Kivalliq News - April 19, 2023

Jinxing the tame winter

Kivalliq region marked by few blizzards this year

blizzards in Rankin Inlet so far this year, with the prerequisites being visibility reduced to 400 metres or less, winds 40 kilometres per hour or higher and at least six hours of reduced visibility.

Rankin Inlet experienced a few record-cold days in February.

The other variable impacting the number of blizzards is average wind speed, said Wagar.

blizzard conditions in Rankin and much of the Kivalliq.

Last year saw a high number of blizzards in the Kivalliq, but a very different story has played out this season.

“Overall, we’ve definitely seen way less blizzards this year,” said Jesse Wagar, meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.

She estimated there have been four or five

Wagar said part of what played into that this year was an “incredibly warm” November and early December in the area.

“When the temperatures get warmer, it is harder to blow snow around, so I suspect that is part of it,” said Wagar, admitting that in January and February the temperatures plummeted, and as previously reported,

“To really get the low visibilities, not only do we need snow available to blow around, but we need strong winds, and the winds this year or at least through the winter months have been lighter than they have been previous years,” she said.

Between those two variables, the conditions haven’t been conducive to creating

Due to the number of variable statistics, numbers are a bit tricky, but Wagar said it appears this year rivals 2019 and 2010 for fewest blizzards in recent history.

This year is also expected to be the last La Nina winter after three in a row, as the conditions will be moving to an El Nino system later in 2023.

Wagar added that there could still be more blizzards as winter and spring in the Kivalliq wrap up.

Conditions were clear in Baker Lake during the 2023 Sala Hockey Memorial. The Kivalliq as a whole, known as Blizzard Alley, has seen relatively flew blizzards so far this year. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Kivalliq Local Journalism Initiative

Did we get it wrong?

Kivalliq News is committed to getting facts and names right. With that goes a commitment to acknowledge mistakes and run corrections. If you spot an error in Kivalliq News, call (867) 645-3223 and ask to speak to the editor, or email kivalliqnews@nnsl.com. We'll get a correction or clarification in as soon as we can. í±ØÍ≤ÒáíÔÄ?

ᐸᖅᑎᔭᐅᕙᒃᑐᖅ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒥ

ᒫᑕᓕᓐ ᒪᓃᑦᑐᖅ ᖁᔭᓕᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓯᖅᑕᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒥ

ᐊᐅᖕᒥ ᐃᕐᕈᖅᓴᕐᓂᕐᒥ

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ï·∆¿Ò ≤áfl≤, ÇÔ¬∆¬éî Çflˆ (867) 645-3223 Ö±Ø ÇÔÍ›ùÀجü ÜÒïúªÄ«, Ç„·√∏≥î Ô‰íÇÕúòî ééËͬéî Çflˆ kivalliqnews@nnsl.com. ÜÒïùÖ˪∏≤ÖÒíflî Ç„·√∏≥î ∂¬∂ĉÖͬü áÀ∏∂ÒπêÖÊçí.

Ulukhaktok Gameti Behchoko

AROUND Kivalliq

with Cody Punter

Kugaaruk Naujaat

ᓵᓐᑐᕋ ᑐᓗᒐᖅ ᐅᐸᒃᐸᓪᓕᐊᕗᖅ ᒫᑕᓕᓐ ᒪᓃᑦᑐᖅ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᖓᓄᑦ ᖃᐅᑕᒫᐸᓗᑦᑎᐊᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᖓᓂ 75-ᓂ-ᐅᑭᐅᓕᖕᒥ ᐊᔭᖓᓂ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒥ ᐊᐅᖕᒥ ᐃᕐᕈᖅᓴᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓅᓕᓴᐃᓂᐅᔪᒥ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐸᑦᑕᒃᐸᒃᐳᑦ. “ᖁᔭᓕᕐᔪᐊᖅᓯᒪᕗᖓ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᒪᓃᑦᑐᖅ ᓄᐊᖓᑕ ᐊᑭᓕᖅᓱᖅᑕᐅᓇᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᖓᓂ. ᔪᕕᑦ ᑯᕋᒃ, ᒪᓃᑦᑑᑉ ᐅᑯᐊᖓ, ᖁᔭᓕᓂᖃᕆᕗᖅᑕᐅᖅ. “ᐱᐅᓕᔭᐅᓂᐅᕗᖅ ᐃᓄᒃᑕᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᓲᕐᓗ ᓵᓐᑐᕋᒥ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᓂᖓᓂ ᓴᑭᓐᓂ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑯᕋᒃ. “ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑦᑐᒥ ᑕᑯᒐᔪᖕᓇᕈᓐᓃᖅᐳᖅ. ᐃᓚᒌᑦ ᑐᑭᖃᕐᔪᐊᖅᐳᖅ

Sanikiluaq

ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒥ ᐃᓅᓕᓴᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᖓᓂ, ᐱᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᒥ ᖄᖏᖅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᒥ ᐊᕐᕌᒎᔪᒥ. “ᑕᐅᓄᙵᐅᔪᒪᔪᓐᓃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᒪᓃᑦᑐᖅ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᒐᒥ ᑐᒃᓯᕋᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐅᑎᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐅᐃᓂᐱᐊᒡᔪᑦ ᐃᓅᓕᓴᖅᑕᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ. “ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ, ‘ᑐᖁᔭᕆᐊᖃᕈᒪ, ᑐᖁᓂᐊᖅᐳᖓ.’” ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᖅ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᕐᔪᐊᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ

ᒫᑕᓕᓐ ᒪᓃᑦᑐᖅ, ᓴᐅᒥᖕᒥ, ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᖁᔭᓕᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᓄᐊᖓᓂ ᓵᓐᑐᕋ ᑐᓗᒐᕐᒥ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒥ ᐊᐅᖕᒥ ᐃᕐᕈᖅᓴᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓅᓕᓴᐃᓂᐅᔪᓂ.

ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒥ ᐊᐅᓚᖅᓯᒪᔭᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ.

“ᐃᕐᙳᑕᒃᑲ ᐅᕙᓃᑉᐳᑦ, ᕿᑐᕐᙵᒃᑲ ᐅᔭᓃᑉᐳᑦ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᒪᓃᑦᑐᖅ, ᐃᓚᒋᐊᖅᓯᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂ ᐃᓚᖏᓐᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᓲᖑᖕᒥᕗᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᓂᕐᒥᑦᑕᐅᖅ. “ᓄᐊᕋ ᐅᕙᓃᑉᐳᖅ. ᑕᐅᓇᓃᑎᓪᓗᑕ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᓄᑦ ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓇᑉᐸᓪᓗᐊᖓᓂ, ᐅᕙᖓᑐᐃᖅ ᐅᐃᒐᓗᓘᓚᐅᖅᐳᒍᑦ.”

“ᐊᖏᕐᕋᖅ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᐅᕗᖅ,” ᐃᓚᒋᐊᖅᓯᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑐᓗᒐᖅ.

ᒪᓃᑦᑑᑉ ᐊᖅᑯᑎᖓ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕐᔪᐊᖑᔪᓂ ᐊᖏᖅᑕᐅᓂᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒥ ᐊᐅᖕᒥ ᐃᕐᕈᖅᓴᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᕐᔪᐊᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᕆᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᒥ The Globe and Mail−ᒥ.

ᐱᕙᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑎᓴᒪᓂ ᐃᓅᓕᓴᐃᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᐅᓪᓗᓕᒫᒥ, ᐅᓪᓚᒥᒃ ᐅᓐᓄᒧᑦ. ᒫᓐᓇ, ᐅᓐᓄᐊᖏᓐᓇᕐᓂ ᐊᐅᖕᒥ ᐃᕐᕈᖅᓴᕐᓂᕐᒥ, ᐲᖅᐸᒃᖢᓂᐅᒃ ᐅᓪᓛᒃᑯᑦ.

ᑐᓗᒐᖅ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᔭᖓ ᐊᔭᒃᑯᖓᓄᙵᐅᓂᕐᒥ

ᐊᒻᒪ ᐸᑎᖃᑎᒋᓪᓗᓂᐅᒃ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᐅᔪᖅ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᖃᓂᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓇᓱᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᒪᓃᑦᑐᕐᒧᑦ.

“ᐊᕙᓂᐊᓗᒃ ᐃᒡᓗᖃᕋᒪ, ᑕᐃᒫᒃ ᐃᒡᓗᑖᕋᓱᐊᖅᐳᖓ ᖃᓂᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᔪᒥ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑐᓗᒐᖅ, ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᑯᓂᕈᓗᒃ ᐱᓱᖕᓇᕐᒪᑦ ᐃᓛᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒥ ᓯᓚᒥ ᖃᓄᐃᓐᓂᖓᓂ. ᒪᓃᑦᑐᖅ ᓱᓕᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᐱᕆᔭᐅᒐᒥ ᖃᓄᐃᓐᓂᖓᓂ ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᒥ: “ᐱᐅᓗᐊᙱᑦᑐᖅ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓱᓕ ᐊᓂᖅᑎᕆᕗᖓ.”

ᓵᓐᑐᕋ ᑐᓗᒐᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᕗᖅ ᐊᔭᖓᓂ ᒫᑕᓕᓐ

Senior management changes announced

Nunavut

Premier P.J. Akeeagok announced changes to the Government of Nunavut’s senior management team last week.

Jimmy Noble, Deputy Minister of Environment, retired after more than 25 years in the public service.

Akeeagok praised Noble’s distinguished career as a public servant working in wildlife and environmental protection in Iqaluit and other Nunavut communities.

“Mr. Noble has spent his career serving Nunavummiut and our territorial interests. His experience and knowledge of our territory’s regulatory affairs are a loss for our government, but we are thankful for his contributions and assistance over the past months in developing a succession plan. We wish him the best in his retirement,” stated Akeeagok in a news release.

Yvonne Niego will also now serve as Deputy Minister of Environment. Niego has been Deputy Minister of Family Services since 2017 and was previously Assistant Deputy Minister of Justice and worked for decades with the RCMP. Her expertise working with communities and in law enforcement will help provide guidance on the management of Nunavut’s lands and wildlife, stated the release.

Effective April 24, Jonathan Ellsworth will serve as Deputy Minister of Family Services on a six-month term. Ellsworth is currently the Assistant Deputy Minister of Courts and Justice Services with the Department of Justice. He has worked in the justice field for 25 years, with many years of experience supporting those who are working to protect Nunavut’s most vulnerable residents.

Government advises rise of flu Nunavut

The Department of Health is advising Nunavummiut of an increased risk of respiratory illnesses, including infections such as Influenza B across Nunavut.

The best way to protect yourself, your family and your community is to get the flu vaccine, stated the GN in a news release April 14.

“Vaccines help reduce the risk of getting a virus, severe illness or death,” wrote the GN. “The flu vaccine can be given at any time during the flu season. Unlike other vaccines that give lifetime immunity, the flu vaccine must be taken annually.”

The GN also provided these suggestions to limit the spread of respiratory illnesses: stay home when you feel sick; cough or sneeze into your sleeve; wash your hands often; avoid touching your face; throw used tissues in the trash right away; keeping distance from others when out and about; don’t smoke indoors or around others, especially babies; get vaccinated.

Cared for at home

Madeline Manitok thankful for support during home dialysis

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Rankin

Sandra Tulugak makes her way to Madeline Manitok’s home just about every day to assist her 75-year-old aunt with home dialysis treatment, and play some cards.

“I’m very grateful,” said Manitok about her niece’s voluntary help.

Jovette Kurok, Manitok’s daughter-in-law, is appreciative too.

“It’s a blessing to have someone like Sandra support my mother-in-law,” said Kurok. “You don’t come across that as often. Family means the world and you see it by caring for someone with nothing in return. That’s strong.”

Manitok previously spent two-and-a-half years in Winnipeg receiving dialysis treatment before she was able to be treated at home, which she has been receiving for the past year.

“I refused to go down,” said Manitok when presented with the request to return to Winnipeg for further treatment. “I said, ‘If I have to die, I’ll die.’”

The Rankin Inlet Elder said it was difficult being away from home.

“My grandkids are here, my children are here,” said Manitok, adding that other family members help support her too. “My niece is here. When we were down there for two-and-a-half years, it was just me and my husband.”

“Home is home,” added Tulugak.

Manitok’s path toward bureaucratic approvals and government collaboration for home dialysis in Rankin Inlet is covered in depth by The Globe and Mail.

She used to receive four treatments throughout the day, from morning to night. Now, she spends nights on dialysis, removing it in the mornings.

Tulugak said she likes coming over to her aunt’s and playing cards, but the one thing she’s trying to do is move closer to Manitok.

“I live way out there, so I’m trying to get closer to her,” said Tulugak, saying it’s a long walk in sometimes challenging weather conditions.

Manitok was frank when asked how she was doing these days: “Not good, but I’m breathing.”

Jordan Pudnak shared this photo of Rankin Inlet on a mild spring April night. Photo courtesy of Jordan Pudnak

Inlet

Sandra Tulugak assists aunt Madeline Manitok with her home dialysis treatment. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

Madeline Manitok, left, said she is grateful for her niece Sandra Tulugak’s help with her home dialysis treatments. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

Healing and feasting in Whale Cove

Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre held a three-day healing session gathering for ladies, hosted by community counsellors

After each evening, singers performed and square dances finished off the night, with a feast of country food with community members on the final evening.

Megan Angootealuk and Hannah Angootealuk.

Photos courtesy of Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services

It takes a community

Rankin Inlet works together to provide opportunities

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Kivalliq

The players get the limelight, but just like in the winning team photo of the 2023 Arctic Winter Games U19 hockey squad, there’s a whole community behind them working just as hard off the ice.

Selma Eccles might not have a child still involved in hockey, but she remembers the parenting journey of fundraising for her son’s hockey career.

“As soon as he was able to skate, I think he was five, that’s when we got involved,” said Eccles. “They would go on trips to Thompson (Manitoba) or have tournaments here, so we would do bake sales, penny sales. I almost used to dread weekends because that means we’re going to have to bake something again. You run out of ideas of what to cook other than pie, cookies, cake. I had to start thinking of different things to start to bake to try to make people buy things.”

And if it’s not hockey, it’s soccer, volleyball or another activity. Everything costs money: travel, equipment, accessories. And it all involves a lot of time.

It takes a full commitment to organize, plan, announce and advertise these initiatives, she said. And what Eccles found along the way is not only was her son on a team, but she was too.

“It becomes a real bond that hockey parents get,” she said. “We normally wouldn’t see each other on an everyday basis but when we have to get together to fundraise or go on trips with the kids, you have a camaraderie where you feel like you’re a team too, you’re a team of parents.”

And it’s not just the fundraisers who play a role.

Recreation coordinator and hockey coach David Clark is known to end each tournament giving a big thank-you to the people in the arena who make the atmosphere what it is: the timekeepers, scorekeepers, the arena DJ, referees, the livestreamers, recreation staff, fans and everyone else.

David Ningeongan’s Inuktitut play-by-play is treasured in the community. Nowadays, Ningeongan said he’s starting to get paid for the bigger tournaments, but he often commentated for free in the past.

“You’ve got people volunteering to put the schedule together, the referees are there as well to take their time away from family to be part of the tournaments in our community,” he said. “We’ve always had that support from the community.”

ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐱᙳᐊᕐᓂᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᒥ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᓈᓚᐅᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᑲᐅᑎᒋᓪᓗᓂᐊᖏᔪᓂᓵᓚᖃᕋᓱᐊᕐᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ. ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᔪᖅ ᑐᓂᓰᓐᓇᐅᔭᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᓂᕐᔪᐊᖑᔪᒥ ᐅᑯᓄᖓ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕐᓂᐅᔪᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᓄᓇᓖᑦ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂ

ᐊᔾᔨᖁᑎᖓ

ᑕᒪᒃᑭᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕈᑎᑦ ᑐᕌᖅᑎᑕᐅᕗᑦ ᐱᙳᐊᖅᑎᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᒎᓗᒥ−ᐅᔭᒥᒃᑖᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᙳᐊᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᓗᐃᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᐊᓐᓂᑭᑕᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᓄᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᔪᓂ ᐃᓚᒌᖑᔪᓂ, ᐊᑭᓕᖅᓱᖅᑕᐅᓇᑎᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᐸᒃᑐᑦ, ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᔭᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᔭᖃᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥᐅᑕᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᐃᓐᓇᖅᐸᒃᑐᓂ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᓕᒫᒥ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᐃᓅᓯᓕᒫᒥᒃ

All cameras are aimed at the players celebrating after the gold-medal game, but there’s a whole arena and more of family, volunteers, fans and passionate community members who strive all year to help Rankin Inlet youth create lifelong memories. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

David Ningeongan provides Inuktitut playby-play over radio and livestream during big tournaments in Rankin Inlet. He said the community has always provided lots of support for these activities, and what the town needs next is more accommodation to host visiting players and teams. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

The only thing he wishes for now is more ability for Rankin Inlet to host out-of-towners so local tournaments can continue to grow in size and the community can continue to welcome teams and players from elsewhere.

“I think that’s where we’re kind of struggling as a community.”

Pujjuut Kusugak has been coaching in Rankin Inlet for some-25 years.

“You’re putting off a lot of other things that maybe you’d like to do,” he said. “But I think coaches and volunteers understand that these types of community activities are so important for the health and wellbeing of our community members.”

And that extends beyond hockey, he added, to other sports and even those who keep facilities like the fitness centre running or take the time to pass on their traditional knowledge.

“Just a huge shoutout to our community members that put in the time to make sure these kind of events can happen. If there was a way that we could thank them all, there are so many that could easily be named.”

wu6ymlt5 kNyst5bsoQ5.