Tusaayaksat – Sept/Oct 2007

something new to hear about

Horton river tests YoutHs

new Mexico soccer Gold

AndY cArpenter & cope

ivvAvik inspires

nortHern FAsHion sHow

inuviAluit proFessionAls

September/ October 2007 $2.50

Johanna Skibsrud

Evelyn Storr from Aklavik enjoys the Shingle Point Games even as she works on preparing the feast on the BBQ.

Shingle Point

“Shingle Point is a beautiful place. It’s peaceful, I can hear the sound of waves on the oceans. My family comes out here every year,” says Manny Arey. “It’s a good place for fishing, whaling, and berry picking.” We are at the beach of Shingle Point, where there are about twenty cabins, close enough together that visiting the neighbours for a cup of tea is only a hop and a skip away. The midnight sun glows red over a beach of driftwood, and lights up the people on it in a magical way. I can’t help but think about what elder Elijah Allen says, “People used to travel a long way from West Whitefish Station to Shingle Point. They come to whale and in the evenings, after the work is done, people play games and drum dance. It makes us elders happy to see the younger generation playing games again, like we used to.”

Gerry Kisoun says, “Shingle Point is made up of four parts, we call them ‘the point,’ ‘middle camp,’ ‘up the hill,’ and ‘down the hill.’ There are cabins all over. Not only do people from Aklavik come here, we also have many relatives from Alaska. In the 1900s, Inupiat (many of who became Inuvialuit) would arrive here at the same time every year, this was their stomping ground for entering Canada.”

“ Some settled right here. Some years, there are more people, other years less, this year we have a good crowd.”

In the morning, children are playing games outside Danny A. and Annie B. Gordon’s cabin at ‘the point’, while breakfast is cooking inside. Their daughters Faith, Evelyn, and more volunteers from the community are arranging toys and prizes on a wooden stage. Children are already crowding around, picking out what they want to win.

“Nowadays, people come out here for Shingle Point games, we have sing-alongs, play games like the ring toss and dizzy stick, everyone has a good chuckle as long as nobody gets hurt,” laughs Gerry.

“The Games started about four and a half years ago…we didn’t have it when I was a kid, but Danny A. Gordon brought it back. He is a respected elder from Aklavik, he passed away last year, so this year the games are dedicated to him,” says Manny. “He would always tell stories to make us laugh. He’s also a close friend, he always told us about his culture.”

“ He taught youth to drum dance, he taught me to drum dance the right way, to do it from the heart. That makes the drummers really drum.”

Games

Manny Arey and Faith Gordon stand on top of Danny A. Gordon’s cabin, carrying on the tradition of the candy toss. Youths and adults alike are delighted, some even carrying buckets to catch the sugary treats.

David Gordon likes Shingle Point, where he and his puppy can roam free.

Annie B. Gordon laughed it up during ring toss. Albert Elias won runner-up at the games.

Sarah Meyook enjoyed the feast of country food.

Annie B. Gordon, Danny A.’s wife, makes a moving speech to the people who are attending and who helped fundraise for the games. With Danny’s photo hanging beside her, she thanks everyone for coming, and says, “I never thought I will lose my husband…but when I get tears in my eyes, I think I am breaking my promise to him. He was praying for everyone before he left. It hurt me a lot to be here again the last few days, but I thank everyone for being with us, and God is with us, we’re going to be strong again.”

The games include categories for elders, youth and adults, so everyone has a chance to participate. It is especially fun to see elders such as Sarah Meyook take part, as they become as exuberant and competitive as the youth. The Ring Toss game is especially exciting, with competitors dueling in their aiming skills past two in the morning! Through the feasts and the games, the laughter and the story sharing, everyone basks in a sense of harmony and community. Visitors from beyond Alaska and Aklavik are treated with hospitality. Danny A.’s children and friends are picking up where he left off, making sure the games ran smoothly.

One of the highlights is a candy toss. Faith Gordon and Manny Kudlak reach into pails of sugary confections from the roof of Danny A.s cabin, and shower the delighted children below with the treats. “We’re carrying on the tradition!” says Faith Gordon.

The games are not quite the same without Danny A.’s participation, and many conversations revolve around this topic.

“Every year he’ll jump in the games, making announcements to keep everyone informed of what’s going on,” says Manny.

The younger generation are having fun at the games, but they also miss Danny A. Alex Gordon, Danny’s nephew says, “It’s different, it’s quiet. He taught us how to cut fish, he made us laugh lots.” Richard Storr Junior remembers, “He always took care of us.”

“There are lots of Danny A.’s children and grandchildren around, they are a big family. They are all welcoming the people who come. We have to continue the games otherwise it would be too quiet,” says Gerry. “We’ve to continue to teach the kids our culture so we won’t lose it, but looking at the participation in the games, I can see we are not about to lose it. Although Danny’s not here, I am sure he’s watching us have fun at the games.”

Jerry Arey says, “It’s hard to lose a friend or husband that you’re used to coming down here with every year, but like Annie says, this is a place of healing, and it’s good to get away from town. We’re much better here than when we are in town.”

Visitors from Alaska, such as Tommy Gordon (left) were happy to have sing-alongs with their inuvialuit relatives. Both children and adults joined in.

Tommy Gordon is one of the visitors from Alaska who came to Shingle Point on a week long boat trip.

Charmaine Elanik and her grandmother Winnie basking in the midnight sunset.

Shingle Point feels magical during sunset.

Top: Children, even toddlers, have games geared towards them to compete in.

Right: Jerry and Verna Arey are at Shingle Ponit to support the Gordon family, and to enjoy nature.

Bottom: Youths impressing the crowds with good guitar skills.

A NORTHERN DOCTORCindy Orlaw

Passionate and driven, Cindy Orlaw is the second Inuvialuit person to become a doctor, since Noah Carpenter. Both Cindy and her mother, Maggie Gordon, participated in the Shingle Point games this year.

How did you feel to be back for Shingle Point games this year?

I remember being a little kid and asking my mom if I could go with my uncles, aunts and cousins each summer. Each time, she would say, “No, it’s too dangerous.” When I got this opportunity, I jumped at it. This trip is so important to me. It helped me reconnect with my family and cultural background.

enrolled in the Master’s of Public Health through the University of Alaska in Anchorage this year. My Dad, Pat Jordon also kept taking courses throughout his life. I think that’s been a really good example for me. You are never too old to learn.

I also am passionate about the North and Northern peoples. I’ve taken every opportunity to educate Southerners about life in the North. They don’t have a clue about what it is like. I was disappointed about that. I am so proud of the doctors that came from my medical school class. About twenty have come to the

Where you are based out of now? Do you have any memories about your childhood in the North?

I am a Northerner. I always have been. When I was finishing medical school, I began to look north for work. My family and I narrowed it down and Yellowknife won. It’s a great city for raising teenagers and I could be back in the NWT.

I have several memories of my childhood in the Delta. One of my favourites is being at community drum dances. I was never shy and would get up and dance with everyone. The elders loved it because I was only 2-3 years old.

What is your passion in life?

I have many passions but I love to learn. Some people don’t understand why I would keep on going to school, even after I’ve been a doctor for 5 years. I just can’t seem to stop. I am

NWT to do locums in our communities. I hope I had something to do with them wanting to come up here and see for themselves.

Why did you decide to be a doctor?

I did many things after high school and didn’t return to college until 10 years after graduation (and after one marriage and 2 kids!)

I remember wanting to be a doctor at the age of 15 but many people really didn’t think that I could do it. A school counselor told me, “Girls get married and have babies, they don’t go on to study the sciences”. I was the only girl in my grade 12 physics class! Talk about being out of place!

I tried other things before returning to school in 1993. I worked about 13 different jobs before going back to school. I don’t regret any of it because it made me a more mature person, and a better doctor.

At college in Fort Nelson, I was getting ‘A’s. I think it’s because I was actually ready to be disciplined and work at my studies.

Cindy Orlaw had fun in the Ring Toss at Shingle Point.

It seemed easy to be the smartest person in Fort Nelson so I decided to try summer school at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

My parents lived in Vancouver. I packed up my two kids and left my husband in Fort Nelson to work. I was very surprised to discover that I could get ‘A’s in UBC as well. That’s when I made up my mind to try to get into medicine (at last!) I went back to Fort Nelson and finished my second year at the college, and then the whole family packed up and moved.

During this time, my parents were so helpful and supportive. They helped by taking the kids and giving us a weekend here and there to study. What a blessing that was! We really appreciate all the support both of our families have shown us.

Tell us about your challenges to get there.

I love being a doctor. I had to jump through some hoops to get there. There is an extra exam to write before getting into medical school. It is called the MCAT. I was terrified. I was so confused by the physics that I thought for sure I would fail. My husband, however, found a great way to teach me by simplifying the math. I did great!

With my MCAT score, I applied to medical school. Three people interviewed me. That was stressful! I decided to just be myself. One doctor asked me a question to see if I would do something unethical. He set up a “scenario” where I could pull the plug on someone’s life-support to save another apparently more deserving patient. What he didn’t expect was some good old Inuvialuit ingenuity! Instead of saying whether I would pull the plug or not…I said, “I’ll build another life support machine”. He was very surprised and said, “You can’t.” “Why not?” I said. Anyway, I think I impressed him with that answer. I think most Northerners and Inuvialuit would see that my answer as a definite option. We think outside the box.

Does being Inuvialuit have an influence on your choices and options?

female. I want to help show kids that getting educated is important. I take that role most seriously.

I want to encourage Aboriginal youth. Never let what someone tells you stop you from getting what you want. If you want something, you can get it….just gotta work hard.

I make choices with my family. I have all the options in the world and can’t wait to see what the future has to offer!

What are your plans for the future?

I am doing my Masters in Public Health by distance learning, so I can take courses at home and continue to work. I felt the need to get more education because I am being asked to sit on national committees and speak as an expert in Aboriginal peoples’ health. I need more training in population health so that I can speak about Inuvialuit, Inuit and Northern peoples’ health appropriately. Maybe I can accept a position as an expert on Aboriginal peoples’ health one day!

I will be sworn in as the President of the Northwest Territories Medical Association in February, 2008. This is another learning opportunity for me on a political level. I can help keep the North on the national map. I can help Northern peoples by advocating for ideas that improve their health.

I went to one meeting and learned a lot! I like the dinners with all the fancy clothes. I have a fine collection of shoes that I love to wear! I met several important politicians and spoke to them about Aboriginal and Northern peoples. They were interested to meet me as I am the only Inuvialuit doctor on the political scene. Perhaps they will remember us!

We love to laugh and don’t take ourselves too seriously. A lot of people wonder if I am really a doctor! I laugh a lot but am serious when I need to be. I like listening to stories and figuring out how I can help people.

It’s rare that an Inuvialuit becomes a doctor. Noah Carpenter was the first and only one so far. I am the second and the only

Being Inuvialuit is enriching. We think differently. We are creative and we problem solve. That comes in handy with medicine.

Cindy taking a patient’s blood pressure.

Andy Carpenter

Building a Selfless Legacy

“Iwas just about gone,” said Andy Carpenter, “The doctors in Edmonton told me I did not have very long to live if I came home. But I knew if I was going to die, I wanted to

agreement in Canada. Andy is unrelenting and selfless when it comes to wildlife and land conservation; this description is etched right onto his Wallace Goose award. “I guess when I get started with anything, I don’t like to quit,” Andy laughs. He learnt resilience early on in his life. Born in a boat at Sea Otter Harbour to Fred and Lucy Carpenter, Andy lost his mother when he was very young, and attended residential school in Aklavik. His formal education ended at grade five. “My dad had a white father. It was a bit different growing up. We used to be called names and get beat up. But my dad and granddad taught us to try our best in everything we do. We lived a traditional life. I can speak Inuvialuktun. We wintered in Sachs Harbour to trap, and traveled in the summer by our schooner, the Northstar, to pick up supplies in Aklavik.”

“I liked trapping, we made a good living with it. We always tried to make money, so we can have a better life. My wife Winnie and I had eight kids, and things cost a lot when you have a big family. In Sachs Harbour, we’ve always loved the land, and we still do a lot of hunting. But we were taught as kids to respect the wildlife, so I don’t hunt just for the fun of it. I only hunt what I’ll use.” In the early seventies, Andy became head of the Sachs Harbour Hunters and Trappers Association, and he protected the land and wildlife at Banks Island from the oil industry by working out an agreement between the community, the Government of Canada and the private sector. It limited industrial activities to the winter months.

This initial agreement became the basis of the Territorial Land Use Regulations. To protect caribou and muskoxen habitats, he also helped establish Aulavik National Park, an area of 12,000 square kilometers on the arctic lowlands. He helped preserve the calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd, areas spanning the Northern Yukon and Mackenzie Delta, by legislating the establishment of Ivvaik National Park through the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. Non-native activities that could harm the wildlife were thus kept to a minimum, and the Inuvialuit could still carry out subsistence hunting.

be near family. They sent me to the hospital in Inuvik, and after a month there, I was ready to come back to Sachs Harbour. Now I even go on the land with them. The doctors said I would never be able to do that. I felt better once I came back to my family.”

Andy, resilient in his seventies, is celebrated in the ISR as a family man and an activist for Inuvialuit rights. He is a key negotiator for the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, the first comprehensive land claims

Andy’s passion for wildlife made him take on all the reading and learning he needed to become an effective leader. He recounts the ups and downs of COPE’s negotiations with the government. COPE (Committee for Original People’s Entitlement) was essential for uniting the voices of the Inuvialuit, when they needed to negotiate with the government of Canada for their land and human rights. “I was still a trapper then. It was the end of the trapping season, in 1976, when COPE needed someone to be a negotiator. My wife Winnie was a field worker for COPE. I thought I would give it a try, and go back to trapping when the season starts again.”

Andy Carpenter, winner of the 2005 NAAF award for Environment in his living room in Sachs Harbour. Utkoyak, nalunaitkutaniktuaq 2005 NAAF nalunaitkutainnik Silaktigun igluangani Ikaariami.

“But when the time came, oil companies were coming up North, and we had to have the negotiations done before they got too much control. We broke off from the ITC (Inuit Tapirisat of Canada), because development was not affecting the Eastern Arctic as much then. I found I wanted to lead. Bob Delury, our chief negotiator, and Nellie Cournoyea, co-founder of COPE expected a lot of me, and sometimes I had to go negotiate with other groups by myself. We worked with the North Slope Indians a lot, and traveled to Ottawa regularly.”

“COPE started up in Inuvik. At first, people welcomed us when we visited their homes, but after awhile, they felt that we were giving them the same information too regularly, and they started losing interest. They shut their doors to us. There were also a few that were against settlement for a while. We had to go back and forth between the people and the government, interviewing the people to find out about land use, wildlife, and what they could give up.”

“At first, we sent a team of twenty people to Ottawa. COPE didn’t have much money when we started, so we had to keep the costs down, staying in cheap hotels, paying out of our own pockets sometimes. The government wanted to give away as little as possible, and Bob Delury kept us working to guess what the government was going to say next, to figure out how we were going to respond. We negotiated mainly about the amount of land, the wildlife and the settlement monies. We finally signed an Agreement in Principle with the Liberal government in 1979, but the Progressive Conservative Party came into power and negotiations stalled once more.”

“We had to wait for the Liberals to come into power to start negotiating again. By then the Indian Affairs ministers had been changed five times. We had to inform all the communities about what the agreement contains. We lost some of our negotiators along the way. We had negotiators from each settlement, Agnes Semmler, Robert Kuptana, Nellie Arey, Renie Arey, Tommy Gordon, Mark Noksana and Edward Ruben. I was there right until the signing.”

“Nellie Cournoyea was at the signing. She was instrumental to the negotiation of the land claim. She was Minister of Information and Minister of Renewable Resources at that time, working from within the government to help us. The day of the signing took place in Tuktoyaktuk, on June 5th, 1984. It felt good. It had taken so long to get there.” The final agreement served as a reference for other land claims groups.

The implementation of the Final Agreement, setting up boards such as the Game Council, and representing the Inuvialuit at WMAC (Wildlife Management Advisory Council) meant Andy no longer had personal time. “It was a huge life change. I didn’t trap anymore. I had to travel all over the world. At first, it was exciting. Sometimes, I was not able to come home to my family for a month. But my family was supportive, and I had the support of the communities when I was in these positions, so I felt welcome in every settlement I visited.” Andy served as founding Chair of the Inuvialuit Game Council for ten years, and also asVice-chair of WMAC.

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There used to be friction between the US and Canada regarding polar bears. Sport hunting was banned in Alaska, the Inupiat can hunt as many bears as they want for subsistence, but they cannot have sport hunts nor can they sell the fur hides. They thought we weren’t protecting the bears in Canada. We made a good presentation and from then on we started getting their respect. They learnt that we had a quota system, and that not many bears were taken. The Inuvialuit and Inupiat started managing the bears together, this has a long-term influence on the maintenance, use and conservation of this resource.” Today, Andy’s son Larry is the Chair of WMAC and Duane Smith, President of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference cites Andy as his one of his mentors. Duane also modeled the Inuvialuit - Inupiat International Beluga Management Agreement after the Polar Bear Management Agreement.

In the past five years, Andy has taken on the position of the mayor of Sachs Harbour, while also sitting on the board of IDC. He remains pragmatic when finding solutions to problems. “It’s a small community to be a mayor of, and there isn’t much that I can do,” he said. “The main thing I worked on as mayor was to get the RCMP up here. For a long time there weren’t any. It just cost too much money for the government to have the RCMP up here. Later on, because of the international sovereignty issues that are in the news these days, there was more talk. Now, the RCMP are stationed in Inuvik, and every two weeks they will rotate some members of their staff up here.” He retired last year due to declining health.

Today, he has received over twenty prestigious awards, including the Roland Michener Conservation Award, the ITK Lifetime achievement award, and the Parks Canada Award. The latest award he received is the 2005 NAAF award for Environment. Andy understands how crucial it had been for the Inuvialuit to struggle for rights as a people, having gone through it first hand. He encourages younger generations to revisit the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. “I think people should look at it again. Things change through the years, and the agreement is a living document that adapts, but we have to know how to create change. It would be good if more people could understand and get involved. When you are working, and you go forward with confidence, you will be rewarded.”

“ When I was Chair of the Game Council, my greatest accomplishment is the Polar Bear Management Agreement with the Inupiat from Alaska (1989). Ian Sterling, our negotiator, could not come to an agreement with the Inupiat. We then went to Barrow. The Council of Point Barrow met us in a big room, where they all sat in a circle above, looking down

us. Ian and I looked at each other, and he said, “We look pretty small, I wonder what is going to happen now?”

Andy Carpenter

Utkoyak: Inuusimini Ikayuruuyuq Inungnun

“Maqaiqqayauqtuami ,” Utkoyak uqallaktuaq, “taaktit Edmontonmi uqallautiyaani inuulaittuami sivituyumun aiguma. Isumayuami tuqusuliruma, ilama iqatigisukkitka. Anniarvingmuutiyaani Inuuvingmun, atausimi tatqiqsiutimi tajvaniitqaaqlunga, aiyuami Ikaariamun. Qangma nunamuqatigivakkatka. Taaktit taimaliulaittunga quliutitqaarlunga. Nakuruqtuami aigama ilamnun.”

Utkoyak, seventiesnik ukiulik, quyagiyaat Inuvialuit nunanganni munarivakpangman nutarainik ikayuruummanlu Inuvialuit pinginnik. Inuvialuit nunangat sannairutiksaani ilaumayuaq piyaksanginnik sivulliutilugit, pitqaaqtuani Kanatami ilaumablunilu nunakput sannairutiksaani. Utkoyak ikayuruuyuaq niryutigun nunatigunlu munariviksainun; aglaksimayuq aittusiangani nalunaitkunmun Wallace Goosenik atiruaqtuanik. “Sunik pisarama, nutqalaitpangniqtuami,” Utkoyak iglalaktuaq. Sapirnaqtumik ilittuaq nutarautilluni. Aniyuaq umiaqpauyuami Sea Otter Harbourmi ilangik Fredlu Lucy Carpenterlu. Amaamaa maqaiqtuaq mikitilluni, ilisariaqsimayuaqtauq Aklarvingmun. Tallimanun kisianik ilisaqsimayuaq. “Aappaga taningmik aappalik. Allangalaaqtuaq inugurniarapta. Allat atchiqtuutivagainni, kasuqlutalu. Aglaan aappaga ataatagalu ilisautisuugainni sugupta nakururlugu pisarivut. Ingilraatun inuguqtuanni. Inuvialuktun uqalayunga. Ukiuyuanni Ikaariami naniriaqturluta, auyangurman aasiin aulavaktuanni umiaqpauyapkun, Northstar atinga, Aklarvingmugiaqluta suralinik aikliqluta.”

“Naniriaqturniq quviagiyara, inuuniarutiblugu nakuuyunik taimani. Maninnangniaqpaktuanni, sapirnaittumik inuusukluta. Nuliaralu Winnie tallimat pingasunik nutararuaqtuangni, sut akituyut inugiaktunik nutararuaqtuni. Ikaariami, quviagivialukkivut nunakput, qangmanmun aglaan anguniarvigivakkivut. Nutarautilluta ilisautiyaatigut piqpangnaqtuq niryutit, alianaigiginnarlugu anguniayuittunga. Atulanguyuanik kisianik anguniaqpaktuami. Seventiesni aullaqqutaani, Utkoyak sivuliqtiuyuaq tajvani Ikaariam Anguniaqtitlu Naniriaqtuqtitlu Katimavianun, munariyait nunalu niryutitlu Ikaariam nunangani ittuat suinnalitqunngilugu ukuanin uqsiqiyit savaqatigiiklutik inuuniarvik, Kavamatkut Kanatamun ukuatlu inmikun savaaruaqtuat. Taimanna savaguktuat savaksinaqtuat ukiurman kisian.

Una angirutaat sivulliqpaaq aullaqiyaa Maliyaksait Territorialkut Nunani Atuaksatigun. Munarisuklugit tuktutlu umingmaitlu nunangit, ilaumayuaqtauq sanivaktaq nuna Aullavik National Park, angitilaaqtuq 12,000 square kilometers tamaani ittuq auqisuilami natirnami. Ikayuqtuattauq munariviksainun ivvavingit Porcupine tuktut, nunaruaqtut Northern Yukonmi Uummarmilu, maliyaksaliuqlutik sanivaktaumman Ivvavik National Park aullaqiblugu ukuanin Inuvialuit Final Agreementkutigun. Taimanna tanngit nunaptingnuguktuat savaguklugit nautchiulangasiblugit niryutivut munarisuklugit piyuat, taimannaptauq Inuvialuit angunialayuat niqiksamingnik.

Utkoyak nakuugivialuklugit ikayuruklugitlu niryutit taiguqluni makpiraanik ilittauq sunigliqaanik taimanna iluaqtumik ikayuruklugit inungit ilinniaqsimayuaq. Itqaumayuaq qanuq sapirnaqtuaq COPEkut aullaqiniarmata uqaqatigimmatkit

Andy views the Inuvialuit-Inupiat Polar Bear Management Agreement as his greatest achievement. Here he is pictured at the signing.

Utkoyak quviagiyaa savaani tajvunga Inuvialuit-Inupiat Nannunik Munariviksainun. Uvva agliutiliunga titirviani.

kavamatkut. COPE (Committee for Original People’s Entitlement Katimayit Inuvialuut Piyaksaitigun) iliyuaq ikayuruklugit Inuvialuit tamaita, uqaqatigimmatkit kavamatkut Kanatamun nunaitigunlu piyaksaitigunlu. “Naniriaqtuqsimayuani suli taimani. Naniriaqturvik umingnailirman, 1976mi, COPEkut qiniqsimayuat uqaqtinik. Tuaqatiga Winnie savaksimayuaq COPEmi. Uukturuklunga isumaliqtuami, naniriaqturvimnun utilangayunga angmatqigumi. Aglaan angmarnialirmani, uqsiqiyit qaikkiqtuat Nunaptingnun, piyaksavut sannaiyaksavut qilamik qaikkiqtinnagit akitdjutiblutik. Aullaqtuanni ITCmin (Inuit Tapirisat Canadamun), savaaksavut allaumata tajvannga Kivanmun ittuanin. Ilitchuriyuami sivuliqtiusuktuami. Bob Delury, savaktingni qutchingniqsauyuaq unalu Nellie Cournoyea, aullaqiqatigiyaa COPEkut ukuak savativialuksimayaangni, ilanniptauq avayailluaqlunga uqaqtigiyaqtuqpakitka allat. Savaqatigivialukkivut North Slope Itqilingit, Ottawamuklutalu inugiaktunik.”

“COPE aullaqiyuaq Inuuvingmi. Sivuani, inuit ititquvagainni itiriaqturapta, qakungurman aglaan, yarratimakkirainni tusaapkanngilugit tusaasuitainik, taimanna naalagaiqtuat. Upkuangit upkuingitait uvaptingnun. Qapsittauq nakuuginngitaat nuna sannairutiksanga. Uglaqsimayuanni inungnunlu kavamanunlu, uqaqatigilugit inuit nunatigun, niryutigun, suniglu aittulayuat.”

“Sivullirmi, inuinnanik inungnik aullautiyavut Ottawamun. COPEkut aullaqitqaarman taimani maniruanngittuat angiyunik, akikittumun siniktarvingmi tukkumavaktuanni, uvaptigun akililluta ilanni. Kavamatkut singnaqtuniblutik qaitchisunngitpaktuat, Bob Delury suli savaktisimayainni ilitchurisukluni qanurnairmagaita kavamatkut, qanurlu kiuniarmagapta. Uqaqatigimayaqput nunakkun, niryutikkunlu maniktigunlu. Angirutinik sivullirmik piyavut Liberal kavamanin 1979mi, aglaan ukuat Progressive Conservative Partykut siviliqtiugamik kavamani uqaqtavut nutqapsaaqtuat.”

“Utaqqiyavut Liberalkut sivuliqtuiniarumik uqaqtavut aullaqipsaaruklugit. Taimani Indian Affairskut minisitangat simmausiraat tallimaqtuqlugit. Inuuniarvikput tamaita ilitchuripkaqtavut savaaptingnik angirutiksainik. Ilait uqaqtit savangaiqtuat, uqaqtiruaqtuanni tamainnin inuuniarviptingnin, Agnes Semmler, Robert Kuptana, Nellie Arey, Renie Arey, Tommy Gordon, Mark Noksana Edward Rubenlu. Uvanga ilaumayuami sannairutiksaanun aglaan.”

“Nellie Cournoyea ilaumayuaq sannairutirvingni. Sivulliuyuaq sannairutiksaanun nuna. Minisitauyuaq taimani Informationmun Minisitaublunilu Renewable Resourcesmun, kavamani savaktilluni ikayuqsimayainni. Sannairutaani titiraqtuayuaq Tuktuuyaqtuumi, June 5th, 1984. Quvianaqtuq. Sivituyumun savaksimabluta.”

Taamna sannairutaat nunanik allat nunat aturuuyaat utjiqturiblugu nunaminun.

Iliyimman Sannaiqtaq Angirutait, katimaviliuqtuat aasiin ukuanik Game Council, Inuvialuit ilaumayuattauq WMAC (Wildlife Management Advisory Council) taimalibluni Utkoyak savaakkivialuktuaq katimayuani. “Inuusira allanguvialuktuat taimani. Naniriaqtuyuittuami unniin. Aulavaktuami allanun nunanun. Sivullirmi alianaittuugaluaq. Ilanni, aisuittuami tatqiqsiunmi atausimi. Aglaan ilatka ilitchuriyuat savaaruaqtuami, inuuniarvigaptauq quviasuktuat savautimmatkit, taimanna sumunliqaa aulagama quviasugaani itiriaqturama.” Utkoyak ilaumayuaq qulini ukiuni Game Coucilni aullaqitqaaqlugu katimavik taamna, tugligibluniptauq WMACkut katimaviani.

“ Sivuliqtaugama Game Councilkunni, savaara sivulliutiyara Nannutigun Polar Bear Management Agreement ukuatlu savaqatigiblugit Inupiat Alaskamin (1989). Ian Sterling, uqaqtivut, sannaingitaa atautchikun isumalaiqlutik Inupiatlu. Barrowmuktuanni, katimavianuktuanni angiyuamun ininun katimaqatigilugit Councilkut Point Barrowmin, iksivayuat qanganiptingni taununga takunnakluta. Ianlu uvangalu iyimigaqtuangni, uqallaktuaq aasiin, “mikiyungnaqtuq takunnasiqpuk, qanuqiliniaqpita?”

Taimani uqamaarutiruaqpaktuak nannutigun USlu Kanatalu. Nanurnik anguniarniq nutqarnigaat taningnun, Inupiat aasiin inmigun nanuqsiulayuat inuusiminun atuaksanun, aglaan anginiaqtit tanngit nanuqsiulaittut suli amingit tunilaitkait. Isumayuat uvagut Kanatami munarisuitkivut nannut. Uqautiyavut sivuniqsipkaqlugit taima aasiin tajvanngaaniin uqaqatigimaakkiravut. Ilitchuriyuat uvagut munarivakkivut nannut anguniarutiksait mikiyuaq. Inuvialuitlu Inupiatlu atautchikun savaakkiqtuat munariviksainun nannut, taimanna munarimmaarikpakivut nannut taimungamun aglaan.” Ubluq, Utkoyam irninga Larry Sivuliqtiuyuq WMACmun unalu Duane Smith, Sivuliqtiuyuq Inuit Circumpolar Conferencemun uqallaktuaq Utkoyak malivakkaa savaanga nakuumman. Duane atuqsimayaa iyuqlugu malirulianga Inuvialuit –Inupiat Beluga Management Agreement atuqlugu sannairutiksaanun iyuqlugu Polar Bear Management Agreement.

Tallimani ukiuni Utkoyak mayornguugaluaqtuaq Ikaariami, IDCmilu iksivayauyuaq. Ikayuruuyuq suli sunik savinnaqtuanik ikayuqluni. “Inuuniarvik mikigaluaqtuq mayorngaugavit, savaanga mikigaluaqtuq,” taimanna uqallaktuaq. “Sivulliutiyara savaara RCMPnik piniaqlunga. Sivituyumi uvaniinngittuat. Akituvallaaqtuq kavamanun iligumik RCMPmik uvani. Qangma nuna pimaniaqsimagamik, uqaqsimayut qaisuklutik. Qangma, Palisimatkut, Inuuvingmiittut, malrungni sanansuillutini inniaqtut uvani aasiin allanik simmausiqturlugit.” Savangaiqtuaq ukiutqik nangilaaqluni.

Ubluq, inuinnainik sipillugu nalunaitkutaniktuaq suminliqaa, ukuanik Roland Michener Conservation Award, ITK Lifetime achievement award, Parks Canada Awardmiklu. Qanikkuntauq, 2005 ukiungani NAAFmin nalunaitkutaniktuaq Silaktigun savagumman. Utkoyak ilisimayuq qanuq Inuvialuit piyaksangit sapirnaqtuaq piniaqsimagapkit, ami savaksimayuaq ikayurniaqlugit. Uqallautisukkait nutaat Inuit takunnapsaarukkait nunakput maliruliangit. “Isumayunga takunnapsaarumitku nakuuniaraluaqtuq. Sut allanguqpangmata taimangaaniin, angirutit taapkuat allangulayuq iluangitkumik qangmamun, aglaan uvagut ilisimayuksauyuanni qanuq allangurniarman. Nakuuniaraluaqtuaq inuviaktuat inuit ilaugumik uingairumiklu tamatkuninganik. Savakkuvit sumik, nutqayuitkuvit sapirnaqtullugu, ilurriniaqtutin.”

Utkoyak anguniaruuyuaq naniriaqturuuyuaqlu nutim savaakkiqtinnani Inuvialuit inuusinganun.

Andy with his wife and sons, (L-R) Andy, Junior, Winnie and Richard.

ScoringGoldinAlbuquerque ScoringGoldinAlbuquerque

“It felt cool whven I scored a goal in the All-Star game. Lance set me up. There were six games going on at the same time, with an audience of about 30 people watching each game. I got the Most Inspirational Player award. I was so surprised,” said Scott Kuptana, who represented Team NWT in the first Indigenous Soccer Game, held at Albuquerque, New Mexico this year. Over twenty-two teams from Alberta, North West Territories, and Arizona USA gathered in the arid, grassy grounds of the University of New Mexico to compete in fourty degree heat for a week this August. According to the Under 19 Girl’s Division coach, Yvonne Carpenter, Scott overcame challenges in his running abilities with his determination to always “put out 110% on the field,” inspiring other players to follow suit.

The NWT Under 16 Boys team also overcame unfamiliar field conditions to win gold, scoring 5 - 1. Jordan Rogers, who is on the team, has traveled previously to Edmonton and Yellowknife for soccer games, but has never played on grass.

“ This is my first real outdoor tournament,” he said. Even the air quality was different, as Albuquerque is at a high altitude, 5200 feet above sea level. They compensated for the altitude sickness foreign players might feel by shortening the pitch, length of each game, and the field size. This made it closer to the conditions Inuvik plays.

Dwight Carpenter, an U16 member, was impressed by the skill of the other teams. “They way they played was ‘crazy’. They played a lot, and are good at it.

They have a better field. Usually we practice in a gym in Inuvik, or play in our mud field. I think we won because we played well as a team.”

The team had sharing circles before each game, complimenting each other on good plays to build up communication.

Donald Kuptana is coach of the U14 boys, and he observed that it was good to expose the Inuvik players to indigenous players from diverse backgrounds, especially since these players remained driven despite impoverished living conditions. “It made them want to work harder too,” he said.

Scott said, “Our routine was to wake up at 6am, take a shower, go to opening prayers, have breakfast, get

James Day (L) playing against a team from Alberta.

U16 boys with their GOLD medals!

Allstars Winners -MVP (Taos) , Leadership (San Phillipe), Most Inspirational Player Scott Kuptana(NWT)

ready, go to our games, have lunch, and spend the rest of the day in life skills workshops. Each team showed each other what their cultures does. Our team showed the other teams how to throat sing. We also made a poster of animals on our land. We wrote in our journals at 9:30pm and then went to bed at 10. It is so different from my summer in Inuvik, where I go to sleep at around 2am and wake up around noon. But even through it was a challenge getting up, it was still a lot more fun than staying home, the soccer games were awesome and we had new experiences everyday.”

Lance Gray recalls all the great laughs. As Inuvik did not have a large number of soccer players to form a competitive team, many of the team members are new to each other and to their positions. “In our final game, we had three forwards who weren’t really that experienced in defense. James, Dakota and I had so many mess ups in our defense, the ball was going everywhere. We would get scared but at the end we would just laugh.”

James Rogers, a good hockey player who is just picking up soccer said, “Going to Albuquerque changed the way I saw soccer. I like being a soccer player

now.” His favourite memory from the trip is being part of a Saint’s Day celebration with the Peublo people. “We went to a town outside of Albu Jemez Pueblos to visit the elders,” he said.

“We went in a line and shook each elder’s hands. We also visited a Peublo family that fed us traditional food.”

Even the adults were delighted to take part in the cultural experience. “Four hundred people danced for four hours in 38 degree heat,” said Yvonne. “Each team had a sponsor family, and we went into their house to meet the clan. It was a big highlight. They had names like ‘Society of Turquoise’ or ‘Society of Pumpkin’, and all their grannies are dressed like our grannies from the Sahtu and North Slavey region, with colourful handkerchiefs on their head!”

“This game is a good prep for the North American Indigenous Games next year,” said Yvonne. “A lot of these boys have the opportunity to make the team, but they are not guaranteed spots. They have to train hard to make their bodies stronger and to develop their soccer skills and ability. There will be eighteen sports there, and thousands of athletes will take part. If they thought this was cool, they are going to have a life altering experience there.”

Yvonne also hopes to develop the girl players from NWT, as “there are a lot of great female players, and they deserve to play in the Arctic Winter Games, the Canada Winter Games, and have the same opportunities in the future too.”

The NWT Pulsars, girls U19 team: (Front row) Dayna Burrill,Nicole Cholette, Jackie Thompson, Amanda Bradbury, Jacie Macdonald, (Back row)Shane Thompson (Coach),Megan Okrainec, Jenny Thompson, Lynette Anderson, Cordelia Bouvier,Mikhaela Antoine, Alyssa Carpenter, Yvonne Carpenter (Coach).

Church in Jemez Peublo

Loca L vo L unteers he L p c L ear hurd L es to n ew Mexico excursion

Behindthe adventure of youth from the NWT soaking up culture and sports in New Mexico, is the sweat and dedication of a group of volunteers. Once the volunteer coaches found out about the opportunity, they fielded four teams from NWT, began training, and also set about trying to raise $29,000 in five months.

Yvonne and Paul Stockton (Fort Simpson coach) also networked extensively to get their teams onto game rosters, especially for the upcoming North American Indigenous Games. “They did an excellent job as coordinators,” said Donald Kuptana, coach of the Under 14 Boys team.

Parents and members of their communities gathered to fundraise through bottle drives, campaigning sponsors, and more. “Picking up garbage is not really that attractive,” said Lucy Kuptana, manager and chaperone of the NWT soccer team.

“I really commend Yvonne, Donald, and all the coaches for their dedication and patience with the kids. I think it’s a special skill they have, not everybody can do it!” While sponsors such as Canadian North, Shell and Norterra stepped up to the plate financially, the team also had to face another “huge hurdle.”

“It was a huge challenge getting passports for these children. We had to enlist the help of our MP Dennis Bevington, to get the passports done. Lucy was lining up at the passport office to get the passports at Edmonton the day before we left, and even then we found out one of them was mailed out instead,” said Yvonne.

“ The lady behind the counter asked me why we didn’t come in person, and why we applied so late. I told her that we applied since the first week of March, and that it costs a lot of money for us to travel from Inuvik to Edmonton! After she heard that, she helped issue a temporary passport for Scott,” said Lucy. “Months before this, other parents and I were calling the passport office daily, trying to make sure the passports did come through. I was on the phone for an hour and a half each day, listening to you are caller 59…you are caller 58,” said Lucy.

Both Donald and Yvonne Carpenter had to request leave from their full time jobs, in order to chaperone and coach the young soccer players. Despite the headaches involved with arranging opportunities for Northern youth to experience more of the world, Donald is happy to continue volunteering. He hopes to help create a stronger volunteer base.

“Some people think it’s too challenging, but to me, it’s something we need to do. It’s good for the kids, they learn through trips like this that if they stay in school and work hard, there will be opportunities for them to travel. I’ll like to see more people come forward and say, I want to do this too. A lot more of my friends are volunteering now. And it’s not only for our kids, we should also help the less fortunate children. We need the community to see that this is available and happening.”

Lance Gray, Jordan Rogers, Donald Kuptana (volunteer coach) and James Day in New Mexico.

Yvonne Carpenter grabbing a quick bite before going back to being coach for the NWT Pulsars.

Chairperson: Colin Okheena, (since January 1, 2006 until December 31, 2008)

Vice Chair: Peter Malgokak

Secretary Treasurer : Angela Kuneyuna

Directors: John Alikamik, Joshua Oliktoak, Anita Oliktoak, Victoria Akhiatak

Corporate Manager: Laverna Klengenberg, (since November 2005)

Term Community Development Facilitator: Melanie Kimiksana (until Janet Kanayok returns from maternity leave)

Brighter Futures Coordinator: Vacant (until Leah Ann Kuneyuna returns in January 08)

Janitor: Kirby Nokadlak

Importance of UCC in community:

UCC is important to the community and its members because we are here to offer local services and programs in both cultural and traditional development for members of all ages. We are also here to provide help with aboriginal issues and local concerns.

UCC’s mandate:

Our mandate is to oversee and administer programs and services to the Inuvialuit members of Ulukhaktok, in accordance with the IFA (Inuvialuit Final Agreement) under the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation.

Requirements for membership:

1. 18 years and older

2. Resident of Ulukhaktok for six consecutive months

3. Inuvialuit beneficiary

4. Not a member of any other CC.

An Overview of Ulukhaktok Community Corporation

Voting system: One vote for each active/ honorary member. Elections are held in December each year. The chairperson’s term is three years. Directors’ terms are two years. Each year, the numbers of seats are staggered.

How UCC works with members: All community/regional concerns are brought to the attention of the board, and worked on where appropriate by elected members of the UCC.

How UCC works with other organizations: We work closely with the Hunters & Trappers Committee, Elders Committee, Youth Council, and when necessary the Hamlet Council. Issues include but are not limited to local concerns, hunting and land use including mineral explorations, community programs, elders and youth programs.

Programs delivered by the UCC: Summer Language Camp (funds from IRC), Brighter Futures programs administered by the UCC including programs for elders, youth, school and daycare programs. We host language camps, fishing camps, and seasonal programs. During the fall and winter we have traditional skill teaching and sewing skills classes, we also have a funeral assistance program, and the IHAP (Inuvialuit Harvesters Assistance) program.

What is Uniquely Ulukhaktok:

Our community is the furthest east of the six Inuvialuit communities. We are decedents of both the Inuvialuit and Kangiryuarmiut people. The Inuvialuit here speak two dialects of the Inuit language: Inuinnaqtun and Inuvialuktun. Amongst many attractions we have world-renowned artists and carvers, the northern most golf course in Canada, amazing landscapes, and closely held traditional, cultural, and family values.

Colin Okheena

Esther Wolki from Paulatuk is twenty two and ready to take on the world! She is a fresh graduate from the Canadian Forces training program for Artillery Soldiers.

Asshe arrived back in Paulatuk in her traveling uniform, Esther “Gunner” Wolki exudes a sense of assertiveness and worldliness. She has been away from home for the past eight months, getting through the stages of training required to become a Canadian Forces Artillery Soldier at Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec and then Gagetown, New Brunswick. She has passed her military qualification tests, the ‘BMQ’, her ‘SQ’ and ‘MOC’. She rills off these military acronyms, as well as the names of field guns - ‘the LG1 wheeled, 105-mm howitzers, and the M109 self-propelled 155-mm howitzer’ the way youths usually list famous rock bands. More importantly, the “quiet one that can’t speak up” (as Esther’s sergeants initially called her) has progressed leaps and bounds to win the “Most Improved Student” award by graduation.

“We have to learn to establish line communications using radio equipment, and I was so nervous, I would keep saying ‘over’ instead of ‘out,’ and ‘out’ instead of ‘over’. “Wolki! You’re doing it again!” my bombardier would yell. And I would smile so much my cheeks started to hurt,” Esther said. “And I used to be nervous when I am around people of higher rank, such as my sergeant Lily or bombardier Ducet. I would look away when speaking or keep on smiling, but now I just say what I want. I am really confident now.”

“They have trained me to become more aggressive. I was made course senior a couple of times and I had to yell at people, because everyone’s doing something different unless you are loud and give out the information. I went into the army expecting to be singled out, but we began with a course that taught us to recognize we are all equals. Everyone was different in a way, each person had come from a different province or territory, so I felt fine.”

“Before I joined the army, I was not active. I would go for short hikes, but I would never go running in hot weather. I passed the fitness test to get into the army, but the training includes waking up at 5:30am each morning to do physical training, then having breakfast and being ready for inspection by 7:15am. There were inspections until we passed and could show that we could keep the drill standards in dress and deportment. Our guns had to be spotless, our boots shining. My boots became a standard for the rest of the group,” she laughs.

Daily training included both theory lessons and combat training, from digging trenches, to taking apart and putting back together machine guns. “Once, we were practicing fighting, we get to go at each other for half a minute each with sticks that have two q-tipped like ends, and because of the constant inspections, we

had a lot of aggression and were going hard. I got hit twice on the head. I felt dizzy, but I wasn’t worried. A teammate informed the sergeant and I had to go see the doctor. I was put on light duty for seven days. We were leaving for training on the field the next day, but the sergeant told me I couldn’t go. I was upset because the field is one thing I really look forward to.”

“On the field, everything happens really fast, it’s exciting! You know what you’ve to do against the ‘enemy force’, and at the end of the day, when you do your job well, you’re told, “well done” and that feels good.”

“I find the shacks more difficult. It’s where we relax on the weekends. Most people are usually drinking then, so I watch movies. We all laugh and communicate well in class. I stay with three girls in a room. In Inuvik, when I lived at the boarding home as I went to high school, we had people from all over the territories staying together. Sometimes there would be quarrels, so I often stayed in my room, with my haven of sewing, tv and Nintendo games, until I made some friends. I find myself staying away from people before they can hurt me since then, but I don’t complain,” she continues.

Esther is getting to know herself better. She is candid and strong as she faces her fears. Her honesty also extends to her view on being a soldier. “A teacher encouraged me to go into fashion design when I was young, but my mother was sick then and I was not ready to leave her. For me, joining the army was a way of getting myself out of town, to go as far away as possible to seek out options. I know there are a lot of advantages and disadvantages to being a soldier. A lot of people are there because they like being paid even while they’re still in training…A lot of people think if I become a soldier, it means I’ll get sent off to Afghanistan to get killed. But no, you don’t go to war right away, you go through a lot more training and courses. Before you go out, you’ll be well trained to face every possible scenario. There’s always going to be a war between two sides, and it is in Canada’s nature to help. There will be casualties, but if I am the one on the news, it’s nobody’s fault, it’s a choice I chose to make. If we don’t have the freedom of choice, that’s when it’s frightening.”

Esther came back to Paulatuk for a family visit after her graduation from field artillery training. Nellie Cournoyea helped her secure a flight sponsored by Canadian North. “The graduation was very nice. We drove in on decks with our guns, and fired off rounds. The CO spoke to each of us and gave us our awards. We were given our placements into the next rank; I was awarded my cap badge. My family could not come because it was too expensive a journey, but I tried really hard to imagine them there.” She will be going next to her regiment in Shiloh, Manitoba for further training, before she might be deployed on a peace mission. “There’s really a lot of options for people,” Esther said, “I can see it for them, even if they might not see it for themselves right now. There are big opportunities for youth, people can go back to school, take managerial courses, find new jobs, move out of town. I’m a soldier now, that’s so cool… I didn’t think I’ll make it. My family is so proud.”

Esther and her sister Celina Wolki (R)stopped by the IRC for a visit with Nellie Cournoyea.

t is a windy weekend in Sachs Harbour, and a procession of decorated ATVs, trucks and a clown are making their way around the community, honking and yelling “Wake up, Sachs!!” The Sachs Harbour annual White Fox jamboree is taking place, in combination with Oceans Day (a Department of Fisheries celebration where knowledge of sea life is promoted through fun games and events). Sachs Harbour has a population of about a hundred and fifty people, and most of them came out for the celebrations.

“This is fun!” said Mariah Lucas, eleven. She was awarded a pail of maktak, a schoolbag and stationary as prizes for her Oceans Day logo design. Community members who took part in the games and celebrations were given organic clothing imprinted with the logo. Children enjoyed an educational obstacle course, in which participants had to enact the ‘Life of a Char’. They run through the course, avoiding being netted by fishermen, fighting off polar bears (impersonated by adults wearing facemasks), and laying eggs (blowing bubbles).

The main events took place on the beach, and in the community gymnasium. A feast of traditional foods and barbeque was held with the help of community members, IRC and DFO staff. Elder Lena Wolki enjoyed the dry fish, as did the children! Beverly Amos cooked up some seal meat as there were lots of visitors who had never tried it before. The community tried to put a twist into the usual jamboree events. “Usually in Nail Drive, you nail the log from above, but this time they had to nail from beneath the log. A lot of the participants found it more challenging and had fun,” said jamboree organizer Andrea Keogak.

“Usually we have jamboree at winter, but this year we thought we’d have it earlier so more people could come,” said Frank Lucas, an elder. “We don’t usually have this many people in Sachs! Saturday was focused on kids. We had a jigging contest for children, it’s good for the community to have these activities.”

Tony Lucas Sr. and his other half, Priscilla Smith won the positions of Jamboree King and Queen. They raised $1,600 by selling tickets. “We have lots of people to thank. I am not the kind to get out and do stuff like this usually, but it’s good to participate and give back to the community,” she said.

The way of life in Sachs Harbour seems to have its attraction, as more people seem to be moving there, or moving back. Priscilla had moved from Inuvik to Sachs Harbour to be with Tony, and she said, “I like it here. People live more traditionally here. You can see all kinds of wildlife that you could never imagine to see, polar bears, muskox…it is pretty isolated here but once you learn about going out on the land to fish and to boat around, it’s pretty nice.”

Tony called himself a ‘lifer’ in Sachs. “It’s nice and quiet, and everybody knows each other,” he said. “I finally bought an ATV, so we can travel around more now. We live off the land a lot. It’s $2.49 for a can of pop here. Once in awhile we might buy some pop and frozen meat from the store, but not that often.”

When asked whether people from Sachs Harbour choose to remain there because they might resist living in a larger community, Andrea Keogak said, “I went to Inuvik to do my grade 10 to 12. It’s not a huge change, because people from Sachs have swimming lessons in Inuvik, they travel out of the ISR for sports, and our teachers take kids on trips to get them out of town, to see colleges. I am glad people from Sachs who are in Inuvik right now are all passing their grades in school. It’s good to see they are able to go to Inuvik and live with people they might not know.”

Priscilla Elias, who graduated from the Recreational Leadership Program at Aurora College in Inuvik, is now working for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. She bought her own ticket to get back for this jamboree. “I’m glad to be home, to see my family and friends,” she said.

Lena Wolki, an elder, has recently moved back to Sachs Harbour. She tried to live in Inuvik last year to look after her grandson, who moved there for his high school studies. “Sachs is where I belong,” she said. “In Inuvik, when I look out of window, I just have a boring view of buildings. Here I’ve a view of the ocean. I can go anywhere I want here with skidoos or a boat, I feel so free here.”

Joanne Eldridge sharing a moment with her baby.

Martha and Frank Lucas like seeing the youth play.

“Polar Bear.”

Sachs Harbour CELEBRATES

Cheyenne Haogak blowing bubbles during the “Life of a Char” game, during Oceans Day and Jamboree celebrations on the beach of Sachs Harbour.

Sabrina, Tony and Kristen Lucas took part in the parade with this decorated ATV.

A feast with an abundance of country food. Nellie Cournoyea (L) helps set up the dry fish, which elder Lena Wolki (R) found delicious.

Mariah Lucas and the winning logo she designed.

t the White Fox Jamboree this year, a young person is bustling about, from one venue to the next, facilitating events. Andrea Keogak, a twenty-one year old, is both MC and Chair of the jamboree committee this year.

She can be seen at one moment giving a presentation on global warming, and at another acting as referee in the games. Next, she jumps on her ATV to deliver prizes from the beach to the gymnasium. “This is my first time organizing the jamboree,” she says. “It’s such a relief to see it all working out well. Everyone seems to be hospitable and having a good time. I am glad more visitors came in for Oceans Day.”

Andrea has moved back to Sachs Harbour after completing her high school education, and a year of the Recreation Leaders Program at Aurora College in Inuvik. “It helped me gain organizational skills. I wanted to come back to Sachs Harbour to help with recreation, and I did that for about a year, organizing dances and events for the community. Right now I’m working for selfgovernment. I am glad to be taking on that role. I got to learn a lot about what’s going on in the NWT, and how hard we are working to get the Inuvialuit government going.” Andrea also devotes herself to the promotion of environmental awareness.

Her father John Keogak is known as the “Al Gore of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region”. John is appointed as the climate change spokesperson for the region by the Joint Secretariat, and has traveled widely to raise consciousness about how global warming affects Northern communities. “It’s a big issue, I think everybody should know about it,” says John. “We rely a lot on hunting to survive here. In spring, we need snow on the ground for the geese to come, if there’s no snow, we might have problems with getting geese

last year, and took with me a slideshow I made of pictures of every hill from Sachs Harbour to Kaglit Point,” says Andrea. “The pictures proved that five feet of land is eroding off our hills every year. You can see the permafrost coming up through the ground. The slideshow is still being circulated by DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans) and FJMC (Fisheries Joint Management Committee), my dad and I are very proud of it.”

Andrea observes the changes and proposes solutions. “The heat went right up this year. This is the first time we’ve seen so much vegetation growing on the island. It is beautiful but it can be nerve wrecking. The road is eroding where we usually have our Canada Day celebrations, big cracks have formed and it’s not accessible anymore, even by quads. The water rose in the pond there, and has now formed a river. The youth who go out there to build bonfires had left too many nails and litter in the area. Hopefully we can clean it up.”

“Two years ago there was snow in the middle of summer, and now there isn’t. It’s good to see the ice back early this year, it allows people to go hunting. One of my uncles went hunting and he came back with two Uqiuqs (?) and ten seals. People have been seeing belugas around too. People are excited to hunt those, but it’s a big change weather change for Sachs Harbour. Usually we get our supplies of maktak from Tuktoyaktuk.”

She says, “Everybody here has great care for the land, they still try to keep everything traditional. We mostly live off the land, it’s so hard to get supplies into town. If the weather gets any worse, we won’t be able to get to the north end of the island with ATVs. I don’t think global warming can be stopped but it can be slowed down. It’s nice to see everyone participating with recycling, and keeping the land clean.”

Andrea hopes to make another slideshow soon, to keep DFO informed about the coastal zone. “I hope in the future that I can work with one of the companies that came to Sachs today. Hopefully everyone will be able to see how global warming is affecting the small communities up here. Many people down south might not believe it, but that makes us mad because we’re living with the changes everyday.”

John Keogak (L) and his daughter Andrea are both concerned about climate change affecting small northern communities.

Lawrence Ruben slices into a fresh char during the Char filleting contest.

Norma Wolki in the tea boiling contest.

Millie Thrasher and Marion Green compete side by side in the Goose Plucking contest.

PAUL A T UKIQ A L U kIPk J A ROBM E E

Photos by Kirsten Fleuty

Colton Gordon-Ruben and Keith Felix dance with some younger dancers,Paul Green, Dennis and Keegan Ruben.

Millie Thrasher throwing a harpoon!

Tanya Ruben and Waylon Green jigging.

Iqalukpik Jamboree King and Queen Albert Sr. and Eileen Ruben.

On a Wednesday morning in July 2007, six artists boarded a Twin Otter on their way to Ivvavik National Park, located in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region on the Yukon North Slope. They would be there in isolation for ten days, interacting with themselves, their art and the land. It was the beginning of the 2007 Artists in the Park, for many the experience of a lifetime!

Artists in the Park is an artist’s retreat hosted by Parks Canada in Ivvavik National Park. Up to six artists are invited to participate each summer. Three of the positions are given to artists who are beneficiaries of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, the land claim that led to the establishment of Ivvavik National Park. The other three spaces are for artists whom Parks Canada believes will do the best job of reaching Canadians with their work. This year, an artist from the Sahtu also participated.

The idea of the program is to encourage Canadians to think about national parks in different ways and to be inspired by them. National parks are not only important protected areas, but also deeply meaningful places that touch our emotions. Parks Canada hopes that the work of artists in national parks will help Canadians, who may never have a chance to visit, understand how it feels to be there. This is the fourth time that the Artists in the Park program has been held in Ivvavik National Park.

The program is an opportunity for local artists to learn from and network with established artists from other places in Canada. Cheryl Kaglik, a young participant from Inuvik, not only said that “everyone learned a lot and everyone really enjoyed each other’s company” but added, “it was the experience of a lifetime!”

The group of artists that attended this year’s program was very diverse, as was their art. Terry Pamplin, an artist from Yellowknife

explained, “I thoroughly enjoyed the people. When you go on a program set up by someone else, and you know that you will be thrown somewhere with ten people that you never met, it may sound interesting, but you have no idea what will come of it. But the people were fun, the food was fantastic and the overall environment breathtaking.”

Both Cheryl Kaglik and Terry Pamplin were painters, as was Allen Egan from Ottawa. The other participants included Gary Elemie, a carver from Deline; Carolyn Hunter, a textile artist from Inuvik; and Anny Illasiak, a seamstress and elder from Paulatuk.

“ I really enjoyed myself. There is nothing to worry about. You meet a lot of people and you see what kind of art or craft they are doing. It is my first time in a program as such. (It is a) real good program. You think about your life long ago, growing up and how you do things,” said Anny Illasiak after her week in the park, where she worked on her arctic inspired wall hangings.

During the ten days in the Park the weather was sunny and warm, and the artists could work outdoors morning, noon and night.

So once again Ivvavik inspired, artists created and Artists in the Park had another successful year. In Anny Illasiak’s words: “I would recommend it to others and… also to my children and grandchildren!”

p arks c anada had an a rtists in the p ark display at the Great n orthern a rts Festival in i nuvik this year. a rt produced during the four years of the program was displayed in the festival. v ideos produced by participating artists were also shown.

If you would like more information about Artists in the Park, please contact Pat Dunn at (867) 777-8800 or at pat.dunn@pc.gc.ca

Cheryl Kaglik drawing inspiration from the mountains.

Anny Illasiak and her felt wall hangings.

Making Art in the Park

To walk and climb, to sleep and eat on mountains, to drink the creeks, taste the plants, to work and play with other artists, to push and extend oneself through art, this is heaven on earth. I think that’s what Ivvavik translates into. Terry Pamplin – Artists in the Park 2007

Photo by Zoe Ho

Words by Adriana Bacheschi

Photos by Pat Dunn

Caroline Hunter made felted art that depicted the beauty of Ivvavik’s natural elements, such as this one of a creek.

Antoine Mountain paints in what he coins the ‘first-nations impressionistic’ style. “This way of painting was done in France in the 19th Century”, said the Dene artist, as he applied short strokes of highly contrasting colours on a bright blue canvas, depicting an elder and a child. “I am appropriating it because it perfectly suits my use of colours.” This summer, a fusion of native themes and western techniques are on display at the Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik. Inuvialuit, Gwich’in, Deh Cho, North Slave, and Sahtu artists shared traditional skills with contemporary media artists. Martin Goodknife from Yellowknife set up his workstation right next to fellow jewellery maker Robert Buckle from Aklavik. He said, “Usually we work till 2am.We all learn new techniques from each other.”

This festival was first held nineteen years ago to promote Northern Art, and continues today mainly to promote artists from Nunavut, the Yukon and Northwest Territories. This year’s theme is Northern Hearts, Northern Hands. Not only could visitors to the festival admire and purchase the unique creations; they could also take part in workshops, producing their own art to take home. Marnie Hilash, organizer of the festival, is proud of the way GNAF allows the public direct access to artists and their process. “The degree of contact with artists at this show is unprecedented in the North. You can literally buy a piece of art as soon as it’s finished by the artist,” she said. “Or you could sit with them and learn how to sew, paint or even make a short film.”

Traditional art forms such as beading, quill art and carving were also shared with visitors. During the show, Vince Cardinal from Inuvik sewed a set of beadwork for an upcoming wedding. “I don’t have anything to sell,” he said, “Everything I make is sold before I even finish. I am happy my work makes other people happy. Elders tell me they are glad to see a young person carry on this art.” His style had elders exclaiming, “Your mother taught you this? I haven’t seen this kind of beading in fifteen years. Thank you for bringing it back.”

The Opening Ceremonies featured performances by the Inuvik Drummers and Dancers, the Fort Good Hope Drummers, and the arrival of the Whalebone—a carving from the first Great Northern Arts Festival that has marked the event’s opening and closing since 1997. Events included Parks Canada Day, an old-time dance, whip demonstrations by Baker Lake’s Simon Tookoome, an old-time dance, an Artists in the Park event, a coffee house jam, TV Bingo and a fashion show. A number of Northern movies were screened, included Zacharias Kunuk’s Atanarjuat The Fast Runner and The Journals of Knud Rasmussen.

Musical entertainment carried on throughout the Festival. Eunice Nasogaluak and her husband William had come from Tuktoyaktuk to take in the sights and sounds of the festival, when Eunice got a phone call asking her to play back-up guitar for a festival performer in 20 minutes. Both Nasogaluaks are experienced at accompanying traditional fiddling tunes, so Eunice agreed spontaneously.

Tradition and Modernity Fuse at Great Northern Arts Festival

By Melanie Bell and Zoe Ho

Photos by Estelle Marcoux and Evelyne Potvin-Cloutier

Inuit sunglasses made from bone and leather.

A traditional whip performance by Simon Tookooomee amazed the crowds.

The Nasogaluaks are coordinators of the Tuktoyaktuk Drummers and Dancers for the past 20 years. This group has performed for former Prime Minister Paul Martin and opened for Metallica in 1995. This group performed in the festival for the past two years. “This year,” says William, “Inuvik took their turn.” He explains that, while the Inuvik group performs mostly Alaskan songs and motion dances, the Tuktoyaktuk group’s repertoire consists mostly of coastal Inuvialuit drumming—“songs from generations of songwriters from Bailey Island-Tuktoyaktuk. We used to be the younger ones but now we’re the elders. We carry on as regionally as we can.”

“This year the music at the festival has a lot of southern content,” says William, referring to the country tunes often heard in the arena. “I think people who travel to the North expect to see more music from the North. There are lots of very capable people

Among the attending artists were fellow Tuktoyaktuk residents Vera Ovaiguok and Mary Anne Taylor, a stone and horn carver who won the People’s Choice Award for Sculpture in the closing ceremony. “My dad was a bone carver,” Taylor explains. Now five out of seven kids in her family carve. “Carving has always been in art in Tuk. That’s where we pick it up.” Will she pass the art on to the next generation? “It’s important, but it’s all up to the kids because education is so important right now. You can’t force your kids to carve. If they want to, they will.”

“[The Inuvialuit] used to just make carvings for gifts,” Ovaiguok explains. “If you buried someone they’d have a burial stone for them. There’s a lot of traditional sewing and crafts.” Ovaiguok herself enjoys both carving and sewing. She is currently in the process of making slippers for herself. She has been inspired by Taylor and her father Daryl, who taught her how to carve.

Ovaiguok’s only regret about the festival relates to tradition. “At home . . . if you’re going to do art, you have your traditional food.” She explains that when the Festival started, it featured a local cook, but that was discontinued due to the caribou ban. She suggests having attendees from all four Northern regions bring food from their communities to cook at the Festival.

A new addition to this year’s festival was Inuvialuit Master Hairstylist Will Chicksi. He is currently a member of an International hair team competing in a world championship in New

Corrine Lindsay, a Inuvialuit hair artist who is just starting out, described her joy to be his assistant during the Northern Fashion Show. She felt excited to meet a mentor and to work alongside him. “Meeting Will Chicksi was such an inspiration, he is everything I aspire to be and some,” she said. “He has given me the confidence to be as big as I want to be, even if I’m from a small town in the Northwest Territories.” And it is this spirit of mentorship and sharing that ensures the Great Northern Arts Festival will continue to thrive.

James Rogers played music at the festival.

Robert Buckle from Aklavik made jewellery depicting ravens.

The fashion show at the Great Northern Arts Festival this year left many visitors impressed with Inuit fashion. Here are some of the highlights.

Mary Inuktalik wore a beaded amauti made by herself and participants in a Pauktuutit Woman’s Association program. It took several months for this item to be completed, and Mary said it felt extra special to be wearing it and remembering her experience of sewing as a group with fellow women and artists.

Jimmy Kalinek had fun modelling this hunter’s outfit with a traditional tool.

Sammy Lennie models a caribou skin parka, polar bear pants made by Edith Haogak, and a traditonal dog whip. Like Mary Inuktalik’s beaded parka, his garments had to be kept in a freezer for preservation until the show begins.

Hazel Harrison makes a striking pose in the fringed dress with matching mukluks.

Karis Gruben made her way down the catwolk in this cute top with ulu (woman’s knife) appliques.

Photos by Estelle Marcoux and Evelyne Potvin-Cloutier

Tell us about hair! Hair! Hair!! Why did you choose it as a career? What are international hair shows like?

Well I guess it starts out like this, my mother Lucy Poshtar (Chicksi) moved to Edmonton, Alberta from Inuvik in the year 1974. She attended Marvel College where she graduated the following year to start her career at the young age of 20. Growing up with a mother as a hairstylist, it always felt natural to have the house full of clients, she makes everyone happy and looking good . I started cutting hair at age thirteen, at my mom’s salon in Lamont. My mom would tell stories about how my nanung (Effie Rogers) would always cut everyone’s hair in the community and trade it for services of labor & food. My mother took after her mother where I then chose the same destiny for myself.

Eighteen and a half years later, I’m loving it, living it, doing it. There is nothing more soothing than having every single person sitting in your chair wanting to be there. The most exciting thing is making every single person feel great about themselves. It is my privilege and honor to be able to express my creativity and passion through their hair and personalities. I am grateful God has given me this most powerful gift. Growing up on a farm in Lamont, a small Ukrainian farming community just outside of Edmonton is a great way to grow up, but it makes the bright lights at city shows and the international circuit pretty unreal. I’ve never assumed in my wildest dreams that I would be blessed to walk amongst some of the godfathers of hairdressers. I was taken back by their presence. It was then that I realized I wanted to walk in the same footsteps. I have been given the opportunity.

Did you have to leave the North to pursue your dreams further?

I left Inuvik at age of five so it wasn’t difficult for me to adjust leaving the north. My new challenge was to embrace the community and the culture. I was able to adapt to the community due to the fact that my step family were strong ukrainians. They made it a lot easier to understand a new culture.

What accomplishments have you achieved? Did you ever think you’ll come so far?

I am very proud to be one of the first Inuvialuit platform artists. I am very proud to say that I have been able to be a part of Kids for Cancer, one of the largest fund raisers in Western Canada. Within the last three years out of K division RCMP headquarters along with the help of other communities, we were able to raise $173,000.00. Thank you to all who participated. It was amazing to see the strength and numbers of hairstylists who want to fight this crippling disease. I have achieved six ABA awards on fashion cuts up-todate. I am honored to represent the #1 Japanese shear in the world, Matsuzaki.

I’m also having the pleasure of working for Pureology, the fastest growing product line in North America for the past five years. This has opened up the opportunities to represent some of the best companies in the world, to move forth in life. One of the greatest

things I am learning is how to become a great person, friend and role model. I’ve always known that there would be something special for me out there but nothing like this.

What allows you to keep motivated?

I have achieved by believing in myself completely. This is my philosophy, “For yesterday we cannot change, so nor shall we dwell. For tomorrow we have not lived, but we can prepare for. But right now every moment in front of us we can control how we feel to live it out.” I also live by these five “P’s”: Passion: This is the fuel that drives us; Persevere: To overcome all challenges; Pride: To believe in yourself;

Personality:

Does being Inuvialuit have an influence on your choices or your options? Why did you come back to fundraise at the GNAF?

Being Inuvialuit has always been different, but never so different that I didn’t know who I was. Whether I was Inuvialuit or any other ethnicity, I would still strive to work towards success. You need to know where you’ve been and who you are, to know where you’re going. There is no greater honor than to represent my people. I thought it would be cool to do hair at the arts festival, to recognize hair as an art. The proceeds went back to GNAF to make it a stronger and better arts festival. I felt as if I was giving back to my culture, where my creativity has come from. I would like to thank all the great artists at the festival for making me feel at home and one of them.

What are your plans for the future?

Wow, what a question. Funny you should ask. To move my life forward in harmony and spirits, body and mind, career and focus, family and friends. All those are the four corners of my life. Without balance you can never have structure. This is something that I will be working on. I see myself facilitating hair amongst foreign waters. One day I will live out the dream of the Pure Chicksi Salon!!!

What is your life like now?

I am blessed with my family. My parents, Lucy & Richard have been the greatest inspiration in my life. They never stopped believing in me, giving me that strength to believe in myself. I love you both. My younger siblings, Ryan, Kirsten and Shannon whom which I am very close to, all play a big part in my life. Thanks “little buddies”.

You need to be your best friend; Practice is a form of repetition. Repetition is a state of commitment. Commitment is a direct way to excellence. But excellence can only come from perfect practice.

Will posing with his 2007 Allied Beauty Award and the model he worked on.

If you were given a huge soapbox to stand on, and could share anything you’ve learnt with fellow Inuvialuit, what would be your message?

May you all use this tool to help yourself cause it has helped me.

In my New York training at Redkin Exchange one of the questions was “If you had one word to describe everything that you consist of, what was it?” So I realized that its only one letter, “B”.

“B” human “B” kind “B” forgiving “B” passionate

Karis Gruben experienced many firsts on the Lyubov Orlova this summer. The Russian icebreaker carried 70 international youth (aged 14-18yrs), as well as a team of 30 scientists, polar experts, educators, artists and environmentalists from Churchill, Manitoba, to Iqaluit, Nunavut on the Students on Ice Arctic expedition.

Student participants include 17 northern aboriginal youth, as well as youth from Russia, China, India, Germany, United Kingdom, United States and Canada.

“It was awkward at first,” said Karis, “not knowing what to talk about with each other, but soon I was learning words in Russian, and we had so many adventures everyday, I felt that if I slept in I would miss out.”

Karis saw her ‘first live polar bear, eating a walrus,” had her first iceberg sighting, even eating a chip off it; she was part of an ‘arctic swim team’, jumping off the gangway of the icebreaker into a patch of open water in the sea ice. “On our first day, we saw Orcas, they were coming right at the boat. We went in the zodiac boats to see different kinds of wildlife everyday, it was so cool.”

Karis had a taste of her first ice berg on this Arctic expedition.

Jumping on the swells.

Life on the icebreaker was full of variety. As part of the International Polar Year initiation, this expedition focused on hands on experiences through which students could see the impacts of climate change on the Arctic region and its people. “We did bottle drops to see where the currents would take them. We learnt about how the Arctic is a cornerstone of our planet’s ecosystem.” Karis also got to make friends with experts in science, such as Dr. Roy Koerner, a glaciologist. “‘We call him ‘Fritz’ - He was always funny, and we liked listening to his stories of his expedition to the Northpole by dogteam.”

Mary Simon, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, an organization for the Canadian Inuit, was also part of the expedition team. Through exposure to leadership figures, the SOI team hopes to inspire youth on this trip to become future leaders and ambassadors for global issues.

Students were shocked to see the extent of global warming at Auyuittuq National Park.

closer look at wildlife.

Stopping at Northern communities such as Pangnirtung and Iqaluit, students were also given a chance to partake in the culture of other communities. Mary said, “What a welcome we had when we arrived in Pangnirtung. The elders took the time to talk to the youth and give their experience and impressions of what is happening to our Siila (water,

On the first day, orcas swam up to the icebreaker.

Arctic swim team: Karis takes the plunge into the ocean.

Photo courtesy of Karis Gruben

earth and air). We have one word for these three things because they are so inter-connected.”

Mary Simon and Robin Anawak gave a presentation on the many difficulties that the Inuit could experience because of a changing environment, giving the youth food for thought. Southern youth became more conscious of the need for subsistence hunting in Northern communities. “We must understand that for thousands of years the Inuit have depended on these magnificent animals to feed them, to clothe them, to allow them to express themselves artistically by making sculptures of them,” said Colleen AlkalayHoulihan of Nobleton, Ontario. “Inuit have treated them with respect and kindness, understanding that we alone, as humans, cannot survive—we depend on others, and the caribou, seals, walruses, etc. are a part of our survival, and so too must we ensure their survival.”

The expedition also gave the students a sense of history. It took students to Katannilik Territorial Park, to visit archaeological evidence of habitation by earlier Dorset people. At Kekerten Island, students were reminded of the impact of European whaling days on the surrounding hills and tundra.

A staff member of SOI said, “Ten years ago, most of Hudson Bay was still frozen till the end of July and sailing to Churchill on anything other than a full icebreaker would’ve been

nearly impossible till August. Today, the team went looking for ice, but came up short - there was no shortage of beautiful icebergs, bergie bits, and growlers - but no sign of the big sheets of pack ice they expected to see.”

The reality of global warming hit home when students stopped at Auyuittuq National Park for a hike. BJ Bodnar said, “The Inuit word Auyuittuq can be translated as “ice that never melts”. The only way that I can describe the melting event occurring at the park right now is unnatural.”

Returning home to Inuvik, Karis feels inspired to take better care of the planet. “It was also great to meet so many people who knew their language,” she said. “So now I want to learn my language, and when my friends have babies, I’ll encourage them to teach their kids the language too!”

Seeing walrus was definitely a highlight for the students.

To read more fun journals from students on this trip, go to www.studentsonice.com

The Students on Ice team, taking a parting shot on the deck of the icebreaker which carried them to so many adventures.

L e a r n i n g t o L e a d

Words by Noel-Leigh Dustin “Gaannik” Cockney

Photos by Chris Clarke

Tanya Mae Ruben paddling down the Horton River.

The group takes a bath in the river.

Ifirst got involved with Outward Bound when Martin Landry from IDC approached my mother and asked her if I wanted to go down the Horton River for an Arctic Leadership Program. I excitedly accepted “The Challenge.” Three years later I was approached to go down the Horton River again, this time as a role model for the younger students on the trip. It was two days before the flight to the river. When we return from this trip I was scheduled to go to British Columbia for a multi-element program that included hiking up into the mountains and sea kayaking.

To be a positive role model to the younger students on the trip... this means I was to be there for them when they need help. As we all know, it is easier to talk to a friend who is roughly the same age and from the same general area as you than to open up to someone who is much older than you are and from a totally different place. I was also there to share with the students and instructors my on the land knowledge. I was also there to learn from the other people on the trip. The biggest thing I learnt from this trip is to be more outgoing. I accept that I can “act crazy”, and have a sense of humour around people I am just meeting.

Being back on the Horton River a second time is very exciting, I was very thankful to have another experience of it under my belt! Three years later, I have grown up somewhat, and it really allowed me to appreciate the beauty of our Northern land more than ever before. It opened up my eyes to the enjoyment that we can have when out on the land, while making new friends along the way.

The goal of this trip is mainly for the students to face challenges, whether it be physical, mental, or any other challenge that comes up; It was about learning to meet new people, traveling sixteen days down a river, waking up to see the same faces everyday for sixteen straight days, and dealing with leaving your new Horton River family in the end.

To me there are two major physical challenges canoeing down a river like this. The first is during the beginning; you have to adjust to paddling everyday for about 20 kilometers. This usually takes a few days, but it really depends on the person paddling. The second and toughest challenge (to me, on any trip out on the land) is dealing with the

weather! You have be prepared for any type of weather thrown at you by ‘Mother Nature’.

Fortunately, we did not have any trouble on this trip with the students, because we all came together as a group to help each other out as the challenges came upon us.

This group as a whole made the trip the best of all my Outward Bound trips. Everyone was respectful and open to each other. We all got along very well, we were all able to joke along most of the time, and got serious when overcoming challenges as a group. Every group is unique, with very unique and different people who bond differently within the group.

Our group was full of special people: Kyle was the birthday boy on the trip, we made him a camping chocolate cake over the fire, gave him a Pez candy dispenser, and he wore the tiara we gave him for a present all day. Ryan and Dave were the entertainers on the trip. Chris was our singer. Amy was the one with the riddles. Lauren (aka Lolo/ Lola) was the impatient one when it comes to food. Monica was restless. Jodie sang along with Chris. Gloria was the quiet one. Melanie (aka Mel) and Bernadette (aka Bernie) were the talkative; Mel’s questions were always thrown at me, and I always answered. Bernie’s constant “HI” was never old even when she said it many, many times everyday.

O

ur group was fantastic at when we had about a week of horrible, rainy, foggy weather rolled right over the skies. The mental challenges thrown at participants on trips like can feel extreme. I know that not everyone is accustomed to traveling with thirteen other people out on the land - with no TV, no refrigerator, no musical device, and definitely no toilet. The single most common mental challenge for young students on trips like this is homesickness.

Gloria Omingmak overcame her fear of white water on this trip.

Also, Mel and Bernie was always ‘picking’ on me (kidding), and we were always wrestling. And last but certainly not least, Tamara and Tanya were the courageous two of the group.

I felt honored to help both Tamara and Tanya confront their fear of water. While we were practicing our water rescue, they were both with me in the canoe, very frightened about having to tip over first. They were both shocked and quickly grabbed on to me when we entered the water. After our water rescue practice, they both became very comfortable swimming in the river and even floated along the river right above some rapids.

After this trip, I went on my scheduled twenty-one day, multi-element trip to British Columbia. We hiked up in the mountains for about a week and a half and sea kayaked for another week and a half. The highlights of the trip were just the amazing sights, and the bond that I had with the instructors on the course. My most memorable moments of this trip were talking to Henna Taylor, a twenty-one year old instructor, about the different cultures of Canada, particularly the Inuvialuit; and teaching everyone on the trip the games of the North, the Northern Games.

Being on these three Outward Bound trips have really inspired me to become an Outward Bound instructor myself. The last two trips were very helpful in showing me what kind of person I really am when dealing with challenges. What I love about Outward Bound is how I can teach people my knowledge of being on the land, about the culture of the North, and the Inuvialuit culture. Not only do I love sharing my knowledge, I love learning from the others in the group.

One of the challenges: eduring the bites of mosquitoes and bulldog flies.

At the end of any trip, I found that it was the hardest farewell for me to do with a group. I knew I might not see anybody from the trip for a long time, or maybe, (hopefully not), never again. Our group had become so close, and everyone had bonded with each other to the point of feeling like a family.

Noel “Gaannik” Cockney

Kyle Ittunga celebrated his 18th birthday with a bushcamp chocolate cake.

‘Lolo’ Lauren Ruben and Bernadette Green having fun.

Top: Melannie Wolki, Lauren Ruben and Tanya Ruben help each other through whitewaters.

Right: Noel (R) takes younger paddles through faster rapids.

Bottom: The 2007 Inuvialuit Horton Challengers- Front- Bernadette Green, Tanya Ruben, Melanie Wolki, (Middle row) Tamara Elias, instructor Amy Gauldie, Lauren Ruben, Monica Jacobson, Gloria Omingmak, Jodi Maring, (Back row) Kyle Ittunga, Noel Cockney, David Stewart (ICS Cameraman), Ryan Walker.

Residential School Settlement: Questions and Answers

“If a beneficiary has questions or needs information or help with applications regarding Residential School (i.e. Advance Payment Applications or soon to be Common Experience Payments), they either call or come in and see me,” said Brenda Ittungna, IRC’s residential schools coordinator. Below, Brenda and Simon Routh, logistics person on the same file, shares answers on the questions they get asked frequently regarding the Indian Residential School Settlement:

Question: I heard I have to fill out another form, what is it and how do I get it?

Answer: If you have already received the court notice package, you will automatically receive the Common Experience Claim (CEP) form mid-late September 2007. If you haven’t received the court notice package, you can go online at www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca and request that a claim form be mailed to you. Or you can call 1-800879-4913 to request a claim form. OR you can call me collect at (867) 777-7016 and give me your contact information and I can forward it to Indian Residential School Resolution Canada (IRSRC).

Inset: Brenda Ittungna, IRC residential schools coordinator was on hand with Simon Routh (siiting behind desk) to answer any queries former students had during an information session in Inuvik. Visits have been made to all ISR communities for this purpose.

Question: When am I going to get my cheque?

Answer: IRSRC has said that after a claim has been received and verified, payments can be mailed 4-6 weeks later.

Question: Is my name on the list?

If a beneficiary is unsure whether or not they are going to receive a claim form, they can call me collect at (867) 7777016 to check if their name is in our database.

Question: Who do I talk to if I want to take make claim compensation for abuse I suffered at residential school?

If a former student is unsure about how to make a claim or who they can talk to, they can contact IRC and we can provide the names of some lawyers that they can contact for more information regarding this process.

Question: If my CEP application is rejected due to missing or incomplete records, what should I do?

Answer: IRC has been working jointly with other parties to the Settlement on the CEP verification protocol. One of the solutions includes the use of statements by the applicants themselves, Canada has committed to making sure all eligible former students be paid. IRC will assist beneficiaries whose claims are denied in part or in whole and who contact IRC for assistance, in validating missing years. Canada will provide statistics on the number of Inuvialuit CEP applicants and the status of their applications on a biweekly basis.

Question: What is the Independent Assessment Process?

Answer: The Independent Assessment Process allows former students to claim compensation for sexual abuse, serious physical abuse, or abuse that otherwise caused serious psychological harm. Compensation amounts are comparable to what would be awarded by a Canadian court.

Canada will start accepting applications to the IAP on September 20. As well, most outstanding claims under the old claims process—the Alternative Dispute Resolution—will roll over to the IAP. IRC has a representative (Rosemarie Kuptana) on the oversight body of the process.

Question: If I cannot leave my community, can somebody help me with my forms?

Service Canada will send representatives to all the Inuvialuit communities this fall, to help former students complete their applications. Brenda Ittungna will travel with Service Canada to each community, and coordinate their visits with the Community Corporations and community AHF workers. She will also ensure translation is provided where needed.

Question: What is happening with Truth, Reconcilation and Commemoration?

IRC has been lobbying the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to make sure Northern-specific policies and schools are reflected in the commission’s research plan on deceased children and burials at Residential schools. Commemoration initiatives include the creation of a lasting physical legacy. The most recent commemoration funding allocation model proposes that NWT would receive $500,000 for a territorial event or event(s), and another $500,000 would be available for community/regional initiatives within the territory. IRC is now in discussion with the Beaufort Delta Residential School Society about the kind of commemoration activities they would like to see. Healing programs are receiving new funding to extend the work of AHF program workers in each community by five years.

Question: What other programs are being implemented with the funding?

Expanded Health Support Program

Health Canada has launched an expanded initiative called the Resolution Health Support Program, where all former students participating in the settlement can request professional counselling. They will also pay for traditional cultural support by elders for former students who feel they will benefit from such healing. Family counselling can also be made available.

Compensation Impacts Funding

IRC received funding from Canada to hold workshops that focus on increasing the positive and decreasing the negative impacts of the settlement money that comes into a community. At least six workshops in the general areas of financial preparation, addictions prevention, and elder abuse prevention will be held in each community. The workshops will include parts directed to the public, and parts directed to community workers. The financial preparation workshops will also include a representative from CIBC who will able to set up former students with bank or other accounts if they choose. (The CEP can be directly deposited into a bank account).

Lorraine Elanik and Ernest Bernhardt attended an information sessions in Inuvik to get answers to their questions about residential school compensation payment procedures.

Recipes for Better Health

“After Ulukhaktok, we are planning to have two cooking shows in Paulatuk, as the increasing crowds are making it impossible to accommodate everyone at one seating,” said Barbara Armstrong project leader for Monitoring Our Moms Study. The nutrition show sponsored by IRC has been making its rounds around the ISR communities, and each one is “bigger than the next.”

“The events in Tuktoyaktuk and Aklavik were perfect,” she said. “There were tons of happy people, lots of great food, the audience welcomed the information about country food, the give-a-ways, and we had requests for more workshops like this. We even have had requests for more cook-booklets, so if someone missed the event, they could still have a cookbook, as the word is spreading quickly that they are spectacular!”

Here is a recipe from the latest edition of the Inuvialuit Healthy Living Cookbook!

Muskox Stir Fry

Ingredients

1 kg Muskox (or Caribou), sliced against the grain

¼ cup Soy sauce (Kikkoman)

1 tsp Vegetable oil

1 tsp Powdered Ginger

1-2 tsp Minced Garlic

1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

1 Onion, sliced into long strips

½ Kg Frozen vegetables (broccoli, Asian, California mix- whatever is on hand)

1 can Baby corn

1 Tbsp Corn starch

1 Tbsp Water

{Method}

1.If making rice, begin to prepare rice according to package directions.

2.Mix soy sauce, 1 tsp oil, ginger and garlic together in a medium bowl.

3.Add the cut meat to the soy sauce mixture. Mix well, then put aside.

4.Cut up the onion into long thin slices.

5.Mix corn starch and water together in a small bowl to make smooth paste.

6.Put 1 Tbsp oil in large pot or wok and heat on medium high heat for about 1 minute. Add onion and meat. Stir often and cook until well done.

7.Add ½ bag frozen mixed vegetables and baby corn. Stir for 1 minute.

8.Add cornstarch mixture to the meat and vegetables. Mix in quickly.

9.Cook until sauce becomes thicker. Serve immediately with rice. Makes 6 servings.

Matthew Armstrong photo

Participants at the nutrition show came away with knowledge of healthier options for snacks and meals.

Zoe Ho photo

Craig Gruben and his family posed for a shot after the ceremonies.

Graduate Becky Steen was escorted by her uncle Bob Steen (middle). On his right is Becky’s sister, Leanne.

Photos by Merven Gruben

2007 Tuktoyaktuk graduates: (R-L) Roberta Adam, Donovan Felix, Craig Gruben, Logan Gruben, Annie Loreen, Becky Steen, Priscilla Taylor, Amos Teddy, Peter Voudrach and Brent Wolki.

are all very good at convincing customers to buy their creations.

“ I made 45 dollars!!” says Neta Allen with wide eyes and a huge excited grin, money in hand. How is someone going into grade 6 pocketing this kind of money when most youth are getting allowances of 5 dollars or so? Exactly the same way many creative artists in the North gain income: talent. Neta Allen and many other Inuvik youth have been following the artistic tradition of the North, in their own way.

Through the Jewellery Club Program at the Inuvik Youth Center, they have been making jewellery at a phenomenal rate. Earrings in particular. If you live in Inuvik, you’ve probably seen them. These colourful beaded creations are now on sale at Moe’s stationary in town, at the Youth Centre, and at Northmart every last Friday of the month.

The youth have sat among the great artists of the North at the Northern Arts Festival, and they have attracted the

eyes of many tourists at the End of the Road Music festival with their proud display. This is a great source of excitement for the youth involved, as the proceeds from each sale go directly to the youth who handcrafted the earrings. “I think the entrepreneurial aspect of the IYC Jewellery Club is really important,” says Jodi Proctor, who has facilitated the program for the past year. “It gives the youth the confidence to be more creative. Each time a customer buys a pair of earrings from the youth, it is a personal boost, and encouragement to keep up with their experiments in design.”

The Northwest Territories Industry, Tourism and Investment government department generously fund the program. Not only does the program give the youth a chance to create design out of their own imaginations, but there is also an emphasis on traditional art, and from time to time elders come to the centre to teach the youth more traditional techniques. As one impressed customer commented, “This is taking arts and crafts to the next level!”

Melanie Rogers, Shanna Allen, Sarah Rogers and Neta Allen are avid jewellery makers, the “key players” of this club!

Andrea Stuart shows off her handwork.

Bonnis Jacobson, Neta Allen, and Angel Kalinek man the sales booth at the Inuvik Petroleum show for their wares. They

Pilots-in-Training Awarded Scholarships

Toby Stefure will always remember the excitement of being a passenger when his uncle James Gruben flew. “Landing with the float plane at the harbour in Tuktoyaktuk was always cool as a kid,” he said. “My cousin Sheldon Lundrigan is also a pilot, he flies for Canadian North, I was inspired by him too.”

Toby traveled avidly after graduation from grade 12. “I went to Australia, Jamaica, Mexico, Florida…then I worked for my uncle Eddie Gruben in construction. Now, I am finally ready to go for it, to become a pilot myself.” The thirty-three year old moved from Tuktoyaktuk to Edmonton this June, with his wife and two children in tow, to pursue his dreams. He has saved up enough from construction work to be an aviation student full time until he attains his private license. Then, he plans to get his commercial license.

“I hope to start a bush plane company in Tuktoyaktuk one day,” he said. His determination to succeed allowed him to be one of the eight recipients of this year’s Aviation Career Development Program bursary. The award is given to recipients based on their scholastic history, career plan, an essay explaining their interest in a career in the aviation industry, and two letters of recommendation.

“Hopefully, I’ve saved up enough, but the $5000 bursary will help to pay rent,” said Toby. He is flying every other day now, building up to his fourty hours of flight experience for the first license.

“ We are learning to do spins and stalls right now, it’s exciting. With flying, you have to be on the ball at all times,” Toby said, “There are so many numbers to remember, radio calls and situations, but it is awesome to get up in the air, I feel so free.”

Toby is happy with his move to Edmonton. “Life is good,” he said. “My wife Paula is going to school, and we also wanted our kids to get a better education.”

Lanita Thrasher from Paulatuk was awarded the same bursary last year and this year. We congratulate both recipients on their abilities being recognized by the NWT Department of Transportation!

Photos courtesy of Department of Transportation

Top: Four of eight 2007 Avaiation Career Development recipients(L-R): Toby Stefure, Pierre Corriveau, Angela Tucker and Jessica Kokoszka. Right: Lanita Thrasher with a plane during the award presentations in 2006. She was awarded the bursary again this year, but could not attend the ceremonies in person.

A traditional Arctic Sports Development Camp was held in Inuvik this August, athletes from all over the ISR came to tryout for the 2008 NWT Arctic Winter Games Team. On the left is a list of those who made it to the team this year!

A skin tanning workshop was held in Sachs Harbour this August, where instructor Edith Haogak taught students the traditional skills.

Keltie Haogak fleshing a white fox at the workshop with Edith Haogak’s guidance.

Sachs Harbour:

Kevin Gully

CJ Haogak

Sabrina Lucas

Aklavik:

Joel Gordon

Ulukhaktok:

Chad Memogana

Paulatuk:

Marion Green

Tuktoyaktuk:

Craig Gruben

Matthew Anikina

Lennie Gruben

Chanisse Kuptana

Inuvik:

Kyle Kuptana

Byron Okheena

Karla Debastien

Karis Gruben

Aurora Williams

Byron & CJ competing in the head pull