Kivalliq News Aug. 25 2021 edition

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ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑏᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᙱᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᑐᑦ Kivalliq News WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

Vol 27 No 35

Nunavut's Award Winning Voice of Kivalliq

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Hunters make history ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥᐅᑕᑦ ᐊᕐᕙᒃᑕᒥᓂᒃ ᓂᑯᕕᖓᔪᑦ ᐊᕐᕙᒃᑕᖓ ᑕᑭᓂᓕᒃ 46–feet-ᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᒧᑦ ᑎᑭᐅᑎᓯᒪᔭᖓ ᐊᒐᓯ 17-ᒥ.

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Baker Lake’s bowhead hunters stand on top of the 46-foot whale they harvested after bringing it safely to shore on August 17. Photo courtesy of Dino Mablik

ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥ ᐊᕐᕕᕋᓱᐊᖅᑎᑦ ᓇᖏᖅᐳᑦ ᑲᑎᙵᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᕆᐊᓚᐅᖅᑳᕋᑎᒃ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒋᐊᕐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ. ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᑯᕋᐃᒡ ᓯᒪᐃᓚᖕᒧᑦ

ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥ ᐸᐃᕆᕝᕕᒃ ᒪᑐᔪᖅ ᐃᑭᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ Fire shuts down Baker Lake daycare

ᐳᑐᒥᕋᖅᑐᕐᒧᑦ, ᐊᓄᕆᕐᔪᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᒪᖁᖕᒥ ᓄᖅᑲᖅᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑎᓂ ᑕᕆᐅᕐᒧᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ. ᕙᐃᔅᐳᒃᑯᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᑕᐃᕕᑦ ᓯᒪᐃᓚᒃ ᑎᑎᕋᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐳᑐᒥᕋᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᕆᓚᐅᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᕐᕕᖅ ᓇᐅᓕᒃᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᑕᐃᑲᓂᒐᓚᒃ 9 ᐅᓐᓄᒃᑯᑦ ᐋᒍᔅᑎ 15−ᒥ. ᐅᒥᐊᑦ ᒪᓪᓕᖅᓯᐅᕐᔪᐊᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ, ᑕᐃᒫᒃ ᐃᓱᒪᓕᐅᕆᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᓯᒡᔭᒧᑦ ᐳᒃᑕᓛᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᓱᓕ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᓂᖅᑎᕆᓂᖓᓂ ᐱᔭᕇᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᑐᖁᑕᐅᓂᖓᓂ. “ᐱᔭᕇᑦᑎᐊᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᐱᔭᕇᖅᓯᓂᕐᒥ

ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᐅᑦ Hᐊᑭᒋᐊᖅᑐᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓯᑕᒪᒋᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ Hᐊᑭᒡᒎᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ Rankin finishes in top four at national Indigenous hockey tournament

ᑲᑎᙵᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑎᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᓂᓕᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᐋᒍᔅᑎ 15−ᒥ ᐱᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᕐᕕᕐᒥᑦ. ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᓄᓇᐃᓐᓇᕐᒥ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᔪᒥ ᔪᓚᐃ 27−ᖑᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᓄᖅᑲᕐᓂᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᕐᔪᖕᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓇᐅᔮᓄᑦ ᑕᐅᕗᙵᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᑦ ᐅᖓᑖᓂ ᓄᓇᒦᖦᖢᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑕᕆᐅᕐᒥ, ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᒪᐃᔭᒋᔭᖓ ᕆᔅᓱᑦ ᐊᒃᓵᓂ ᕙᐃᔅᐳᒃᑯᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐋᒍᔅᑎ 16−ᒥ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᖢᓂ

ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑎᑦ ᐱᓂᖏᓐᓂ 46−ᐃᓯᒐᓪᓗᐊᓂ ᐊᕐᕕᕐᒥᑦ. “ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᓂᕐᔪᐊᖑᓂᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᐅᓪᓘᕗᖅ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒧᑦ,” ᐊᒃᓵᓂ ᑎᑎᕋᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ. “ᑲᑎᙵᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑎᓂ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥ 27−ᖓᓂ ᔪᓚᐃᒥ ᓂᕆᐅᖕᓂᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᐅᑉ ᐃᓗᐊᓂᕐᒥᐅᑕᐅᔪᓂ ᓱᖏᐅᑎᓯᒪᙱᑕᖓᓂ ᐆᒪᔪᕐᓂᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥ. ᐊᕐᕕᕐᒥᑦ. ᐅᓪᓗᒥ ᐅᓪᓘᕗᖅ.” ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑏᑦ ᖄᖏᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕐᓂ ᐱᖓᓱᓂ ᑕᖕᒫᖅᓯᒪᕗᑦ Harbour ᕿᑭᖅᑕᒥ, ᓇᐅᔮᑦ ᖃᓂᒋᔭᖓᓂ. ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᑐᓴᖅᑎᑕᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᖕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᔪᓂ ᑳᑉᑕᓐ ᕕᓕᑉ

ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒥᓂᑦ,” ᑎᑎᕋᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ. ᓯᒪᐃᓚᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᕐᓂᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᖓ ᐱᓚᒃᑐᐃᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᒪᓕᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᐱᔭᒃᓴᐅᔪᓂ. ᑎᑎᕋᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑏᑦ ᓇᐅᔮᓂ ᑕᐃᑯᙵᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᕆᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑎᐅᔪᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐅᔪᒥ Harbour ᕿᑭᖅᑕᒥ ᑕᖕᒫᕐᕕᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂ. “ᑕᐅᑐᙳᐊᕈᒃ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒍᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᐊᓱᐃᓛᒃ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒍᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᑕᐃᓐᓇᕈᑦᑕ!” ᑎᑎᕋᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓯᒪᐃᓚᒃ. “ᐅᐱᐅᖅᑲᕕᒡᔪᐊᖅᐳᒍᑦ ᑕᒪᒃᑭᓂ ᐊᕐᕕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂ.”

7-ᒋᔭᖓᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᒥ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᖃᑦᑕᖁᔨᙱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓱᖕᓂᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥ Seventh annual suicide prevention walk to take place in Baker Lake

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Around Kivalliq with Cody Punter

Putuja Putuja parenting program Naujaat Iliatsiniq Nunavut Literacy Council will be running a 12-week parent and tot program in Naujaat starting in September. Through the unique Putuja Putuja program, parents will receive daily lessons on various topics including Inuit child-rearing practices, budgeting, nutrition, as well as self and family wellness. Participants will learn how to sew and cook and there will be special guests. Children will be given a safe and fun environment to play, learn, do crafts and make friends. The program is open to parents with children aged 0 to 5-years-old. Putuja Putuja participants will be compensated with stipends twice per month. The program will run at the Tuugaalik School Day Care from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, starting Sept. 20 and ending Dec. 10. The deadline to apply is Sept. 8

AEM Family Day Arviat Agnico Eagle and the Hamlet of Arviat will host their Family Fun Day on Aug. 28. The action will take place between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the sports park. There will be games for children and Elders, prizes, popcorn, a barbecue and much more. The events will be weather permitting.

Gender-based violence survey Kivalliq Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada is currently conducting a survey on gender-based violence. The organization is looking for Inuit women 18 and older to take an online confidential survey about their understanding of and experience with the criminal justice system. The survey is titled Meeting Survivor’s Needs: Gender-Based Violence Against Inuit Women and The Criminal Justice System and can be found on Pauktuutit’s website. It contains 28 questions and takes about half an hour to complete.

Wellness camp Baker Lake The Piruqatigiit Resource Centre will be putting on a wellness camp in Baker Lake early next month. The Anigurvik Wellness Camp will run from Sept. 7 to 12 at Prince River. The camp will take a holistic approach to land-based healing. Participants will learn about making small changes, restorative nature connection and the importance of community wellness. There will also be guest speakers. Space is limited to 10 people and is reserved for those 18 and over. The deadline to apply is Sept. 1.

Wednesday, August 25, 2021 A3

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fact file Nunavut COVID-19 situation as of Aug. 23 Active cases: 0 Confirmed cases: 657 Recovered cases: 653 Completed tests in Nunavut: 18,860 Deaths: 4

Vaccine uptake: 22,921 first doses – 79 per cent over age 12 19,794 second doses – 68 per cent over age 12 Source: Government of Nunavut Department of Health

ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥ ᐅᐃᒡᒐᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥ ᑭᐱᓯᖃᑦᑕᖁᔨᙱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓱᒃᑎᑦᑎᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ

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‘ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᖃᑦᑕᕆᑦᑎ ᐃᓄᑑᙱᓐᓇᑉᓯ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑐᕆᓴ ᐋᓯᕙᒃ ᐸᑲ, ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑕᐃᒪᑐᖅ ᐊᒥᓲᓂᐊᖅᐳᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᔪᒪᔪᑦ

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ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᐊᕐᓇᖅ ᐅᐃᖏᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᕐᒥᒡᓗ ᐃᕐᓃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᑦᑎᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ 7-ᒋᔭᖓᓂᒃ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓱᒃᑎᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᖃᑦᑕᖁᔨᙱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓱᖕᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᒐᓯ 25-ᒥ. ᑐᕆᓴ ᐋᓯᕙᒃ ᐸᑲ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᓱᒃᑎᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᕈᒪᑉᓗᓂ ᔭᓄᐊᕆ 2014-ᒥ ᐃᕐᓂᖓ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᑎᓯᐱᕆᒥ 2013−ᒥ. ᐅᐃᒡᒐᓚᐅᖅᖢᓂᓗ 2007-ᒥ. “ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᑎᑕᕋ ᐊ’ᐊᕌᓘᖕᒪᑦ ᐃᓚᐃᖅᖢᓂ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐸᑲ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ. “ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᑲᔫᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᕙᒻᓄᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᖃᑦᑕᕋᑉᑭᑦ ᑕᐃᑉᑯᐊ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᑰᖅᑐᑦ. ᐃᒃᐱᒋᖃᑦᑕᖅᑕᒃᑲ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖏᑦ ᐃᓚᐃᕌᖓᑕ ᓇᒡᓕᒋᔭᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᒃᑯᑦ ᑭᐱᓯᔪᓂᒃ.” ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᐅᑭᐅᒥ, ᒪᕐᕈᐃᖅᑕᖅᖢᓂ ᐱᓱᒃᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ: ᔭᓄᐊᕆᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓱᒃᑎᑦᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᕐᓂᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᖓᑕ ᓇᓪᓕᐅᑎᕝᕕᒋᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑕᖓᓂᒃ ᐅᑉᓗᕐᒥ ᐊᒐᓯ 31-ᒥ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅ, ᐋᖅᑭᒋᐊᖅᓯᔭᕆᐊᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᑉᓗᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒐᓯ 25-ᒧᑦ ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᓴᓇᔭᖅᑐᕆᐊᖃᕈᒫᖅᑐᒃᓴᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐊᒐᓯ 31-ᒥ. ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐃᓚᐅᔪᒪᔪᖅ ᑲᑎᖃᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᓯᐊᕐᕆᔮᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐅᑉᓛᒃᑯᑦ 8:30-ᒥ ᐱᓱᒋᐊᕈᓐᓇᕈᒪᑉᓗᑎᒃ 9:00-ᒥ ᐅᑉᓛᒃᑯᑦ. ᐸᑲ ᐱᓱᒃᑎᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᑕᒫᒃᑯᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᙵᓂ 2014ᒥ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᖢᒍ, ᑭᓯᒥ ᐱᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᙱᖦᖢᓂ ᐊᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ 2020-ᒥ ᓄᖅᑲᖅᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓯᓚᓗᖕᓂᖓᓄᑦ. “ᓈᒻᒪᒃᓴᓚᐅᙱᑦᑐᖓ ᐱᓱᙱᓐᓇᑉᑕ. ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᐱᖅᑯᑐᖃᐃᓐᓇᖃᑦᑕᓕᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ. ᐱᖓᓲᔪᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕐᓂᒃ ᖄᖏᓵᖅᑐᓂᒃ, ᐊᑕᐅᓯᖅ ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥ. ᓈᒻᒪᒍᓐᓃᓪᓚᕆᒃᑐᖅ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᓄᓇᕗᒥ, ᐸᑲ ᓂᕆᐅᒃᑐᖅ ᐊᒥᓲᓂᖅᐹᓂᒃ ᐱᓱᒋᐊᖅᑐᖁᔨᑉᓗᓂ. “ᑐᓴᕌᖓᒪ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᔪᖃᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ, ᑐᓴᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᖃᑦᑕᙱᒻᒪᕆᒃᑕᕋ ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂᒃ ᐃᓚᐃᖅᓯᒪᒐᒪ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᓯᒪᔪᒃᑯᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐸᑲ. ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐱᓱᒃᑎᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᕉᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᓗᒃᑯᑦ ᐸᐸᑦᑎᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᑦᑕᖁᓇᒋᑦ ᐃᒃᐱᒋᔭᒥᓂᒃ. ᐱᓱᒃᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᐸᑲ ᐊᔭᐅᖅᑐᐃᒐᔪᒃᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖃᑦᑕᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᒃᐱᒋᔭᒥᓂᒃ ᓂᐱᖃᒥᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᑲᑉᐱᐊᓱᙱᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑲᙳᓱᙱᓪᓗᑎᒡᓗ. “ᐅᖃᐅᑎᖃᑦᑕᖅᑕᒃᑲ, ‘ᐃᕆᐊᓛᕈᒪᒍᑉᓯ, ᐱᓲᔭᕐᓗᓯ ᐃᕆᐊᓛᕈᓐᓇᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᓯ. ᐃᓱᒪᒋᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓗᒥᐅᑕᑎᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᓗᓯ ᐃᓄᑑᙱᓐᓇᑉᓯ.” ᓂᕆᐅᖕᓂᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐱᓱᖕᓂᖅ ᐃᓗᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᖢᐊᖅᓯᒍᑕᐅᓇᔭᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒥᓄᑦ, ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᓪᓚᕆᒎᖅ ᐃᖕᒥᓄᑦᑕᐅᖅ. “ᐅᕿᓪᓕᕚᓪᓕᖅᑑᔭᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖓ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᕌᖓᒪ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᓂᒃ.” ᐊᓯᖏᓪᓕ ᐱᓱᒃᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐱᓱᖕᓂᖃᖅᐸᒃᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᐸᑲ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᐅᒐᔪᒃᑐᖅ Prince River-ᒧᑦ ᐱᓱᒃᑐᓂᒃ, ᑲᑎᓗᒃᑖᖅᖢᒍ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᒻᒪᖄ ᐊᕐᕕᓂᓕᖕᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᕐᕋᓂᒃ ᐱᓱᖕᓇᖅᑐᖅ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ, ᐅᑭᐅᖑᔪᖅ ᓇᐃᓪᓕᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑐᒪᔭᖓ ᐱᓱᖕᓂᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖅ ᓄᕕᐅᑦᑐᕐᒧᑦ ᓄᕕᐊᓄᑦ. ᐸᑲ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐱᓱᖕᓂᐊᖅᑐᒃᓴᐅᔪᑦ ᓯᑕᒪᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᕐᕋᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖅ. ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᓇᐅᒃᑰᕐᕕᒋᓂᐊᖅᑕᖓ ᑐᕌᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᑦ ᕿᑯᓕᖅᑐᖅᑕᐅᓵᖅᓯᒪᔪᒃᑯᑦ, ᓄᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᒃᑰᙱᓪᓗᑎᒃ. ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑕᐃᒪᑐᕉᖅ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᒥᓱᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓄᑦ ᐱᔫᒥᓵᕈᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᐳᖅ. ᐸᑲ ᐊᔭᐅᖅᑐᐃᖕᒥᔪᖅ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᑰᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᖃᖃᑦᑕᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓚᓐᓈᒥᓂᒃ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᒥᓂᒡᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᔪᒪᓗᑎᒃ. “ᑕᐃᒫᓗᐃᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓇᒡᓕᒍᓱᒃᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᖏᓂᒃ.” ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑐᖃᕋᓗᐊᖅᐸᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖑᔪᖅ, ᐸᑲ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᑦᑏᓐᓇᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᕉᖅ ᐱᓱᖕᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᓗᒃᑖᒥᓂᒃ. “ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓱᒃᑎᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖓ ᐊᒐᓯᐅᓕᕌᖓᑦ ᐱᓱᒍᓐᓇᐃᓪᓕᓂᓗᒃᑖᒻᓄᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ.

ᐃᒪᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥ 2019-ᒥ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᖃᑦᑕᖁᔨᙱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᑎᑦᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥ. ᑐᕆᓴ ᐋᓯᕙᒃ ᐸᑲ ᐸᕐᓇᐃᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥ 7-ᒋᔭᖓᓂᒃ ᐱᓱᖕᓂᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒐᓯ 25-ᒥ.

Participants in Baker Lake’s 2019 suicide prevention 2019 gather in town. Theresa Aasivak Parker is organizing the community’s seventh annual suicide prevention walk on Aug. 25. Photo courtesy of Theresa Aasivak Parker


A4 Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Kivalliq News

Baker Lake widow gears up for suicide prevention walk r? 9o3 u iWK5

www.nnsl.com

‘Remember you’re never alone,’ says Theresa Aasivak Parker By Cody Punter Northern News Services

A Baker Lake woman who lost both her husband and one of her sons to suicide will be leading her seventh annual suicide prevention walk for the community on Aug 25. Theresa Aasivak Parker started organizing the walk in January 2014 after losing her son to suicide the previous December. She had previously lost her husband in 2007. “It’s so important for me because it hurts so much losing loved ones,” Parker told Kivalliq News. “It helps me think so much about what people go through. I feel their pain when they have lost loved ones from suicide.” In the first year, she held two walks: one in January and another on the anniversary of her son’s birth on Aug. 31. This year, she had to reschedule the date to Aug. 25 because she was worried she might be scheduled to work at the mine on Aug. 31. Anyone interested in joining is asked to gather at the arena at 8:30 am so they can leave by 9 a.m. Parker has put on the walk every year since 2014, except for summer 2020 when it was cancelled due to bad weather. “I felt bad not doing the walk. All these people were asking me about it,” she said. There have been at least three suicides in the Kivalliq in recent weeks, including one in Baker Lake. Given how bad the problem has become in Nunavut, Parker hopes this year will see the biggest turnout yet. “When I hear about suicide, I hate to hear it because I lost two from suicide,” Parker said. She said the idea behind the event is to allow people to be open about their emotions. On the walks, Parker usually encourages people to express their deepest feelings as loudly as they want without fear or shame. “I tell them, ‘If you guys want to yell, you can yell on the walk. Think what you’re thinking and remember you’re never alone.’” While she hopes the walk is therapeutic for others, she said it is extremely helpful for her too. “I feel lighter when I see people joining the walk with me.”

ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥ ᐃᓄᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᖃᑦᑕᖁᔨᙱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓱᖕᓂᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ 2014-ᒥ – ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᐱᓱᖕᓂᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ – ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᔪᑦ Prince River-ᒥ. ᑐᕆᓴ ᐋᓯᕙᒃ ᐸᑲ ᐱᓱᖕᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐸᕐᓇᐃᔪᖅ 7-ᒋᔭᖓᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᒥᒃ ᐱᓱᖕᓂᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒐᓯ 25-ᒥ.

Participants in Baker Lake’s suicide prevention walk in 2014 — the first year the event was held — pose for a photo at Prince River. Theresa Aasivak Parker is organizing the community’s seventh annual suicide prevention walk on Aug. 25. Photo courtesy of Theresa Aasivak Parker Unlike some marches that go around town, Parker usually leads the group all the way to Prince River, which makes for a total round-trip of about six hours. However, this year she has decided to shorten the route by going to Nuveatuq Point. Parker said she expects the walk to be just four hours this year. She added that the route will follow a newly paved road, as opposed to walking on the tundra. She hopes these factors will encourage more people to join.

Parker also encouraged people who are going through difficult times to reach out to friends and family for help. “There’s always someone out there who cares for you and loves you.” Regardless of what happens this year, Parker said she will keep hosting the event for as long as she can. “I’m going to continue every year in August until I can’t walk anymore,” she said.

Late night fire shuts down Baker Lake daycare By Cody Punter Northern News Services

Baker Lake’s only daycare is seen ablaze in a screenshot from a video that resident Freddie Oovayuk shot in the early hours of Aug. 17. The RCMP said the fire is currently under investigation. Image courtesy of Freddie Oovayuk

Baker Lake is reeling after a fire destroyed the community’s daycare on the eve of the first day of school. “It is terrible timing for a lot of our parents that were supposed to go school today,” said Baker Lake MLA Craig Simailak. Police and the fire department in Baker Lake were called at 2:30 am on Aug. 17, according

to the RCMP’s communications department. Baker Lake resident Freddie Oovayuk recorded a video — posted to Facebook — showing the destructive blaze as firefighters responded to put it out. Oovayuk told Kivalliq News he went to check out the fire after seeing someone post about it on social media around 2 a.m. By the time he got to the scene, fire crews were arriving to put out the blaze. That’s when he decided he should film

what has happening. “As soon as I saw the flames I knew I had to go live,” he said. Oovayuk said the fire appeared to be coming from the porch outside the daycare. “As soon as I saw the flames knew something was fishy cause it was on the outside pouch,” he said. RCMP said the incident is under investigation and the detachment is unable to provide further details at this time. Based on the video Oovayuk posted, the firefighters appeared to get the most intense flames under control in about five minutes. Simailak offered kudos to the fire department for containing the fire as quickly as they did. “The fire could have been a lot worse,” he said. The building is owned by the hamlet, according to Simailak. Although the structure is still standing, it remains to be revealed how much damage it sustained following the fire. Simailak said he has offered his support to the hamlet and the daycare operator as they try to form contingency plans to open the daycare in a new location. “They are hoping to find a building they can use,” he said. “I’m waiting to see if there’s a way I can help. It’s very early but the hamlet is emailing back and forth about what our options are.”


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Wednesday, August 25, 2021 A5

opinions ᓄwhmK5

Baker Lake’s bowhead harvest a historic moment

ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥᐅᑕᑦ ᐊᕐᕙᒃᑕᒥᓂᒃ ᓂᑯᕕᖓᔪᑦ ᐊᕐᕙᒃᑕᖓ ᑕᑭᓂᓕᒃ 46–feet-ᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᒧᑦ ᑎᑭᐅᑎᓯᒪᔭᖓ ᐊᒐᓯ 17-ᒥ.

Editor: Cody Punter Associate Editor: Jean Kusugak Box 657, Rankin Inlet, NU X0C 0G0 Phone: (867) 645-3223 Fax: (867) 645-3225 Toll free: (855) 447-2584 Email: kivalliqnews@nnsl.com Website: www.nnsl.com/kivalliqnews Founder (1934-2018): J.W. (Sig) Sigvaldason Publisher, CEO: Bruce Valpy valpy@nnsl.com Coordinating Editor: Craig Gilbert craig@nnsl.com Kivalliq Advertising Representative: advertising@nunavutnews.com Call collect: (867) 873-4031 Fax: (867) 873-8507

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Baker Lake’s bowhead hunters stand on top of the 46-foot whale they harvested after bringing it safely to shore on August 17. Photo courtesy of Dino Mablik Northern News Services

The sun had already set when the fireworks started going off in Baker Lake. Nearly the entire town was gathered along the shoreline on Aug. 20 with their headlights beaming toward the horizon to welcome their hunters home. After close to a month at sea, more than a dozen Baker Lake hunters returned, having proven their prowess. Earlier that week, they managed to harvest a 46-foot bowhead whale, becoming the first inland community in Nunavut to do so. As Mayor Richard Aksawnee proclaimed, Aug. 15 was truly a “historic day” for Baker Lake. While they had their

CODY PUNTER

doubters, the hunters proved that hard work, perseverance and teamwork can pay off. According to captain Philip Putumiraqtuq, the hunters had been camping near Naujaat for nearly three weeks when they started to think about giving up. Several crew members had already left due to family emergencies. Then, on the night of Aug. 15, someone in Naujaat spotted a whale about 10 kilometres offshore from where the hunters were camping. After Putumiraqtuq consulted with his crew, the decision was made to pursue the whale despite heavy seas. In the end, they were successful in landing the massive mammal. While the hunters were at sea and on the land for nearly a month before returning home, their harvest represented more than a year of planning and teamwork. As Aksawnee pointed out, there were countless hours of meetings and coordinating with neighbouring communities. Indeed, even though it was Baker Lake hunters who took down the whale, they could not have succeeded without the support of the neighbouring com-

munities of Coral Harbour, Chesterfield Inlet and, most importantly, Naujaat. Mining company Agnico Eagle also chipped in by helping to pay for the equipment needed for the hunt. Not only did the whale yield enough maktak to be shared with several communities, Naujaatmiut rushed down to help the hunters butcher the whale after landing it, showing just how communal an effort the endeavour was. It was a historic day for Baker Lake, but the joy is being shared throughout the Kivalliq. The harvest was also a much-needed bit of welcome news for Baker Lake. Between recent tragic deaths and the fire at the community’s daycare, it was good to have something to celebrate. It just so happens that the hunters returned the same weekend that the community was holding grad celebrations, which meant more fireworks and more festivities. With this chapter in Baker Lake’s history coming to a close, the time the community harvested a bowhead whale is something that will be remembered for generations to come.


A6 Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Kivalliq News

www.nnsl.com

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Baker Lake hunters make history After three weeks at sea, team returns with 40-foot bowhead whale By Cody Punter Northern News Services

A group of Baker Lake hunters made history on Aug. 15 by harvesting the community’s first-ever bowhead whale. The hunters set out from the inland community on July 27, making stops in Chesterfield Inlet and Naujaat along the way. After more than three weeks on the land and on sea, the community’s mayor Richard Aksawnee made a Facebook post on August 16 announcing the hunters had successfully harvested a 46-foot bowhead. “A historic day for Baker Lake,” Aksawnee wrote. “A group of hunters left Baker Lake on the 27th of July in hopes of harvesting something that inlanders aren’t familiar harvesting. A bowhead whale. Today is that day.” According to Philip Putumiraqtuq, the hunt’s captain, the hunters had been stuck camping out on the land near Naujaat for nearly three weeks due to bad weather when they started to think about giving up and heading home. The conditions were so bad that they had hardly been able to get out on the water. “It was getting pretty frustrating with weather, not being able to get out. A lot of the crew was getting home-sick,” Putumiraqtuq said. Then on the morning of Aug. 15 the waters calmed down. Three crew members had narwhal tags so the hunters decided to try and hunt some to take their mind off the bowhead. “At the same time we said we’d keep an eye and ear out for a bowhead. Later on that day, a few hours later, we were spread out. Then we got the

call that a bowhead was spotted so we got together and started to harvest,” Putumiraqtuq said. Putumiraqtuq said he was amazed by how big the whale was when they finally came head to head with it. “When we started going after it, boy that fish was ever fast. I was wondering how are we going to keep up with it,” he said. By the time they finally got the first harpoon in the seas had started to pick up again. The crew stayed focused on the hunt and eventually Putumiraqtuq was able to hit it with the grenade gun. Although that slowed the whale down, the seas were getting dangerous so Putumiraqtuq called off the hunt and suggested they come back in the morning to try and find the carcass. When they finally located the whale the next day it was about 30 kilometres from Harbour Island. “The co-captain saw the buoys floating. On arrival we knew it was dead and floating. That’s when we announced that we had harvested it,” Putumiraqtuq said. By the time they got back to shore, news had spread to Naujaat and the hunters were greated with a hero’s celebration by Naujaatmiut who came on land and on boats to celebrate with them. “It was as if the ocean went alive with cheers that day,” Putumiraqtuq said. It took a few days to butcher the meat of the whale. Some of it was given out to Naujaatmiut, some to the hunters. A large portion was packed up to be shipped to Baker Lake by plane. When they finally arrived back to Baker late at night Aug. 20, the hunters were greeted by a fire-

Baker Lake’s bowhead hunters stand on top of the 44-foot whale they harvested after bringing it safely to shore on August 17. Photo courtesy of Dino Mablik works display and a procession of trucks flashing their headlights toward the water. A parade around town ensued and didn’t end until shortly before midnight. “It was a warm welcoming arrival. I thank that the lord to have made it back safely with all the crew.” Bake Lake is now awaiting the delivery of the

maktak from Naujaat so they can have a community feast. After having several days to rest at home, Putumiraqtuq extended his thanks to all the people and communities that helped make the hunt possible. “We will never forget them, everyone who followed us since that day we left Baker.”

Rankin Inlet finishes in top four at national Indigenous hockey tournament Despite losing 2-1 in the semifinals the team improved on last year’s top-eight finish By Cody Punter Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet finished in the top four at the Fred Sasakamoose “Chief Thunderstick” National Hockey Championship, which wrapped up in Saskatoon on Aug. 15. The result was an improvement on Rankin’s top eight finish in their first appearance at the national Indigenous men’s tournament last year. This year they almost made it to the finals but they dropped a hard-fought 2-1 battle to Eagle Lake First Nation in the semis. “We’re proud to be from Rankin and that’s who we were playing for and I hope we made Nunavut proud. We weren’t out there playing for ourselves we were playing for so much more,” team captain Roger Tagoona said in an interview. The tournament is named in honour of the late Fred Sasakamoose, who is considered the first Indigenous person to play in the National Hockey League. This year’s invite-only tournament featured 32 First Nations teams from across Canada. Tagoona said Rankin faced an uphill battle from the start by being placed in a pool with lots of strong teams. “We didn’t have any easy games at all,” Tagoona said.

After winning their first game 5-1 they beat Canoe Lake, who would were the eventual tournament champs, by a score of 6-2. In their last round-robin game Rankin had to face former NHLer and two-time Stanley Cup champion Dwight King, who was playing for Onion Lake. “It was pretty neat to be out there against him but you still want to win so you can’t stand there in awe of him for too long,” said Tagoona. Rankin played their backup goalie for the game and managed to walk away with a 2-2 tie, which put them in the top of their pool at the end of round robin play. That set them up for a round-of-16 playoff game against the Samson Hawks. In that game Rankin got out to an early 2-0 lead but the Hawks pushed back hard. The Hawks eventually tied the game near the end of the third. They almost got the go-ahead goal near the end but Rankin’s starting goalie Seth Ningeongan kept them in the game. “He was actually going to be the backup goalie for us in the tournament,” Tagoona said. “He stepped in and totally stole the show for us.” With the game tied, they went to 3-on-3 overtime. On his first shift of the extra period Daniel McKitrick won the game for Rankin with a beautiful wraparound goal. “He carried us the last tournament and he stepped up big with that goal,” Tagoona said of Mckitric. In the quartefinals Rankin was matched up against Opaskwayak Cree Nation, the same community where Jordin and Terrence Tootoo got their start in junior hockey. Although there is a lot of history between the two communities, there was no love lost on the ice. Rankin once again went up 2-0 early in that game. OCN managed to get a goal on the board and they were pushing hard for another at the end of the third, but Ningeongan stepped up again to give Rankin the victory. “We had bodies flying everywhere and the puck was in the crease but somehow it stayed out,” Tagoona said. In the semi-finals Rankin faced off against Eagle Lake. Rankin gave up a goal in first six minutes of the game on a shot from a weird angle. The rest of the period went at a relatively slow pace until Eagle Lake’s goalie had to make a big save in the final minute. Rankin started throwing the body a bit more in the second period. After a few big hits in the defensive zone Rankin got a breakaway opportunity but Eagle Lake’s goalie shut the door. Eagle Lake got another goal on a lucky bounce four minutes into the third. Rankin fought back but was unable to generate many chances. They pulled the goalie with more than three minutes left to try and even it up. Then with 1:17 left in the period

McKitrick scored to make it one-goal game. The team pushed hard and managed to keep pressure on Eagle Lake. With four seconds left in the game they rang a shot off the cross bar but it was too little too late. While it wasn’t the championship finish the team was hoping for Tagoona said the team has made a lot of progress. “Obviously you want to win the championship but you have to look at is a huge success on our part. Our goal was to make it further than we did last year so we accomplished that,” Tagoona said.He added that while the team fought as hard as possible on the ice, they couldn’t have done it without the sponsorship of Nunavut Investments, Calm Air, EPLS, the Hamlet of Rankin Inlet, Agnico Eagle, Rankin Inlet Senior Mens Hockey, KIA, Atuqtuarvik Corporation and Avid Insurance. Tagoona also credited his dad Patrick Tagoona with helping organize the team. Although it’s a year away Tagoona said the young Rankin team will be looking to improve even more for the next tournament. “Last year we just wanted to show we belonged and we made a statement with our first appearance. This year there was a little more expectation. We showed we’re not just a good team, we’re a contending team.”

Rankin Inlet goalie Seth Ningeongan helped drive his team to a top-four finish at the Fred Sasakamoose “Chief Thunderstick” National Hockey Championship which wrapped up in Saskatoon on Aug. 15. Photo courtesy of Roger Tagoona


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