑐᓗᒐᖅ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᐊᕈᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᑐᓗᒐᕐᒧᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᓗᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ. ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᑐᒐᒃᓴᑦ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᑕᐅᑦᓯᐊᖅᓯᒪᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᑦ, ᓲᕐᓗ ᐊᖏᔪᐊᓗᒃ
ᑐᓗᒐᙳᐊᖑᔾᔪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᓕᐊᖏᑦ. ᑐᓗᒐᖅ-¬ᒥᒃ ᑕᑯᓐᓇ-
ᕆᐊᖅᑐᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒡᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒍᓐᓇᐃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑕᐅᑐᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓂᐊᓗᖏᓐᓂᒃ.
above & beyond
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© COURTESY THOR SIMONSEN (3)
NORTHERN YOUTH
Rannva Simonsen’s seal skin garments created ATOTA’s seal skin garment fashion show — beautiful outerwear and even seal skin shorts that I modelled. I modelled Rannva’s work in 2000 at the North American Fur and Fashion Expedition Montreal when she just started out as a fashion designer. It was a pleasure to model for her again 13 years later. Her work has developed so much into beautiful works of art.
ᕌᓐᕙ ᓴᐃᒪᓐᓴᓐ (Rannva Simonsen) ᕿᓯᖕᓂᒃ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᓯᒪᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑕᐱᕇᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ-ᒃᑯᑦ
ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᖓᓂᑦ — ᔭᐸᕋᓗᐃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓂᐅᑭᑦᑑᒃ ᕿᓯᖕᒥᒃ
ᒥᖅᓱᖅᓯᒪᔪᑯᓘᒡᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐊᑐᕈᖕᓇᓚᐅᖅᑖᒃᑲ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᖃᑕᐅᖦᖢᖓ. ᕌᓐᕙᐅᑉ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᓯᒪᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖓ ᐊᑐᖅᖢᒃᑭᑦ
2000-ᖑᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᒪᓐᑐᔮᒥᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᐊᒥᕐᓂᒃ ᒥᖅᓱᓕᐊᕐᓂᒃ
ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᕕᔾᔪᐊᖅᑎᖦᖢᒋᑦ. ᖁᕕᐊᓇᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᓯᒪᔭ-
ᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᔪᖕᓇᖅᓯᓕᓚᐅᕐᒥᒐᒪ 13 ᐅᑭᐅᖅ ᖄᖏᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ.
ᐊᔪᕈᖕᓇᐃᒪᒋᓐᓇᖅᓯᒪᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᖅ ᒥᖅᓱᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᐅᓯᕙᓪᓕᐊᒪᒋᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ.
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arcticjournal.ca
ᐃᓅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᖃᐅᑐᐊᕐᒪᑦ ᔨᐅᕆ ᑳᓐᓯᑦ-ᑯᑦ ᑎᑕᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐃᑦᓯᕐᓂᑕᓕᕆᕝᕕᔾᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᑐᓴᕐᓂᕆᔭᐅᒻᒪᕆᒃᖢᑎᒡᓗ. ᒪᐃᒃ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᖃᑎᒋᕙᒃᑕᖓ (ᑯᓚᕙᒃ-ᒥᒃ ᐊᑎᖃᖅᑑᒃ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᕆᐊᖅᑐᖅᓯᒪᓕᕌᖓᓂᒃ) ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᑳᑕᓖᓐ ᒥᐅᕆᑦ ᐃᓇᖏᖅᓯᔪᖕᓇᖅᓯᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᒪᐃᒃᒥᒃ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᖅᑎᒋᔭᐅᖦᖢᓂ. ᑎᑕᒃᑎᖦᖢᒋᑦ ᐃᙱᖅᑎᖦᖢᒋᓪᓗ ᒧᒥᖅᑎᑦᓯᒻᒪᕆᒪᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᕆᐊᖅᑐᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ! ᑐᓴᕐᓂᕆᔭᐅᓗᐊᒧᑦ ᔨᐅᕆ ᑳᓐᓯᑦ-ᑯᑦ ᒪᕐᕈᐃᖅᑕᒻᒪᕆᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᑎᑕᒃᑎᑕᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ. ᓇᖕᒥᓂᕐᓕ ᐅᐱᒍᓱᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᑕᐅᑐᒃᖢᒋᑦ ᔨᐅᕆ ᑳᓐᓯᑦ-ᑯᑦ ᐱᕚᓪᓕᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᑦᓯᐊᖅᑎᖦᖢᒋᑦ ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑎᒋᔭᐃᓐᓇᕆᓚᐅᕋᒃᑭᑦ. ᑎᑕᔪᓴᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖃᑎᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᓯᑏᕕ ᕆᒃᐱ (Steve Rigby) ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᓄᒃ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᖅᓯᐅᑎᓂᒃ ᕿᓚᐅᔾᔭᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂ. ᒫᓐᓇᓕ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᖃᑦᑕᒻᒪᕆᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᑎᑕᒃᑎᐅᖦᖢᓂ! ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖃᑎᒋᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᖕᒥᔭᕋ ᐳᕋᓐᑕᓐ ᑑᕈᑎ (Brendan Doherty) ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐋᓐᑐᕉ ᒧᐊᕆᓴᓐ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂᑦ — ᖃᑕᙳᑎᐅᖃᑎᒋᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖃᖃᑎᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᒃᑲ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᑦ — ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓈᓐᓯ ᒪᐃᒃᓗ ᑳᑕᓖᑦ ᒥᐅᕆᑦᓗ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖃᑎᒋᓚᐅᕐᒥᔮᒃᑲᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᕗᑦ-ᒥᑦ. ᐊᔪᙱᑦᑐᒻᒪᕇᑦ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᒃ! ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒍᑎᒻᒪᕆᒃᑕᒃᑯ. ᓄᓇᕕᖕᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᐃᓕᓴᐱ ᐊᐃᓴᒃ (Elisapie Isaac), ᒫᓐᓇ ᒪᑦᑐᔮᒥᐅᑕᐅᓕᖅᑐᖅ, ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᑕᑯᓐᓈᕐᕕᔾᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᐃᙱᕐᕕᒋᔭᖓ ᐃᓂᖃᕈᖕᓇᐃᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ. ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᐅᖃᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓂᖃᕈᖕᓇᐃᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᕐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒃᓴᓕᒫᓂᒃ. ᑕᑯᒥᓇᒻᒪᕆᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᓴᕈᒥᓇᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖓ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᕆᐊᖅᑐᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᓲᕐᓗ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓱᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᒃ ᐳᐃᒍᖅᑎᑦᓯᒻᒪᒃᑑᔭᓚᐅᖅᑐᕐᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᙱᖅᑎᓪᓗᓂ. ᓄᑖᒥᒃ ᕿᑉᓕᖅᑐᕐᒥᒃ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᓯᓯᒪᓕᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᑕᐃᔭᖓ Travelling Love. ᓇᒡᓕᒍᓱᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᖃᓐᓇᕇᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐅᑉ ᒥᒃᓵᓄᑦ ᐃᙱᐅᑎᓕᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᖃᓄᖅ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐊᒃᑐᐃᓂᖃᖅᐸᖕᒪᖔᑖ. ᐃᙱᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖓ ᐊᔪᙱᓕᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᒪᒋᓐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᓇᓂᖓ ᖃᐅᔨᓐᓇᒻᒪᕆᒃᖢᓂ ᐃᙱᐅᑎᖏᑎᒍᑦ. ᐊᕐᕌᓂᑦ ᐅᖓᑖᓂᑦ ᐃᙱᖅᑎᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑕᐱᕇᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᖓᓂᒃ (A Taste of the Arctic). ᑕᒡᕙᓂᓕ ᐅᑭᐅᖑᔪᒥᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑕᐱᕇᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᖓᑦ ᐃᙱᖅᑎᑦᓯᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐲᑦᑐᕇᓯ ᑎᐅᒥᒃ.ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑕᐱᕇᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ-ᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᕙᒃᑕᖓᑦ ᑕᑯᑎᑖᕆᕙᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓂᕆᑎᑦᓯᕙᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᙶᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓂᕿᓂᒃ. ᐃᓄᕕᐊᓗᐃᑦ ᒧᒥᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᕿᓚᐅᔾᔭᖅᑎᖏᓪᓗ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓂᑦᓯᐊᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᑦ. ᒧᒥᕐᓂᖏᑎᒍᑦ ᕿᓚᐅᔾᔭᕐᓂᖏᑎᒍᓪᓗ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᐸᒃᑐᑦ,ᑕᑯᓐᓇᒻᒪᕆᒃᖢᓂᓗ ᐆᒻᒪᑎᒥᓂᙶᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓕᐅᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑕ. ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓕᑐᐊᕌᖓᑕ ᐊᒃᑐᐃᓂᖃᐃᓐᓇᖅᐸᒃᑐᑦ ᐅᒻᒪᑎᒥᒃ. ᕌᓐᕙ ᓴᐃᒪᓐᓴᓐ (Rannva Simonsen) ᕿᓯᖕᓂᒃ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᓯᒪᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑕᐱᕇᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥᒃᑯᑦ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᖓᓂᑦ — ᔭᐸᕋᓗᐃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓂᐅᑭᑦᑑᒃ ᕿᓯᖕᒥᒃ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᓯᒪᔪᑯᓘᒡᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐊᑐᕈᖕᓇᓚᐅᖅᑖᒃᑲ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᖃᑕᐅᖦᖢᖓ. ᕌᓐᕙᐅᑉ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᓯᒪᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖓ ᐊᑐᖅᖢᒃᑭᑦ 2000-ᖑᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᒪᓐᑐᔮᒥᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᐊᒥᕐᓂᒃ ᒥᖅᓱᓕᐊᕐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᕕᔾᔪᐊᖅᑎᖦᖢᒋᑦ. ᖁᕕᐊᓇᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᓯᒪᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᔪᖕᓇᖅᓯᓕᓚᐅᕐᒥᒐᒪ 13 ᐅᑭᐅᖅ ᖄᖏᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐊᔪᕈᖕᓇᐃᒪᒋᓐᓇᖅᓯᒪᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᖅ ᒥᖅᓱᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᐅᓯᕙᓪᓕᐊᒪᒋᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ. ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᖅ ᐃᓱᓕᖕᒪᑦ, ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎᕐᔪᐊᖓᑕ ᓄᓕᐊᖓ ᓗᐊᕇᓐ ᕼᐋᐳ (Laureen Harper) ᐆᒃᑐᕋᐅᔭᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᕌᓐᕙᐅᑉ ᔭᐸᓕᐊᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᖓᓱᓂᒃ.ᐅᔾᔨᕐᓇᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᖅ ᖃᓄᖅ ᕿᒥᖕᓂᒃ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᔾᔨᐅᖏᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᐃᒃᐱᒍᓱᖕᓇᕐᒪᑦ — ᕿᓯᖕᓂᒃ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᑦ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᓕᐅᕐᓂᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᒧᑦ ᑐᕌᙱᓐᓂᕋᕋᔭᖅᑕᕋ ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑕ ᓇᑦᓯᕐᓂᒃ ᕿᓯᖕᒧᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᖏᑦᑐᖅ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᓇᑦᓯᐅᑉ ᓂᕿᖓᓂᒃ ᐅᖅᓱᖓᓂᒡᓗ ᓂᕆᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᑎᒃ, ᒥᖅᓱᑦᓯᐊᒻᒪᕆᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᕿᓯᖕᓂᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᖕᓂᖅ ᓄᓇᒧᓕᐊᖅᓯᒪᓪᓗᓂ ᓯᑯᒦᖦᖢᓂᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᑎᒥᒧᑦ ᐱᕚᓪᓕᕈᑎᒻᒪᕆᐅᖃᑦᑕᕐᒥᔪᖅ. ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑕᐱᕇᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᐃᙱᖃᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᓂᐅᓴᓐ ᑕᒍᕐᓈᖅ (Nelson Tagoona). ᑕᒍᕐᓈᖅ ᓄᑖᓂᒃ ᐊᔾᔨᐅᖏᑦᑐᕐᒥᒃ ᓂᐱᖃᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓚᓕᐅᑎᖦᖢᓂᒋᑦ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐲᑦ ᐹᒃᓯᖕ (beat boxing), ᑲᑎᒃᑳᖓᒋᑦ ᐃᒪᓐᓇᒻᒪᕆᒃ ᑐᓴᕐᓂᓕᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖅ. ᑕᒍᕐᓈᖅ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑑᖃᑎᒥᓄᑦ ᐱᓗᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ
July/August 2013
NORTHERN YOUTH
relationships. She has definitely grown in her music and her beauty both intrinsically and extrinsically and this really shines through in her music. Two years ago she was the main performance at Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami’s A Taste of the Arctic gala event. This year, A Taste of the Arctic’s (ATOTA) main performance was Beatrice Deer. ATOTA is ITK’s annual gala event that showcases Inuit talent from across the North and also serves exquisite, chef-made Arctic country food. Incredible Inuvialuit drummers and dancers, dressed in Inuvialuit regalia, shook the venue with their powerful display of unmatched Inuvialuit performing arts. Their performance tells stories through the beat of their drums, their singing, and the dancer’s movement, which is all done with every ounce of their Inuvialuit hearts. It’s a performing art that always shakes the ground and hearts of those who have the privilege of seeing it. Rannva Simonsen’s seal skin garments created ATOTA’s seal skin garment fashion show — beautiful outerwear and even seal skin shorts that I modelled. I modelled Rannva’s work in 2000 at the North American Fur and Fashion Expedition Montreal when she just started out as a fashion designer. It was a pleasure to model for her again 13 years later. Her work has developed so much into beautiful works of art. After the show, Laureen Harper, the Prime Minister’s wife, happily tried on at least three of Rannva’s coats. It’s amazing how seal skin coats really change the way you feel — seal skin wear I would say is actually holistic fashion because Inuit harvest seals sustainably, eat the meat and fat (rich with omegas), and create beautiful works of art with the seal’s skin, not to mention hunting seal and being out on the land is healthy living. Performances at ATOTA included Baker Lake’s Nelson Tagoona. The youthful Tagoona mixes throat singing and beat boxing (otherwise known as throat boxing) into his extraordinary performance. Tagoona is known for reaching out to Inuit youth in an effort to encourage and inspire them to live a better life. He openly talks to young Inuit about the very prevalent issue of suicide and aims to show them that there are other options, and does so by being a role model to them. He is a role model through the performing work that he does and through the message he sends through his inspirational talks at schools. Tanya Tagak also sold out her show at the Mayfair Theater. Her unique throat singing art form was displayed throughout the whole 1922 Nanook of the North film. People were lining up outside of the theatre to get a ticket. I really do not know how Tagak can throat sing for over an hour as it is really harsh on the throat. She said that she had to tone her performance a little to suit the film. Tagak has the ability to step outside of her inhibitions and show raw intense emotions through her performance. I can say that I was very proud to be Inuk during Northern Scene. Inuit are so unique in their talent and unique in the fact that we come from the Arctic — a harsh, cold land that really is a beautiful place, if embraced. Ottawa, I believe, embraced the talent of the many Northerners. This showcase of Northern talent I believe should be capitalized on more in the South. It really is a way to bridge the gap of North and South as our geographical distance is vast. The National Arts Centre really should be credited for the work they did — a job well done in terms of harnessing and highlighting Northern talent at its best. July/August 2013
ᐅᖃᖃᑎᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᕈᒪᒐᒥᒋᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᖃᑦᓯᐊᑲᓐᓂᖁᓪᓗᓂᒋᑦ. ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖃᑦᑕᐃᓕᕙᙱᑦᑐᖅ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᕐᓄᑦ ᐃᖕᒥᓃᕐᓂᐅᑉ ᒥᒃᓵᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᑦᓯᐊᖅᑎᒐᓱᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂᒋᑦ ᐃᖕᒥᓃᕐᓂᐅᑉ ᐊᓯᐊᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑲᔪᓯᑦᓯᐊᖁᓪᓗᓂᒋᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᒐᒃᓴᑦᓯᐊᖑᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂᓗ. ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᖓᒍᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᒐᒃᓴᑦᓯᐊᒻᒪᕆᐅᔪᖅ ᐃᓕᕝᕕᐊᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂᓗ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖏᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᓂᑦ. ᑖᓐᔭ ᑕᒑᖅ (Tanya Tagak) ᑕᐅᑐᕌᓐᓇᕐᕕᒋᔭᖓ ᐃᓂᖃᕈᖕᓇᐃᒻᒪᕆᓕᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᒪᐃᕕᐅ ᑕᕐᕆᔭᕐᕕᖕᒥᑦ (Mayfair Theatre). ᐊᔾᔨᐅᖏᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᖃᑦᑕᕐᒥᒐᒥ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓕᐅᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᒪᓕᒃᖢᓂ 1922-ᒥᓂᑕᖅ Nanook of the North ᑕᕐᕆᔭᒐᒃᓴᓕᐊᕐᒥᒃ. ᑕᐅᑐᕋᕐᓈᕆᐊᖅᑐᕈᒪᔪᑦ ᐅᑕᖅᑭᓚᐅᖅᑐᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᓯᓚᑖᓂᑦ ᐃᓂᖃᓕᕐᓂᐊᖏᒃᑲᓗᐊᕐᒪᖔᑦ. ᖃᐅᔨᒪᑦᓯᐊᖏᑦᑐᖓ ᖃᓄᖅ ᑕᒑᖅ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᕈᖕᓇᕐᒪᖔᑦ ᐃᑲᕐᕋᕐᒥᒃ ᐅᖓᑖᓄᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᒡᒋᐊᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᓴᐅᖕᒪᑦ. ᑕᒑᖅ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᕐᓂᕆᔭᖓ ᖃᓱᖓᓂᖅᓴᐅᔫᔭᓚᐅᕐᒪᑦ ᑕᕐᕆᔭᒐᒃᓴᓕᐊᕐᒥᒃ ᒪᓕᒐᓱᒧᑦ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑕᒑᖅ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᓕᕈᖕᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᒃᐱᖕᓂᐊᕆᔭᒻᒪᕆᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᑎᑦᓯᒻᒪᕆᒡᓗ ᑲᙳᓂᖃᙱᑦᓯᐊᒻᒪᕆᒃᖢᓂᓗ. ᐅᖃᕈᖕᓇᖅᑐᖓ ᐃᓅᓂᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᐱᒍᓱᒋᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᓕᓚᐅᕋᒪ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᑕᐅᑐᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᐅᖏᑦᑐᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᔪᙱᓂᖃᑦᓯᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᖑᓪᓗᑕᓗ — ᓯᓚᖓ ᓂᒡᓚᓱᒻᒪᕆᒃᐸᒃᖢᓂ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᖕᓇᖅᐸᒃᖢᓂᓗ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐱᐅᑦᓯᐊᒻᒪᕆᒃᖢᓂᓗ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᒻᒪᑦ. ᐅᒃᐱᕈᓱᒃᑐᖓ ᐋᑐᕚᒥ ᐊᓗᑐᕆᔭᐅᑦᓯᐊᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ. ᐅᒃᐱᕈᓱᖕᒥᔪᖓ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓂᖏᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᓯᔪᖕᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐋᑐᕚᒥᑦ ᑲᔪᓯᒋᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᖅᑎᑕᐅᒋᐊᖃᕐᒪᑦ. ᑲᑎᑎᕈᑕᐅᑦᓯᐊᕈᖕᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᐊᖕᓇᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᓂᒋᕐᒥᐅᓂᒡᓗ ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᓄᓇᖃᖃᑎᒌᒃᑲᑦᑕ ᐊᖏᔪᐊᓗᖕᒥᒃ ᐅᖓᓯᒃᑎᒌᒻᒪᕆᒃᖢᑕᓗ. ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᑕᑯᓐᓈᕐᕕᔾᔪᐊᖅ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᒻᒪᕆᒋᐊᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᑕᒪᑦᓱᒥᖓᑦ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᐃᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ — ᐱᑦᓯᐊᖅᑐᒻᒪᕆᐅᓚᐅᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓇᓂᓯᔪᖕᓇᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓂᐊᓗᖏᓐᓂᒃ.
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Dundas Harbour Keeping Watch over the Northwest Passage Photography by Dennis Minty | Story by David F. Pelly
n the south coast of Devon Island, the old abandoned RCMP detachment at Dundas Harbour looks out to sea, as if set down there to watch over the entrance to Lancaster Sound and the Northwest Passage. It is a forlorn but starkly beautiful spot, one which the archaeology suggests was used for centuries by Inuit, long before the qallunaat (white men) arrived. In Inuktitut, the place is called Talluruti, which means “a woman’s chin with tattoos on it,” a name derived from the crevasses and streaks on Devon Island which resemble the traditional tattoos from a distance.
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The old RCMP post at Dundas Harbour looks out over the eastern entrance to the Northwest Passage.
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© above&beyond/PIERRE DUNNIGAN
After considering the plan for two years, the RCMP sent three constables to open the detachment at Dundas Harbour in August 1924, deposited there with fuel and provisions by the Canadian Government Ship Arctic: Constable E. Anstead in charge, with Constables G.T. Makinson and V. Maisonneuve. By official accounts, the buildings were “erected without mishap and the stores were placed in a storehouse situated about a quarter of a mile from the living quarters,” no doubt a precaution against marauding polar bears. They passed a quiet winter, seeing no one and scarcely any wildlife. They travelled only very little, due to the “inhospitable nature of the interior” of Devon Island and the rugged ice of the frozen sea. For the first three years of their existence at the post, the men did not even have radio contact with the south. They waited for the annual visit of a government ship to receive the year’s news. At that time, there were four Eastern Arctic detachments, at Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet, Dundas Harbour and Craig Harbour, the latter even farther north on Ellesmere Island. All four were visited by the Arctic during the summer of 1925, bringing more fuel and provisions. In 1926, the Constables pioneered a travel route across Devon Island, enabling patrols to shuttle between Craig Harbour and Dundas Harbour. Constable Maisonneuve, still there in the spring of 1926 but due to transfer out that summer, committed suicide on June 16. Another officer, Constable W.R. Stephens, shot himself by accident while walrus-hunting the next summer.
Right: Early Inuit hunters and later the RCMP probably took advantage of the walrus haul-out right beside the entrance to Dundas Harbour.
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© DAN BOWLES
Above: The central building at Dundas Harbour, the constables’ living quarters, stands today as a reminder of what life was like at this isolated post.
This cold-weather house, built of rock and sod, was used by Thule Inuit – the direct ancestors of today’s Inuit — sometime after 1200 AD. It has collapsed now, but once had a roof supported by whalebone. Nearby, an abundance of walrus, whale and seal bones offers a strong suggestion of how these people survived here, long before the arrival of the RCMP.
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© TOM KOELBEL
Dominion of Canada Surveys marker, dated 1923, discovered not far from the RCMP post during Operation Lancaster in 2006.
Both of the men are buried in a small graveyard, Canada’s most northerly, just upslope behind the detachment buildings. There also lies the young daughter of one of the Inuit families hired to help with the policing duties, primarily patrols of the surrounding country, empty though it was. With the assistance of Inuit hunters “Keepomee and Komonee” (the RCMP’s spelling!) the Mounties were able to undertake far-ranging patrols to the north and west, covering thousands of miles by dog-team during the years 1929-32. For reasons left unrecorded, the RCMP temporarily withdrew from Dundas Harbour in the summer of 1933.
While the RCMP was operating its post at Dundas Harbour, the Hudson’s Bay Company opened three trading posts within relatively easy reach: Pond Inlet 240 km to the southeast, Arctic Bay 200 km to the south, and Port Leopold 135 km to the southwest. Apparently the region provided good hunting and fox trapping. The latter two, Arctic Bay and Port Leopold (on the north-eastern tip of Somerset Island), operated for just one year, 1926-27, before the Canadian government decided that this area should be set aside for wildlife conservation, with restricted access for traders and other non-Inuit activities, to ensure the good hunting ground was preserved for Inuit. As part of the compromise for this loss of business, the HBC was given permission to establish a post on Devon Island, for which purpose the Company entered into a lease agreement with the RCMP to use the now empty buildings at Dundas Harbour.
The terrain surrounding Dundas Harbour made overland travel by dog-team very challenging for the early Mounties.
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The old Inuit name for this corner of Devon Island is Talluruti, which refers to the lines of tattoos on a woman’s chin.
On its way north in 1934 with the new traders bound for the Devon Island post, the HBC’s ship Nascopie picked up three Inuit families from each of Cape Dorset, Pangnirtung, and Pond Inlet, along with their dogs and sleds and other belongings, and delivered them all to the facility at Dundas Harbour. They were apparently attracted voluntarily by the promise of good hunting and fox trapping in the region. The next summer, ice and weather hampered the resupply at Dundas Harbour, so the Company decided the concept was unworkable, and when the Nascopie got there in August 1936, it picked everyone up and abandoned the HBC’s effort at Dundas Harbour, just one of several very short-term attempts to expand the trading network in the far North. The Inuit associated with that short-lived post were given the option to return home, which one Pond Inlet family and all three Pangnirtung families did. The others all moved with the HBC to re-establish a post at Arctic Bay, and some of those ultimately moved farther west to new posts, first at Fort Ross and then at Spence Bay (now Taloyoak). Then in September 1945 the RCMP re-opened the Dundas Harbour detachment with two officers, Constables H.H. MacLeod and J.H. Biensch. Accompanying them
were two Inuit special constables, “Malla and Peeungeetoo,” plus nine or ten members of their families, wives and children, all from Pond Inlet. For the next five years, it was the most northern post in the Arctic. The RCMP shut the detachment down for good in August 1951, and shifted north to re-establish the post at Craig Harbour on Ellesmere Island, from which location travel by dog-team was both safer and easier for purposes of their patrols. Nevertheless, to this day, the RCMP visits Dundas Harbour annually to ensure the graveyard is kept in good order. Those graves, along with the weathered buildings in which all these people lived and worked, stand as sentinels still today, marking Canada’s early efforts to establish sovereignty in the High Arctic.
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LIVING ABOVE & BEYOND
Canada recommends high environmental standards for International Polar Code Countries belonging to the International Maritime Organization have been working to thrash out a mandatory code of conduct for shipping in Arctic waters as climate change makes these seas more accessible. Forecasts suggest Arctic shipping will continue to grow over the coming decades in both volume and type. Canadian negotiators have proposed high standards for this code, recommending forbidding discharging oil, oily waste, or any kind of garbage into Canada’s Arctic waters. The target completion date for this Polar Code has been moved to 2014-15. Recommendations made now will strongly influence the environmental provisions of the final Code.
Arctic Council initiatives At its meeting in Kiruna, Sweden, in May, the Arctic Council granted observer status to the following countries: China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, India and Italy. The European Union was denied because of their ban on imports of seal products. Canada’s agenda was also adopted which includes business and resource development, changes to cruise ship operations to protect the northern environment, mental wellness promotion, and climate change.The council also adopted an agreement on marine oil pollution preparedness and announced the launch of a website dealing with corporate social responsibility and responsible entrepreneurship.
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Akaitcho Territory Dene First Nations and GNWT sign MOU Chiefs of the Akaitcho Territory Dene First
community of N’dilo, trespass on Commissioner’s
Nations and Members of the Executive
and Crown land, abandoned fuel distribution
Council of the 17th Legislative Assembly met
lines in Fort Resolution, the Lutsel K’e Dene
in Yellowknife in May and signed an inter-
school renovation, the Dettah access road, and
governmental memorandum of understanding
Devolution. The MOU sets out a commitment
(MOU) recognizing the importance of their
to meet bilaterally twice per year. The next
government-to-government relationship. Their
meeting will be held in an Akaitcho community
first discussions included a range of topics
this fall.
of shared interest including: funding for the
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LIVING ABOVE & BEYOND
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to lower Arctic Ocean acidity Sixty scientists at the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program who took part in an international study on Arctic Ocean acidification are recommending a need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Arctic Ocean is becoming more acidic, and at a more rapid pace than other oceans, because cold water absorbs carbon dioxide better than warmer water. When carbonrich materials (such as coal or oil) burn, carbon dioxide floats up into the atmosphere and the oceans absorb some of it, which increases seawater acidity. In the past few decades, the world’s oceans have become 30 per cent more acidic.
© COURTESY NUNAVIK PARKS
Cold-loving microbe could increase greenhouse gas emissions
Students visit the exhibit.
Kuururjuaq Provincial Park earns bronze award The permanent exhibit at Parc national Kuururjuaq was recently awarded a bronze medal by Tourism Quebec for its design in the category of Tourism Attractions: fewer than 25,000 visitors. The trilingual exhibit, called “A Millennium Travel Route,” takes visitors through the park, which includes the 160kilometre Koroc River valley and towering
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Mount D’Iberville, which, at 1,562 metres, marks the highest peak in Quebec. The exhibit highlights the history of the region, from the formation of the Torngat Mountains to the Inuit of today. Displays include historical artefacts, as well as crafts and works of art by community members. For more information on the park, visit: www.nunavikparks.ca.
McGill University scientists screening High Arctic microbes to find a microorganism best adapted to Arctic permafrost conditions have found a cold-loving microbe growing on Ellesmere Island.The organism is capable of breathing to at least -25° C in permafrost. The microbe adapts to the extremely cold, salty conditions due to its cell structure and function, and its increased amounts of cold-adapted proteins. However, as permafrost melts and the number of microbes increases, they could produce more carbon dioxide emissions from melting permafrost. This could further increase warming trends. Scientists around the world are continuing to study Arctic permafrost to determine if this will be the case.
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Š ABOVE&BEYOND FILES/PARKS CANADA
LIVING ABOVE & BEYOND
How to bring different kinds of travellers to Nunavut? Nunavut’s new tourism strategy was unveiled in May. The strategy hopes to reach four key markets: business travellers, leisure travellers, cruise travellers and travellers visiting friends or relatives. To support tourism operators to accommodate these various travellers, recom-
mendations include offering more adventure tours; reviewing, developing and enforcing tourism regulations and policies; having more tourism conferences and more community economic development planning; preparing a cruise ship management plan; and increasing
education and training in Nunavut tourism. The strategy is a partnership between the Government of Nunavut, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and Nunavut Tourism.
HAY RIVER HUSKIES Would like to thank all our volunteers, our players, and the NHC executive for a great 2013 Northern Hockey Challenge.
A Huge Thank You to Our Sponsors PLATINUM SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
Congratulations to the YK Flyers on winning the NHC as well as all the teams on a very successful NHC!
SEE YOU ON THE ICE!!
July/August 2013
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JULIA SZUCS © 2012 NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA
LIVING ABOVE & BEYOND
Still from Vanishing Point.
The Ottawa premiere of the 2011 NFB film Vanishing Point took place in April as part of the “Extraordinary Arctic” festival at the Museum of Nature. Directed by Stephen A. Smith and Julia Szucs, Vanishing Point tells the story of two Inuit communities on Baffin Island and in Greenland, which are linked by the migration led in the late 1800s by the shaman, Qidtlarssuaq. In
the film, narrated in subtitled Inuktitut, Navarana, an Inughuit elder and descendant of Qidtlarssuaq, discovers how these communities, despite sharing coming values, are adapting differently to outside influences that affect their way of life. This documentary illustrates how tradition adjusts to the more modern changing Arctic.
© DAVID REID
Tradition meets modern in Vanishing Point
Polar bear denning habits studied in Nunavut Project leader Stephen Petersen and his research team in Winnipeg have spent the past year collecting information on denning in the Foxe Basin in Nunavut. Now they want to consolidate the information and set up a den-monitoring plan with people in the communities to keep tabs on how polar bear behaviour and the environment is changing. They will concentrate on information in the area surrounding the Foxe Basin near the communities of Coral Harbour, Repulse, Igloolik, Hall Beach, and Kimmirut. Another committee has been formed in Clyde River to oversee a project where Inuit are researching polar bear denning habits there, in Pond Inlet and in Qikiqtarjuaq. Inutiq Iqaqrialu, who heads the committee there, says they want to hear from elders first so may have to wait until next winter for the field project.
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RESOURCES
Avalon has released its feasibility study on the Thor Lake Rare Metals project.The study shows the mine would cost $1.5 billion to build but would pay for itself in a little over four years due to projected annual revenues of approximately $650 million a year. Avalon has signed several memoranda of understanding agreements with companies around the world, which are interested in the project. The mine’s life expectancy is about 20 years. Thor Lake is in the Mackenzie Mining District, about five kilometres north of the Hearne Channel of Great Slave Lake, and about 100 kilometres southeast of Yellowknife, NWT.
July/August 2013
Aboriginal Canada and the future of natural resources The Mackenzie River a waterway path to a prosperous future.
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute has recently released two reports on Aboriginal Canadians and natural resource development. Both reports discuss the policy challenges that must be overcome if Canadians, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginals are to realize the full potential of the natural resource economy. Both reports, “New Beginnings: How Canada’s Natural Resource Wealth Could Re-shape Relations with Aboriginal People” by Ken Coates and Brian Lee Crowley and “Canada and the First Nations: Cooperation or Conflict?” by Douglas Bland are available at www.macdonaldlaurier.ca.
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© above&beyond/PIERRE DUNNIGAN
Avalon’s NWT rare earth metals project deemed feasible
HIGH ARCTIC EXPLORATION The Canadian High Arctic Seismic Expedition 2011 by Hans Böggild
A
young RCN Lieutenant in 1948, my father was summoned to Ottawa by the Dominion Hydrographer and given a mission to correct old Admiralty charts of the Northwest Passage. He soon found himself on a RCAF floatplane, leaving Edmonton for Tuktoyaktuk, flown by a pilot whose only map was a pencil sketch
My father began taking soundings in the waters off Tuk with the help of two Catholic priests who loaned him their motorboat. A week later, RCMP Vessel St. Roch appeared and Inspector Henry Larsen, the vessel’s Captain and the first man to navigate the Northwest Passage in both directions, agreed to attach my father’s depth sounder to his ship. My father joined Larsen on the St. Roch for three months. They became friends for life. Inspector Larsen often visited our home when I was a boy. He and my father would play chess and recall their adventures. Before he died, Larsen sent me a postcard with a picture of himself as a polar hero, wearing a parka, his beard grizzled by ice and snow. He signed it, “Uncle Henry.” When I look at that postcard it reminds me of my father and Larsen telling stories about what seemed to me a mythical land, the Arctic. Fast-forward to August 2011, and I find myself on a 737-charter flight out of Edmonton bound for Kugluktuk, Nunavut. The 20 other passengers on the plane are scientists and technologists. I’m 55, have never been to the Arctic, or gone to sea. My job is to write the blog of the Canadian High Arctic Seismic Expedition aboard CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent as we survey vast sections of the Arctic Ocean for the next six weeks. The voyage is the last of a series to gather seismic and bathymetric data in the Western Arctic in support of Canada’s submission to UNCLOS, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The information will 26
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© HANS BöGGILD (4)
on the back of an envelope.
Healy off Louis’ port bow.
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determine Canada’s sovereign rights to ocean areas beyond the 200-mile limit. It will define which areas of the open sea are natural extensions of our continental shelf. Sitting next to me on the charter is Dr. David Mosher, Chief Scientist of the expedition. Originally from Truro, Nova Scotia, he’s a family man, a marathon runner and an excellent Celtic flute player. He’s also a world authority in geology and oceanography with a focus on geophysics. As a geologist, he’s interested in the Western Arctic from a tectonic point of view and how the area may have formed. He also appreciates the expedition in another context. “This is the latest in the whole history of exploration in the Arctic,” he says. “We are working in one of the last frontiers in the world and finally able to explore it in some detail.” Our plane lands and we cross the tarmac towards Kugluktuk’s tiny airport, within sight of Coronation Gulf. Through morning fog and patches of sun I see CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent at anchor just off the coast.
AUV Team Leader, Richard Pederson.
In the airport, we meet members of Louis’ crew who arrived earlier from St. John’s Newfoundland. All of us fly on a small red DFO helicopter to Louis’ flight deck. Aboard Louis, Coast Guard specialists provide survival training. Muster drills summon us to our lifeboat stations. We practice putting on immersion suits. Louis passes through The Northwest Passage and out into the Beaufort Sea. We experience rolling seas as we voyage north. Soon we encounter our first sea ice. It’s a mixture of thinner first-year ice and multi-year ice, larger chunks that are cobalt blue on the bottom. The ship’s movement becomes more vertical and ice scrapes the hull. We’re on our way to rendezvous with U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy. The 2011 expedition is a joint Canadian American survey. The difficulties of Arctic seismic exploration became clear in 2007 during Canada’s first efforts to acquire data. The seismic equipment became damaged by heavy ice and progress was almost impossible. Those involved realized that the mission could only be accomplished using two icebreakers, one to gather data while the other broke ice. The United States was also gathering data for its continental shelf interests with its flagship ice-breaker U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy, equipped with a multi-beam bathymetric sounder. Canadian and American scientists realized that collaboration on the voyages would yield better quality data
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Chief Scientist, Dr. David Mosher.
and cost savings for both countries. This led to collaboration and joint surveying missions in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. At 78 degrees north, Louis manoeuvres alongside Healy and deck crews install a gangway. Officers, crews and scientists tour each other’s vessels. I look at Healy’s bathymetry lab. The Healy’s multi-beam bathymetric sounder can map the ocean floor in a swath as wide as 70 degrees as the ship moves along. Bathymetry is a measure of the water depth, analogous to topography above the water. In the evening, the ships disengage and transit further north. Bathymetry and seismic exploration both use sound waves travelling through water and bouncing back to sensors to gather data. Bathymetry measures the depth of the ocean to the seafloor. Seismic exploration creates a profile of the Earth beneath the seafloor to tens of kilometres depth. The unique challenges facing Dr. Mosher and his Seismic Team involve dealing with extreme cold and Arctic sea ice. Borden Chapman, Chief Seismic Technician, enjoys making difficult things work. The majority of seismic acquisition over water takes place in open water, with equipment towed on the surface behind a ship. When it has to happen with chunks of ice as big as boxcars trailing off the stern of an icebreaker, a different approach is required. Borden and his team redesigned the seismic array to deploy under the
Mother and cub polar bears.
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Installing the O-Buoy.
Arctic ice making hundreds of modifications to make it work. Borden plans for equipment failure in the Arctic and has replacements for every part of the array, explaining, “You can’t go to Canadian Tire when you need a hose clamp.” Seismic exploration begins. Marine Mammal Observer Nelson Ruben takes his position on “Monkey Island,” the observation deck above the bridge. Nelson is Inuit, an experienced hunter and guide. He scans the horizon with a sophisticated pair of binoculars. In the event that a mammal comes within 1,000 metres of the ship, seismic work ceases until it leaves the area. On the quarterdeck, the Seismic Team and Louis’ deck crew deploy the seismic gear. Every move is choreographed to prevent entanglements with ice. The equipment is guided off the stern and lowered to a depth of 11.5 metres. In the seismic lab, Borden radios Nelson who confirms there are no mammals in his sights. Borden fires a “mitigating shot” of each air gun, to warn any mammals that might still be nearby, giving them time to leave. On the bridge, Captain Marc Rothwell, a seasoned Arctic mariner, moves Louis forward. He follows a track in the ice created by Healy a mile ahead of us, proceeding at the slow speed of four knots required for seismic exploration. The slow speed creates restrictions from a ship-handling point of view. Louis has three propellers but Captain Rothwell can’t use his powerful centre shaft propeller, which could
The CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent.
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damage the seismic array towing behind the stern. He can’t push water directly past the rudder, which reduces his ability to steer. This difficulty is compounded by thousands of pounds of pressure exerted by the ice pack itself, pressure created by winds and ocean currents. Captain Rothwell explains, “It’s like a vice grabbing on to both sides of the ship.” In the seismic lab, the steady bang of the pneumatic guns firing every 17 seconds emanates from beneath the stern. Dr. Mosher and Borden Chapman look at a computer screen showing 16 vertical waveforms representing the reflections of the sound wave bouncing back from the Earth’s sediment layers. The 16 waves are stacked, added and processed, providing a high-resolution profile of the Earth’s composition many kilometres below the ocean floor. I join Dr. Mosher on the helicopter to deploy a sonobuoy, a receiver that captures the reflected sound wave from a different position and transmits it back to the ship. Its use gives greater dimension to the seismic results. The helicopter lifts off from the flight deck and we fly 20 miles north over the frozen ocean. Our pilot sees a small pool of open water beneath us and descends to sea level. Dr. Mosher opens his side door and hurls the sonobuoy straight down into the water. The helicopter banks around and climbs to a high altitude. The view is astounding. One gets a sense of the vast scale of the Arctic horizon with ice in every direction making a complete 360 degrees. I feel something similar to what the early astronauts must have felt when they looked back at the Earth from space. Everything seems completely insignificant from this vantage point. Soon we see two tiny red ships in the distance, Healy and Louis, on a vast endless plain of ice. Moving forward to 85 degrees north, the ships encounter ice under enormous pressure. Our ship grinds to a halt. We’re stuck. Healy turns around and cruises past our port side making a track beside us that relieves the ice pressure. Once past us, Healy turns around then pulls ahead of us on our starboard side, making another track, relieving more pressure. We move forward. This manoeuvre happens repeatedly as we get stuck and dug out over and over again. Twice the seismic array becomes damaged by heavy ice. Twice the Seismic Team rebuilds it, working through the night in the midnight sun on both occasions. We collect excellent seismic data all the way to 88 degrees north. During the nightly meeting of assembled science staff, Dr. Mosher announces, “Things are looking good from a seismic point of view, so we’ll be searching for an open pool to deploy the AUV.” The Autonomous Underwater Vehicle is a newly developed unmanned submarine with a mission to launch from the ship, transit 48 hours under the Arctic ice gathering multi-beam bathymetry of the sea floor, and return with its data. It’s a tall order for the AUV to return to the same open pool in the ice where it is launched because Arctic ice drifts up to 10 kilometres a day. The pool will inevitably have moved a significant distance when the sub returns. Since GPS doesn’t work underwater, the question of how it will know where to surface is an important one. The AUV is
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AUV recovery.
equipped with a host of innovative systems specifically designed to meet this challenge. Richard Pederson of Defence Research and Development Canada is leader of the AUV Team, which consists of seven technologists from DRDC and three submarine engineers from International Submarine Engineering who manufactured the sub. They tested the AUV at a remote ice camp off Borden Island in 2010, drilling a hole in the ice to launch it, and the sub returned to the hole. Canadian satellite radar pinpoints a suitable open pool 60 miles away and we transit towards it. Louis can now use all of its power and breaks through the ice at high speed. It’s a bumpier ride and we secure loose items in our cabins. We arrive in the open pool and stop. It’s just large enough for the ship to turn. The AUV Team has brainstormed every contingency that might occur on the sub’s mission and made plans for every variable. They’ve pre-programmed up to 80 alternative responses to any situation the sub might encounter beneath the ice. Now it’s show time. Louis’ deck crew rolls the AUV onto the flight deck and attaches it to a giant crane. With precision rope handling, it’s hoisted high above the ship and lowered over the starboard side. Ballasting, buoyancy, underwater acoustics and positioning systems are adjusted. Richard Pederson gives the order to release the sub and it sinks below the waves. The AUV Team tests the sub’s systems as it descends in a pre-programmed spiral pattern to a depth of 3,600 metres. When the sub is 130 metres from the seabed, it forays out under the ice for five kilometres then returns. Richard Pederson learns of a malfunction with the sub’s forward-looking altimeter, which is designed to help the sub avoid objects ahead. He’s faced with a difficult choice. If he July/August 2013
aborts the mission, he may not get another opportunity on this expedition to deploy and the AUV will not achieve its objectives. If he doesn’t abort the mission, he risks the sub colliding with something underwater and losing it completely. He aborts the mission. The AUV rises to an area below the ice on the starboard side of the ship. The Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), equipped with high definition cameras, is deployed off the ship and ventures under the ice. The small unit has its own propulsion system and connects to the operator on the ship through an umbilical cord. There’s a hook on the ROV designed to attach a line to the AUV. This method successfully recovered the sub on the ice camp. Two video screens display the ROV’s view underwater. The ice under the surface is a series of downward protruding ridges, and huge upward crevices, where the sub is located but obscured from view. The ROV is deployed twice, but can’t get a view of the sub. The wind picks up, and chunks of ice clutter the open pool. Louis’ bubbler system shoots compressed air into the water to clear the rubble away as the ship moves around. The ROV is deployed again but can’t get a visual. After 12 hours of hard work in freezing weather, the deck crew is released for rest. Recovery operations will resume tomorrow and the AUV will wait under the ice until then. The mood is one of determination and some concern. Dr. Mosher decides that another science project, the installation of the O-Buoy on the ice, can happen tomorrow while the AUV recovery continues. The O-Buoy is a selfcontained Arctic buoy that can measure the atmosphere for up to two years. I’m asked to go along. Next morning, the helicopter shuttles 11 of us to an ice floe roughly four miles from the ship. Dr. Stoyka Netcheva, above & beyond
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Deploying the seismic gear.
Atmospheric Scientist with Environment Canada, is leader of the project and the rest of us are there to help her. Through the day we drill a hole through the ice floe and connect all the parts of the O-Buoy. It’s a team effort with a satisfying moment at the end when Stoyka turns on the buoy and all of its systems work. We step back to look at it. Each of us signs our names on its base in permanent marker. We’ve put the O-Buoy on the ice at 88 degrees north. Standing on the ice floe, we receive news via radio that the AUV has been recaptured off Louis’ port bow. We high-five our gloves and look towards Louis. From a distance we see the yellow submarine hoisted high above the ship by the giant crane. We fly on the helicopter back to Louis. Everyone aboard celebrates the recovery of the AUV, a happy mixture of relief, exhaustion and exhilaration. There’s an impromptu jam session of Newfoundland sea songs and Gordon Lightfoot tunes. New acquaintances weeks ago are now friends for life. There’s hope the AUV will get another chance to deploy, but that will depend on the success of seismic work in the next section of the voyage. Louis and Healy alternate taking the lead breaking ice. When Louis leads, Healy follows collecting multi-beam bathymetry. When Healy leads, Louis follows collecting seismic data. We transit over Makarov Basin, Mendeleev Rise, Alpha Ridge and Sever Spur. The ice gets progressively thicker. Crash! We slam into a pressure ridge. Pots and pans go flying in the galley, tables and chairs slide around the crew’s lounge, closet doors burst open in our cabins. Louis leans hard to port for an eternity of seconds then straightens up again. On another track we must repeatedly back and ram, making 19 attempts on one piece of ice before breaking through. At 80 degrees north, Dr. Mosher tells me, “We are further east at this latitude in the Arctic Ocean than any ship ever before.” The ice here is the toughest left in the Arctic, and the fact that we are here in a ship at all demonstrates the loss of multi-year ice that allows us to make any passage whatsoever. We’ve made history.
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Dr. Mosher approves another deployment of the AUV. We transit to the closest open pool off the coast from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Jane Eert, Physical Oceanographer for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, does a CTD\Rosette test, getting information about the water’s salinity, temperature and depth down to the seabed. Jane has collected water samples throughout the voyage as part of a study on Arctic Ocean currents and water masses. Jane’s information about salinity is useful to the AUV Team because it gives them an understanding of the level of buoyancy to expect when they deploy the sub. Jane gives this information to Richard Pederson. The AUV deploys flawlessly and ventures out under the ice on its mission. Louis is relatively quiet for the first time in weeks. In the hangar, the AUV Team monitors their equipment 24/7, waiting to hear a chirp from the sub. The next evening, Richard learns that the chirp has come back. The AUV has reached its final waypoint and it’s heading home to Louis. The next morning, the sub returns to an area just below the ice, 117 metres from the ship. The fact that it has returned at all is an achievement, because our position has changed considerably since it was launched. Recovery begins at 10 am. Richard arrives on the bridge, carrying a hand-held radio, communicating with his team all over the ship. He receives ranges of the sub’s location and relays them to Captain Rothwell who carefully manoeuvres Louis using the ship’s powerful bow to create small cracks in the ice. At 11:05 am the sub surfaces in one of the cracks. A seaman and a technologist go over the side in a basket. They secure lines and the AUV is hoisted aboard by 1:28 pm. Recovery that took two days on the first deployment is accomplished in three and a half hours. The AUV Team successfully retrieves the bathymetric data from the sub and celebrates pushing the bounds of technology. Richard Pederson says, “We’ve proven we can deploy AUVs from an ice-breaker in the Arctic.” Louis and Healy come alongside at 79 degrees north. Everyone gathers in Healy’s hangar for a “Raft Up” dinner to mark the collaboration between two Arctic ships and their joint survey of 3,000 kilometres of previously uncharted territory. Soon thereafter Healy breaks off bound for Alaska. Louis heads south towards the Northwest Passage. As we enter those fabled waters I recall my father’s journal from 1948.It truly resonates now. I appreciate how challenging it is to explore the beautiful, remote and unforgiving environment of the Arctic, still one of the world’s last frontiers.
Hans Böggild
Hans Böggild is a Halifax-based freelance writer, playwright, stage director, actor and blogger. In 2011 he joined the scientific team on CCGS Louis S. St. Laurent to blog about the Canadian High Arctic Seismic Expedition 2011 for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. See http://blogs.science.gc.ca/arctic-arctique/2011/08
July/August 2013
Nunavik The kiteski paradise
Inuit youth reclaiming their land
Kiteskiing completely changes the way you see the world. Every time the wind blows, it turns on a brain connection that makes you crave to go out on your skis and ride as fast as the wind can pull you.
By Guillaume Roy
ith eight-month long winters and ice as far as the eye can see, Nunavik is a kiteskiing paradise for those willing to give it a shot. Over the past seven years, over 1,500 people have learned to kiteski in 15 communities in Nunavik and Nunavut. And more keep coming.
Š GUY LAFLAMME
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Aulla Quannaluk (right) is now one of Ivujivik’s two instructors.
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always impressed how fast people become addicted to kiteskiing. “It’s too much fun to miss. I don’t want to waste good wind anymore. Before, I thought that on a nice day, there should be no wind. I now despise those nice days,” says Aulla Qaunnaaluk, only five days after he first learned how to kite. No wonder why alianattuk, which means fun, was one of the first Inuktitut words I learned after anuri (wind). I met Qaunnaaluk last April in Ivujivik, when I taught him to kiteski. I had always wanted to come up North, but I never had the opportunity. And what an opportunity it was to go to Ivujivik to share my knowledge about kiteskiing and discover the great Inuit culture.
The snow bike Training starts with a 10 to 20 minute kite management session on foot. Once mastered, it’s time to put skis on and start riding!
At the northernmost Quebec village, a light snow sweeps across as strong northern winds blow at 40km/h. Snow has been falling all night and 15 cm of fresh packed snow covers the bay. Blue, red, white, green and yellow forms are speeding up left and right in the Ivujivik bay. Looking closer, one can see skiers being pulled by colourful kites flying around. It’s a spectacular sight for the curious villagers who barely knew what kiteskiing was just a few days prior. They better get used to it because when you begin to kiteski, it completely changes the way you see the world. Every time the wind blows, it makes you wonder if it is strong enough to ride. It turns on a brain connection that makes you crave to go out on your skis and ride as fast as the wind can pull you. It happens to me every time and I am
© GUILLAUME ROY
Taalia Saanaq Nauya became addicted to kite skiing right away. She didn't miss a training day.
© GUY LAFLAMME
Experienced kiteskiers enjoy gaining air.
The kiteski program up North started back in 2001 in Guy Laflamme’s head. When he first tried a Paraskiflex kite, he found that so easy, he wondered why everybody did not own one, especially up North. “It’s like a snow bike. All Inuit should have one. It only takes 30 minutes to learn.” But Guy had never been in the North. It was just a feeling. An idea. He started to make contacts in some communities to see if anybody would be interested to launch a kiteski program. Six years later, it paid off. With the help of a teacher in Kangirsuq, Laflamme launched a weeklong training program to teach as many people as possible. Once on Arctic ice, he realized how keen the local community was to learn a new sport. “It’s like if the circus was in town,” he remembers.
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Mattiusi Iyaittuk, (left) is Ivujivik’s mayor and a reknowned artist. He believes that the program should be promoted in all northern communities.
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Riders enjoyed sharing their kiting stories during the Nunavik Championship in Kangiqsujjuaq.
In Kangirsuq, Laflamme’s team heard about a Makivik annual general meeting that was going to be held a week later in April, where all the northern community mayors would be. It was his chance to spread the word about the kiteski program. “It’s a great opportunity to bring kids out to reclaim the land,” he pleaded. But communities would really need to believe in the program and invest in it if they wanted it to become sustainable. Here’s why. “After our first kiteski training week in Igloolik, we packed up all the gear to go back home. Inuit told us ‘this is the saddest day’. It didn’t make sense to go up there, excite them about a new sport, give them expertise and leave with all the equipment,” thought Laflamme. First of all, communities interested would need to invest and buy full kiteski equipment. Then, a team of instructors would come for about a week to train as many people as possible.
“People are so curious about kiteskiing, that up to 30 persons could show up every day to be taught,” notes Laflamme. And Inuit are fast learners. Traditionally, they have always learned through imitation. Event if most of them have never skied nor handled a kite, 30 minutes after their first touch, they start gliding through the snow with a big smile on their face.
The Arctic smile program Actually, the program’s first name was “the Arctic smile program”. “When the kids bring the kite up for the first time, they realize that it’s easy to fly, and big smiles appear. When they start skiing, they don’t want to stop and you almost need to take the kite out of their hands for the next initiation. The goal is to bring kids to do outdoor activities. It’s good for the health and for the soul,” says the program initiator. Nowadays, it is called the “Arctic wind riders” (AWR) program. For Aulla Qaunnaaluk, kiteskiing also means freedom. “It’s exhilarating. It’s excitement. It’s anti-boredom. I feel 100 per cent awake when I kiteski because my muscles and my mind are working fast. If you like to push your limits, it’s a good way to exercise. When you are out in the bay, you exercise, breathe fresh air and you don’t think about what to do. For me, it’s doing me good and it’s keeping me away from negative enjoyment.”
Kiteski or paraski There are many types of sail that are used to kiteski. They range from 5 m2 to 21 m2 and sometimes more. In the North we use the term kiteskiing but there are differences between a few technologies. Paraskiflex: A Quebec invention, Paraskiflex kites are defined as the easiest and safest kites in the world. It only takes 30 minutes to learn to control them. They are, however, a little bit less powerful than inflated kites. Inflatable kites: Inflatable kites are mostly used on water so make sure they float when you drop them in the water. They can also be used in winter, but one needs help to bring it up or to put it to rest. It is a more “dangerous” and powerful type of kite. To master these kites, at least two days of training must be taken. Self-inflating kites: Under the action of the wind, the kite self-inflates just like a paragliding sail. Generally used on land or ice, it is sometimes used on water as well. This kind of kite is quite easy to lift in the air. More powerful than Paraskiflex, a rider can do bigger figures with inflatable and self-inflating kites.
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Taalia Saanaq Nauya, 21 years old, thinks just the same. “It turns bad energy to good energy. I didn’t like the wind before, but now it is my friend. It gives me energy.”
Over time, the program became so interesting the Kativik Regional Government (KRG) decided to invest in a pilot project in 2011. “The sport was getting ignited in many communities and people requested it,” explains Nancianne Grey, KRG’s director of recreation. Of course, one of the goals is simply to have fun, but, from the beginning, the main objective had always been to train trainers to make sure the program could Students are taught how to take care of the keep living on its own. To make it sustain- equipment during training. able, youth leaders needed to be identified and trained to become the instructors of the emerging local kiteski clubs. This would not simply be a hobby; it would be a perfect part-time job. According to Laflamme, “It helps them become leaders in their communities and it develops community involvement. It might be only seasonal jobs, but it gives local youth highly valuable skills that are transferable to any other group activities. They could then create their own full-time job, teaching kiteskiing in the winter, and kayaking and mountain biking in the summer for instance”. Thanks to KRG, the program is now creating jobs up North as two instructors are trained in each community to make sure the sport stays alive and spreads. The pilot project started with five communities in 2011: Kuujjuaq, Quartaq, Kangirsujuaq, Kangirsuq and Puvirnituq, and, after only a year, it became the “Nunavik kiteski project” and it expanded to two new communities: George River and Ivujivik. Even if it’s not a pilot project anymore, the program’s future is unsure. The main funding source comes from the Safer Communities Program, managed by the Makivik Corporation, and it ends at the end of the year. This program, also named with the Inuit term Ungaluk, was launched as an alternative to building a detention centre in Nunavik. It provides $10-million a year to be used for crime prevention through the region. “We 36
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KRG jumps in
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Ivujivik’s vast bay is a kiteskiing paradise.
know that if youth are being active, it helps to reduce crime and it brings healthier living standards,” says Nancianne Grey. “There is too many people asking for the same money, thinks Andrew Epoo, KRG’s recreation technical assistant and the kiteski project coordinator. We have a hard time convincing the program to fund our project because they do not see a cultural aspect in kiteskiing. I see many cultural aspects like reading the wind and the ice conditions or simply playing outside.” In Ivujivik, the mayor, Mattiusi Iyaittuk who is also a renowned artist, believes exactly the same. “I am really proud that the people in charge of the kiteski program are helping people in our community to go out on the land and learn things that they don’t get to learn in school. Otherwise they would not be interested to go out on the land or on the sea ice to learn the difference between a good and a dangerous place to play. When you are kiteskiing, all your muscles are being used. It makes people more healthy and agile instead of just sitting around and doing nothing playing on computers and things like that. It should be promoted in all communities.” Some Inuit kiteskiers even asked if they could have all-white paraskis to go seal hunting in the bay. “Without a skidoo, you can’t go very far. And since skidoo’s are so expensive, a kite can give kids the freedom to go wherever they want,” says Laflamme. The story of Michael Petagumskum is a good example of how this modern sport can fit in the Inuit way of life. Living in Kuujjuaq, he is a kid that loves to go hunting and camping. When a few instructors came to his high school in 2010, they showed a video of kiteskiing. From then on, he started to practice every weekend. “Being on the land is the most awesome thing you can do here up North. This is why I like kiteskiing so much,” he states. So he became one of the kiteski leaders in Kuujuaq. Since 2011, he is an instructor and he can jump as high as the ceiling!
Program instructors find that Inuit youth are very fast learners.
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create a local club, not regional structure, so that they can run it the way they want. It might be time for the communities to make the project their own,” says Andrew Epoo. According to him, even if the funding from Makivik does not continue, there are many ways to fund a kiteski club. He has been asking for funding since he was 13 years old. He knows how it works. He knows where the money is and how to get it. He now wants to share this knowledge with the communities who really want the clubs to keep going.
Crazy projects Sixteen riders form six different communities participated in the 2nd Nunavik kiteski Championship held in Kangiqsujjuaq last April.
To build exchanges and share expertise through the communities, AWR launched a championship that has been held every year in the North since 2008, sometimes in Nunavik and sometimes in Nunavut. Long distance and triangle races, slalom and maximum speed reached and much more. Inuit are loving it. In 2012, when KRG got involved, they launched the 1st Nunavik kiteski championship in Kangiqsujuaq and two riders from each community were invited to participate. In April 2013, they repeated the experience and 16 riders from six communities were involved. “It was a awesome experience to race with other competitors in Nunavik,” says Petagumskum who finished second in 2012 and third in 2013. For Qaunnaaluk, who had started to ride just a week before the event, it was a tremendous opportunity to learn from his peers. “It allowed me to learn much. The locals there were very helpful. When they saw someone who had not much experience, they gave a lot of pointers.” Youth is the main target of the program but everybody is welcome to try and enjoy this wonderful sport. Lucasssie Turkirqi, 54 years old from Kangiqsujjuaq, might be the best example as he finished fourth overall in the championship.
What’s next? In the end, KRG would like the communities to become self-sustainable. “We would not be where we are without all the help from the Arctic wind riders program, but we now want to become independent from instructors from the south,” states Nancianne Grey. For KRG, it’s time to go to the next step. Laflamme thinks the same. “The program has evolved well. There are now enough kids that have the expertise to operate the local clubs and managers know the potential of the sport.” So what’s left to be done? “There will always be work to be done on the youth leadership and self-esteem aspects to make this program sustainable,” he adds. It will always be a challenge to find leaders that will sustain the activity through time. It might work well for a few years, but what will happen if a motivated instructor leaves. There has to be more follow-up and communication between the kiteski clubs and the recreation coordinator, thinks Andrew Epoo. “The kiteski project was initially thought as a pilot to create interest for municipalities. We wanted to help them July/August 2013
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Community exchange through competition
As the program matures, new opportunity arises. Guy Laflamme now thinks of an 800 km expedition he could do with Inuit riders. “I’m thinking about an expedition on the Hudson coast from Akulivik to Kuujjuarapik or Kangirsuq to Aupaluk on the Ungava coast. I’m sure we could get 30 riders interested in the trip.” In 2005 he did a 500-km test expedition with 10 riders between Chissasibi and Waskaganish. Guy Laflamme is the founder of the Arctic What else is on the forecast for Inuit riders? wind riders program in the North. Tourism. “Imagine kiteskiing to and back the Pingaluit crater from Kangiqsujjuaq,” dreams Epoo. “It has a great potential to start a kiteski tourism project.” And again, he knows where to get the money to start such an initiative. “With the Kativik Regional Development Corporation (KRDC), all you need is 20 per cent of the first year of operation. You just need to know who to talk to and which forms to fill out.” This is simply a dream expedition I would like to be on. I will need to come back up North. I had too much fun in Ivujivik training over 40 persons of the 360 total population. It may now be one of the villages with the highest percentage of kiteskiers with 11 per cent. I’m glad I participated in that. The challenge is now to make it last. Ivujivik and all Nunavik communities can become kiteskiing paradises, but even more. This first trip up North gave me the opportunity to meet a tremendously rich culture and discover an awesome landscape where bowhead whales and belugas come to feed. I even had the chance to go out with northern light hunters. According to them, I only saw tiny lights, but it was gorgeous. It’s only a way for the North to tell me I will need to come back to discover more of its wonders. Guillaume Roy is an outdoors freelance journalist who lives in St-Félicien in the Lac-Saint-Jean region. He went to Ivujivik as a kiteski instructor.
PARASKIFLEX Kiteski for all, a Quebec invention To develop a simple, safe, easy to control and yet powerful kite. This is the “tour de force” of Paraskiflex ever since 2001. “We wanted to develop a technology adapted for all that we could teach in less than half-a-day. It is so easy that an eight-year-old can master the kite in half an hour,” explains Luc Godbout, Paraskiflex president. The patent pending technology is completely different than other kites on the market. Its design makes it easy to land and lift up on your own so that riders can be completely autonomous. And it is so easy to set up that you can be riding in only three minutes. The most popular sail, the F 10-60, which flies between 10 and 60 km/h, is sold for about $925, including a harness. Depending on the winds speed, the sail can be adjusted in a half-storm or a full-storm mode. Designed and built in Valleyfield, near Montreal, Paraskiflex sells around a thousand sails every year in Quebec, Ontario and in northern Canada. www.paraskiflex.com
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Truly “cool” northern arts heat up Ottawa venues
ᐋᑐᕚᒥᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᑎᑦᑎᐊᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᑦ Ottawa-mit Ukiuqtaqturmiut Takurannaaqtittittiammariktut
COURTESY NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE / © TREVOR LUSH (3)
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t began with the drum. I stood in the packed foyer of the National Arts Centre and the crowd fell silent, listening as the beat of the First Nation’s drum signalled the start of the opening ceremonies of the Northern Scene festival. What followed was an array of dynamic, fast-paced performances that gave a tantalizing preview of the quality of talent from both established and emerging northern artists that would be highlighted over the next 10 days. The throbbing tempo of an Inuit drum flowed into the pulsating rhythms of throat singing, fiddling, beat-boxing and then the smooth harmony of women’s voices. As the drums kept time, we were surrounded by the heartbeat of the North. Northern Scene became Ottawa’s largest celebration to date of northern arts and culture. It dazzled the city with the impressive talents of more than 250 entertainers and artists from the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunatsiavut and Nunavik. This celebration of music, dance, film, theatre, food, fashion, circus acts, story telling and both visual and media arts was spread over 26 venues throughout the city. I wandered through the artist’s Marketplace and marvelled at the variety and outstanding quality of the art offered for sale. From wearable art fashioned with feathers, beads, eider skins and sealskin to jewellery and paintings, carvings, pottery sculptures and wall hangings, it was an exceptional introduction to the creativity, passion and skill of today’s northern artists. When I stood in front of a glass display cabinet, I was enamoured by the exquisite craftsmanship of the handmade dolls. It was evident that the artists had taken great care to pose and clothe each doll to illustrate an aspect of northern life. This attention to detail offers an historical record of the culture and evolving life styles of the northern people. Northern Scene was a tribute to the people of the North and offered an exclusive opportunity to share and experience in their culture, energy and spirit.
COURTESY NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE / © TREVOR LUSH (2)
© LEE NARRAWAY
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© LEE NARRAWAY
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COURTESY NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE / © TREVOR LUSH (3)
ᓚᐅᔾᔭᖅᐸᓗᒃ ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ. ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᑕᑯᕌᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᑎᕕᔾᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᑕᑖᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᕐᒥᑦ ᓂᑯᕕᖓᓪᓗᖓ ᓂᐸᐃᕈᑎᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᖅ, ᓈᓚᒃᑐᑐᐃᓐᓇᓕᒫᑦ ᐊᓪᓚᐃᑦ ᕿᓚᐅᑎᖅᐸᓗᖓᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖅ (Northern Scene) ᒪᑐᐃᖅᑕᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓᓂᒃ. ᕿᓚᐅᔾᔭᖅᐸᓗᒃ ᐱᔭᕇᕐᒪᑦ ᐅᓄᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᓯᖏᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᑎᓕᕆᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑑᓂᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᓕᒫᖅ ᐅᓪᓗᐃᑦ ᖁᓕᑦ ᖃᐃᔪᓂᒃ. ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᕿᓚᐅᔾᔭᖅᐸᓗᖕᓂᖓᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓕᖅᑐᓂ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᖅᑐᓄᑦ, ᐊᒋᐊᕋᖅᑐᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᕐᓇᐃᑦ ᐃᙱᖅᑎᑦ ᓂᐱᑦᑎᐊᖏᓪᓗ ᑲᑎᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᑎᒃ. ᕿᓚᐅᔾᔭᖅᐸᓗᒃᑐᓂ ᓱᓕ, ᑕᒡᕙᓕ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓕᖅᐳᒍᑦ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖅ ᐋᑐᕚᒥᑦ ᐊᖏᓂᖅᐹᖑᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᑦ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᕈᑎᒃᓴᓕᐊᕆᕙᑦᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᖁᕕᐊᓲᑎᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ. ᓇᓂᓕᒫᖅ ᐋᑐᕚᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᑦᑐᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᐃᑦ 250 ᐅᖓᑖᓂᑦ ᐅᓄᖅᑎᒋᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᔫᑳᓐᒥᐅᑕᑦ, ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥᐅᑕᑦ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦᒥᐅᑕᑦ, ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥᐅᑕᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕗᑦᒥᐅᑕᑦ. ᖁᕕᐊᓲᑎᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᑎᑕᓐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᒧᒥᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᑕᕐᕆᔭᒐᒃᓴᓕᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐱᙳᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᓂᕿᓕᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᒥᖅᓱᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᑦᑐᕐᓂᒃ 26-ᓂᑦ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᕕᓐᓃᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐋᑐᕚᒥᑦ. ᕿᒥᕐᕈᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᖅᑎᑦ ᓂᐅᕕᐊᒃᓴᖃᕐᕕᖓᓐᓂᑦ ᐱᐅᒃᓴᒻᒪᕆᒃᓱᖓᓗ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᑦᑐᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᖕᓂᒃ ᐱᐅᔪᐊᓗᖕᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᐊᖑᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ. ᓂᐅᕕᐊᒃᓴᕆᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᓲᕐᓗ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᑦ ᓱᓗᖃᖅᑐᑦ, ᓴᐸᓕᖅᑐᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ,ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕿᓯᓖᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐱᐅᓴᐅᑎᑦ ᒥᑭᓕᕋᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᒥᐊᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ,ᓴᓇᙳᐊᒐᑦ,ᐃᙳᓯᙳᐊᓕᐊᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓂᕋᕐᒥᐅᑕᑦ ᒥᖅᓱᙳᐊᒐᑦ. ᑕᑯᓐᓇᖅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᓴᓇᔪᖕᓇᑦᑎᐊᒻᒪᕆᖕᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᔪᙱᑦᑎᐊᒻᒪᕆᖕᓂᖏᓐᓂᒡᓗ. ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᓕᒎᑉ ᓯᕗᓂᖓᓂᑦ ᓂᑯᕕᖓᑎᓪᓗᖓ, ᐅᐱᒍᓱᒻᒪᕆᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᒥᖅᓱᙳᐊᑦᑎᐊᖅᓯᒪᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᕐᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᔭᙳᐊᕐᓂᒃ. ᓇᓗᓇᕈᓐᓇᐃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᒥᖅᓱᙳᐊᖅᑎᑦ ᐱᑦᑎᐊᕋᓱᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ ᒪᑭᑕᑎᑦᑎᙳᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᙳᐊᓕᐅᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒡᓗ ᑕᑯᑎᑦᑎᒐᓱᒃᓱᑎᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᑦ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᕆᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᖅᑎᑦᑎᖕᒥᔪᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖅ ᖁᕕᐊᓲᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᑎᑖᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᕕᒃᓴᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᓪᓗᓂ.
ᓖ ᓂᐅᕋᕙᐃ
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© LEE NARRAWAY
© LEE NARRAWAY
ARTS, CULTURE & EDUCATION
laujjaqpaluk pigiarutaulauqtuq. Kanatami takuraannaaqtittivijjuarmit tataattiaqturmit nikuvingallunga nipairutittiaqtuq, naalaktutuinnalimaat Allait qilautiqpalungat pigiaqtittitillugu ukiuqtaqtumiunik takurannaaqtittiniq (Northern Scene) matuiqtauvallianinganik. Qilaujjaqpaluk pijariirmat unuqtut asingit ukiuqtaqturmiut takurannaaqtittilirillutik takunnaqtittijut qanuittuuniarninganik takurannaaqtittinilimaaq ulluit qulit qaijunik. Inuit qilaujjaqpalungningat ilagijauliqtuni katajjaqtunut, agiaraqtut, ammalu arnait inngiqtit nipittiangillu katittiaqtutik. Qilaujjaqpaluktuni suli, tagvali ukiuqtaqturmiut iliqqusinginnik ilagijauliqpugut. Ukiuqtaqturmiunik takurannaaqtittiniq Ottawamit anginiqpaangulilauqtuq ukiuqtaqtumiut takurannaarutiksaliarivattanginnik quviasuutiqarnirmik. Nanilimaaq Ottawa-mit takurannaaqtittilauqtut ajunngittummarialuit 250 ungataanit unuqtigillutik Yukon-miutat, Nunatsiaq-miutat, Nunavutmiutat, Nunavik-miutat ammalu Nunatsiavutmiutat. Quviasuutiqarniq titannirmik, mumirnirmik, tarrijagaksaliurnirmik, pinnguarnirmik, niqiliurnirmik, miqsurnirmik, ammalu unikkaaqtuarnirmik ajjigiinngitturnik 26-nit takurannaavinniilauqtut Ottawa-mit.
COURTESY NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE / © TREVOR LUSH (2)
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Canada’s Leading Retailer of Inuit Arts & Crafts
Qimirrulauqtunga sanannguaqtit niuviaksaqarvingannit piuksammariksungalu ajjigiinngittummarialungnik piujualungnik sanaugaliangusimajunik. Niuviaksarijaulauqtut suurlu miqsuqtausimajut annuraat suluqaqtut, sapaliqtuqsimajut, ammalu qisiliit ammaluttauq piusautit mikiliralluunniit ammalu amiaqtausimajut, sanannguagat, inngusinngualiat ammalu sanirarmiutat miqsunnguagat. Takunnaqtittilauqtut ukiuqtaqturmiut sanajungnat-tiammaringninginnik ajunngittiammaringninginniglu. Takujagaqarviujuq aliguup sivuninganit nikuvingatillunga, upigusummarililauqtunga miqsunnguattiaqsimammarikturnik inuujannguarnik. Nalunarunnailauqtuq miqsunnguaqtit pittiarasummarilaurmata makitatittinnguarninginnik annuraanngualiurninginniglu takutittigasuksutik ukiuqtaqturmit iliqqusirijaujunik. Tamanna takunnaqtittingmijuq ukiuqtaqturmiut iliqqusinginnik asijjiqpallianitillugit. Ukiuqtaqturmiunik takurannaaqtittiniq quviasuutaulauqtuq ukiuqtaqturmiunik ammalu iliqqusinginnik takutitaaqtittinirmik piviksaqaqtittilluni.
Lee Narraway
“Grazing Caribou” by Esa Kripanik, Igloolik, Nunavut
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IQALUIT, NUNAVUT
July/August 2013
ARTS, CULTURE & EDUCATION Kuujjuamiuq Christina Snowball picks aqpik (cloudberry) fields forever!
KUUJJUAQ’S AQPIK JAM A sweet-sounding recipe to everyone’s taste very year in August, when aqpiks (cloudberries) are just ripe, ready to be harvested, Kuujjuaq prepares its very own Aqpik Jam, a “berry” flavourful music festival held in the Nunavik region’s hub. It is a recipe that they have been perfecting for years, ever since their first batch in 1996, one that keeps getting better and better each time as it marinates. The secret to this tasty dish is in its content. Kuujjuamiut go out of their way to pick the best ingredients, selecting the finest blend of Northern seeds for its Jam, with performers from all around Nunavik, Nunavut, Labrador and Greenland, sometimes NWT and Alaska. A hint of Southern spice is then added to the already talented mix, along with bands from various parts of Quebec and Canada, making it extra special for Inuit and other northerners in attendance.
© ISABELLE DUBOIS (2)
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Kuujjuaq throat singers Leah May (left) and Ann-Marie Aitchison are always a treat at the Jam.
July/August 2013
Preheated to boreal summer temperatures, the much-awaited event starts with a traditional appetizer presented on a platter of talented young throat singers and drum dancers from the Kuujjuaq Youth Group. The main course then follows with an assortment of delightful aromas, from folksy accordion tunes and square dances to country blues and Rock ‘n’ Roll, with a dash of rap and heavy metal here and there, often accompanied by a mouthful of cool beat box and snazzy hip hop. The whole is served with hearty humour, topped off by zesty cheer from the crowd of 500 or so packed like sardines in Kuujjuaq’s auditorium at the Katittavik Town Hall. But music is not all there is to the festival’s scrumptious recipe, which wouldn’t turn out the same without the fruit itself, one that grows bountiful in this part of Nunavik at that time of the year. Indeed, paying tribute to the yummy reddish-orange berry it is named after, the Aqpik Jam also celebrates the harvesting season with its customary berry-picking contest, thereby making sure there’s plenty of the main ingredient to go around. above & beyond
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ARTS, CULTURE & EDUCATION Left: Adamie Padalyat and Eric Atagotaaluk, singing popular Inuit cover songs known across the North were a big hit with the Inuit crowd.
Right: Popular Nunavimmiut accordionist, Davidee Angutinguaq of Aupaluk gets everyone up and dancing.
The four-day gathering is also filled with outdoor activities and games, stirring even more treats into the pot. Sugarcoated with sand canoe races and tugs-of-war at the beach, as well as a golf tournament and targetshooting competition in the sandpit, makes for a fun-filled serving. Add to that, bingo games for lunch, combined with darts, cribbage and pool tournaments, and the mixture is almost complete. It all comes together on the last day during a gargantuan potluck feast for everyone to get a ration of the savoury aqpik berry on a stomach full of country foods and some of the community’s best catering. And let’s not forget the cake contest for a dessert as sweet looking as it tastes. Brought to a boil, the festival’s optimum flavour explodes in the sky with a sizzling conclusion of fireworks, lighting up the night into the perfect icing on the cake.
Left: Felix Tukkiapik and Aloupa Airo-Watt shuffle in unison with the Kuujjuaq Youth Group at the 2012 opening of the Aqpik Jam.
© ISABELLE DUBOIS (6)
Below: The technique and raw muscle that pepper the canoe race add a fun ingredient to the Jam recipe.
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Known for her Janis Joplin tribute, Montreal singersongwriter Angel Forest entertains at the Jam.
But like any recipe, its success resides in the people who prepare it each year, seasoning it with tender love and care. And once one has had the chance to sample the result, it is obvious that Kuujjuamiut are real chefs when it comes to cooking up a festival as delicious as the Aqpik Jam. For details on the upcoming 2013 edition of the Aqpik Jam Music Festival taking place August 12-15, contact the Northern Village of Kuujjuaq at 819-964-2943 or check out the event’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/aqpikjam.
Isabelle Dubois
July/August 2013
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ARTS, CULTURE & EDUCATION
Tukitaarvik and Inuit Education in the 21st Century n my opinion, as an Inuk and a recent university graduate, education is a fundamental building block in an individual’s development from early childhood through adolescence and into adulthood. Where education is absent, poverty often is the result. I think education is one of the best ways to combat poverty. For me, having access to quality education is crucial for individuals to develop their own identities, ideologies and values to live by. Education enables people to read and write, research and develop, and can enhance one’s worldview by encouraging the mind to adapt to dynamic situations. Inuit are one of the youngest and fastest growing populations in Canada. With a median age of 22 years old, according to the Statistics Canada 2006 Census, Inuit have a unique demographic with the potential to make important contributions in our communities and the country. Numbering over 59,000 (Statistics Canada’s National Household Survey), Inuit inhabit four regions of Inuit Nunangat and urban centres across Canada. We are an adaptive culture with many unique skills and perspectives that can be applied to a wide range of trades, academics, and professions, which will become vacant as the current workforce begins to retire. The quote below illustrates how educated Aboriginal peoples (like Inuit) will be in a strategic position to support the Canadian workforce in fulfilling careers.
Based on current demographic trends, Aboriginal employment could grow by 200,000 by 2026 if the national average for labour force engagement can be attained — equivalent to a 1 per cent increase in total Canadian employment, or about 80 per cent of a single year’s immigration at current levels. — Glen Hodgson, 2010. Aboriginal Workers Can Support, But Not Sustain, Canadian Workforce. Inside Edge. Education, including but not limited to post-secondary studies, provides the skills in demand and enables Inuit to access opportunities in the national workforce. The Inuit Qaujisarvingat: Inuit Knowledge Centre at Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami is working to nurture July/August 2013
© KAREN KELLEY
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James and Teevi.
young Inuit by encouraging them to pursue post-secondary studies.
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Tukitaarvik Tukitaarvik is a new website forum for Inuit students to connect and communicate. The name Tukitaarvik means to “come together and gain an understanding.” Tukitaarvik was designed with the purpose to guide Inuit students in post-secondary education by providing important information about the requirements, options, and challenges that may arise during post-secondary studies. The idea for the website was developed by a focus group with former Nunavut Sivuniksavut (NS) students in Iqaluit, in 2010. These eight Inuit students from NS recognized that other Inuit students were experiencing similar challenges in pursuing post-secondary education. The result of the focus group was the creation of Tukitaarvik. Tukitaarvik is dedicated to Inuit students, developed by Inuit students and managed by a team that includes Inuit University graduates. The objectives of Tukitaarvik are as follows: • • • •
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Support the transition to post-secondary studies for Inuit students across Canada; Help guide Inuit students along their journey to post-secondary education; Showcase the opportunities that will fit unique skills and interests of Inuit students; Provide an interactive website that offers support, resources and networking opportunities for Inuit students; Explain the post-secondary application process; and
Provide a platform where alumni, mentors and Inuit students can share their experience, accomplishments and advice. Some of the features of the website include:
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A collection of inspirational quotes, messages and videos from current Inuit students and university graduates; A networking function providing people with an opportunity to learn directly from their peers as they explore career options; and Practical information (funding options, job fairs, career opportunities) and advice from current Inuit students.
Tukitaarvik is now online seeking Inuit participants (high school students, prospective and current post-secondary students and mentors) to join the network. You can begin by registering at www.tukitaarvik.ca. Tukitaarvik is a joint initiative of ArcticNet, University of Laval, Carleton University and Inuit Qaujisarvingat: Inuit Knowledge Centre. Please direct any feedback, questions or comments to James Kuptana via the contact button at www.tukitaarvik.ca.
James Kuptana James Kuptana is a recent graduate of the Indigenous Environmental Studies program at Trent University. James retains strong ties to Sachs Harbour, his home community in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, and currently works as a researcher at Inuit Qaujisarvingat: Inuit Knowledge Centre at Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami in Ottawa.
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NORTHERN BOOKSHELF
Circumpolar Health Atlas Senior Editor: T. Kue Young Associate Editors: Rajiv Rawat, Winfried Dallmann, Susan Chatwood, Peter Bjerregaard University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division, January 2012 Whether you’re knowledgeable about the Polar Regions or a novice reader on the subject, the Circumpolar Health Atlas offers up a vibrant rendition of life in the Arctic regions, and particularly the factors that contribute to health in this area. Full colour photographs and maps not only portray the beautiful landscapes and rich flora and fauna of the North but also provide useful information for health researchers, service providers, and policy makers. The atlas includes how the physical environment influences human health; cultures and languages of northern peoples; different diseases and health conditions; and health systems, policies, resources, and services. It concludes with information on how education and research can be used to improve health in the Polar Regions.
T is for Territories: A Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut Alphabet Michael Kusugak Iris Churcher (Illustrator) Sleeping Bear Press, March 2013 Acclaimed storyteller Michael Kusugak gives an A to Z tour of Canada’s three territories in his latest book, T is for Territories: A Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut Alphabet. This alphabetical journey covers the places, people, wildlife, culture, customs, namesakes, events and industries that depict life in the North. The richness of the territories is showcased in detail, including colour drawings by Iris Churcher. A beautifully illustrated book young and old alike will find interesting and enjoyable.
UNEP Year Book 2013: Emerging Issues in our Global Environment United Nations Environment Programme www.unep.org February 2013 The changing environmental conditions in the Arctic as a result of melting ice and the rush for the Arctic to supply the world with energy and minerals are the major issues discussed in the UNEP Year Book 2013: Emerging Issues in our Global Environment. Because tapping into these Arctic resources will have a global impact, the report calls for a better understanding of the potential risks of changes ahead. Along with a thoughtful approach to development, UNEP says the need for “improved governance is all the more crucial now” in areas such as maritime trade and shipping, tourism, commercial fisheries, and oil, gas and minerals. The report makes many recommendations, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, curbing short-lived pollutants such as black carbon; assessing how development will affect ecosystems, the peoples of the North and the rest of the world; a call for more environmental research into the melting of the Greenland ice cap and loss of Arctic sea ice; and the use of traditional knowledge and direct observations by indigenous peoples to inform policy and management actions. The UNEP Year Book 2013 is available online at www.unep.org.
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INUIT FORUM
t gets lonely sometimes,” Nellie Cournoyea said in 2009 during a grand celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement (IFA) that closed the streets of Inuvik to traffic. “I just think of all the people who were involved. I would like to see them here, but they’ve passed on.” It is sometimes difficult to believe that the IFA will mark 30 years next June. Children who were in grade school when the agreement was signed have grown up and had children of their own. Many of the early negotiators have passed, but many, like Nellie, are still among us. Their knowledge and memories of those times are a gift. The children who grew up among these giants became the next generation of negotiators, raised to negotiate the implementation of those hard-won agreements. This month, the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (NLCA) turns 20, and I look back on 20 years of work in different roles to support its implementation. I have waded through many legal arguments interpreting the NLCA, and I have seen the transformative impact the implementation of the agreement has had on the lives of Inuit. My role now, as president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, is as an advocate for change. Indeed, that is the role that ITK has always played. This year, we recognize the passage of 40 years since Inuit Tapirisat of Canada (ITC) as ITK was then known, began its landmark study, a comprehensive and verifiable record of Inuit habitation across Canada’s Arctic. The Inuit Land Use and Occupancy Study, as it is known, laid the documentary framework for negotiations of both the NCLA and IFA. Without this proof, the federal government would not have begun negotiating our claims.
© ITK ARCHIVES
© ITK
Spirit and intent I
Inuit land claims are a living record of how Inuit use and interpret the land. A landmark study launched 40 years ago in 1973 began the primary research of documenting where Inuit lived, travelled and hunted in Canada’s Arctic.
Since that time, the promise of the treaty relationship between Inuit and the Crown has been deeply eroded. Some 20, 30, 40 years later, we are still providing evidence (in court, in the case of Nunavut Inuit), to persuade the Crown to honour the spirit and intent of our agreements. It is worth recalling the words of Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister of Canada in 1993, who famously signed the NLCA and lifted the document in triumph before a gymnasium full of onlookers. “We are forging a new partnership, a real partnership,” he said. “Not only between the Government of Canada and the future Government of Nunavut, but between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.” That partnership remains a work in progress. Nunavik Inuit continue to negotiate a selfgovernment agreement, and the Inuit of Nunatsiavut are still feeling the growing pains of a land claims agreement whose implementation is in its infancy. But from Arctic
coast to Arctic coast, Canadian Inuit seek no less than true partnership with the Crown. We know that the careful implementation of our land claims is a benefit to all Canadians. These agreements set out our ongoing relationship with the Crown and define how we should work together to manage our resources. Our cooperation with the Crown lays the foundation for no less than Canada’s claim to sovereignty of the Arctic. What’s more, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has demonstrated a personal interest in Canada’s Arctic. So it is confusing and troubling that we face such struggles in meeting the core objectives of our agreements. But, like those who have gone before us, we will not give up. Today we celebrate, but tomorrow we get back to work. There is much to be done, and we bring with us great experience and the wisdom of our elders in securing a more prosperous future for Inuit.
Terry Audla
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami 75 Albert Street, Suite 1101 Ottawa, ON K1P 5E7 t. (613) 238.8181
July/August 2013
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arctic exotica
Š PIERRE DUNNIGAN
Hudson Strait Silhouette Photographer and frequent contributor to above&beyond, Pierre Dunnigan, visits an Avataq Cultural Institute archaeological dig on tiny Salluit Island at the mouth of Sugluk Inlet near the Inuit community of Salluit. He captured this moody late afternoon play of Arctic light from a lofty vantage point looking out along Nunavik’s dramatic Hudson Strait coast.
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ᓄᓇᓕᓐᓅᖓᔪᖅ, ᐊᑲᕐᕆᓇᖅᑐᖅ, ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᑦᓯᐊᖅᑐᖅ
Nunallaat, Ihuarniq, Atuttiarniq Community, Comfort, Convenience
ᑲᓲᑎᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᑉ ᖄᖓᒍᑦ
Haniliriikhutik Hilarjuap Qulaani Spanning the Top of the World
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Meet our Cambridge Bay Team: Left to Right: Rudi Philips, Todd Malone, Aimee Glawson, Ross Mahik, Casey Eyegetok