Polar Bear Season Starts for Outfitters New Year’s Babies Arrive at Sachs Harbour

by Lorna Dillon and Zoe Ho

Polar Bear season started in midFebruary for big game hunters. We talked to Roger Kuptana to learn a little about the polar bear harvests his outfitters company leads. “The weather’s cooled off now, so hopefully everything will be alright”, he said. He started his business a few years ago. He takes the hunters to polar bear hunting grounds by dog team. There are many routes to start off from; sometimes they travel 10 to 12 miles south of Sach’s Harbour, or 8 miles southeast. They can also go up along the Northwest side of Banks Island. A trip could last anywhere from two days to two weeks, depending on the hunters’ luck. It sounds like a good time out on the land, learning to harvest the smartest mammal in the Northwest Territories, living in tents under the open sky. There is a quota limit of 28 polar bears that can be harvested from Sachs Harbour by both locals and big game hunters. The season for locals started from December 1st and go until May. John Lucas operates the other outfitters company in Sachs Harbour. We wish them both good luck in their businesses this year!

Since the Arctic Winter Games Trials began, youth of all ages at Sachs Harbour, even younger students, trained three to four times a month in different categories. We are proud to announce that Vanessa Anikina will be attending the games as an alternate in Kenai Peninsula, Alaska from March 5th to 11th. We wish her luck with all our hearts! The Games allow our youth to visit other cultures and countries, and they have worked hard for the opportunity. Christina Elias will chaperone the young girls attending the Arctic Games. Good job girls!

The Senior Rangers are accepting new recruits. Regular exercises started January 30th. The closing ceremony was on February 8th at the School Gym. Junior Rangers started practices from February 10th

Parents and Tots programs were held at the gym on February 7th, 21st and 28th. The community of Sachs Harbour is proud to announce two new babies born in January. A Big Congratulations to these proud parents: Ryan Lucas and Sally Esau with their son Ryan Charles Peter Lucas Esau, born January 8th at 9lbs, 1oz. Ryan was also the new year’s baby for the NWT.

He received gifts of clothes and accessories from the NWT, but unfortunately he had already grown too big for these clothes when he got them. Congratulations also to Tony Lucas and Priscilla Smith; their son Tony Dean Orrin Jacob Smith Lucas was born January 14th at 9 lbs, 10.5 oz. We welcome these new recruits for parents and tots!

The Sachs Harbour Community Corporation (SHCC) is holding a public meeting with the IRC Subsidiary Boards at SHCC’s office on February 20th.

There is a bit of a mystery as to where our vote box went after voting for the federal elections was completed. Sach’s Harbour might be holding up the finalization of vote counts! We hope this will get resolved soon.

Happy Birthday to Sabrina Lucas and Wayne Gully on February 5th, to Winnie Carpenter on February 6th, Ryan Lucas on February 7th, Lisa Lucas on February 11th, Jeffery Kuptana on February 18th, Fred Raddi on February 19th, Terence Lennie on February 22nd and Robert Eldridge on February 25th! Enjoy your day, it only comes by once a year.

We would like to extend a big welcome to John Lucas Jr., Brenda Dillon, and their son Steven Jared Lucas. It is great to see you move back home. I am sure their family is really happy they returned to Sachs Harbour. Also, welcome back Joe Apiana, he has been by Florence Carpenter’s side for the last couple of months. Lucky Kudlak’s sons Alex and Eric were in Sachs too for a visit, it was good to see families unite during the holidays.