Letter From the Manager

We all experience life in different ways and with varying capacities. What might seem easy for you could be impossible for another. We are all unique in this world and we especially see this within our smaller communities in the region. I think it’s important to be yourself, as I have said in these letters before.

I have spent a long time learning about empathy, caring for others and seeing the world around me in a different way. Growing up, I felt disconnected from my roots, like I never even tried to connect to my Inuvialuit culture. When I heard our magazine was doing a feature on drum dancing, I was eager to see what was coming from it.

I have always had a tremendous respect for drumming, and to anyone who keeps that tradition going, I thank you deeply. It is a great feat to keep those songs alive and to honour and respect those elders who sang them decades ago.

I remember seeing drum dancing photos of my great-granddad Raddi Kuiksak of Tuktoyaktuk with Shepherd Felix and Felix Nuyaviak, and others too, all holding drums. They looked like royalty.

Drumming has always been a very honourable duty that needs a strong voice to sing and lead. It’s a reason I have so much respect for anyone who continues on these rich stories.

Growing up in Inuvik, watching old episodes of ‘Tamapta,’ drumming was always a part of our lives. It is nice to see even our youngest people carry on those songs and deliver them to a new audience today.

Reading the experiences in this issue gives me a sense of pride in our culture, from a perspective I hadn’t heard before. To see firsthand why these awesome people keep singing and dancing is truly inspiring.

Each photo being featured in this issue shows me the great dedication each member of every dance group has. We have people who are of all age ranges, all sharing this knowledge and having fun doing it.

Seeing all those people gathered together is heartwarming to me because it shows that the sense of community is still very strong with our people. We all face struggles in our lives and it seems like these drummers and dancers have found a vessel to let out some steam and carry on our traditions. I imagine a lot of sharing and storytelling happens during these meetings as well. I am excited to see what the future has in store for drumming and dancing in our region. There are a lot of people already involved in keeping the songs going, but they need more people to get involved and carry the weight. Call your friends, tell them to come out and see the groups practise. I am sure they’re always welcoming to new members who want to learn more!

With this momentum, it looks like we are on a path to see a resurgence of drumming and dancing in our region. But that can really only happen with the support of our communities and region as a whole.

QUYANAINNI,

Dez Loreen

Manager, Inuvialuit Communications Society