Kivalliq News - Jan. 19, 2022 Edition

ᓯᓗ ᑖᒃᓯ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᐅᑭᐅᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᕐᔪᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ

Silu's Taxi has whirlwind first year Kivalliq News WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2022

Vol 28 No 4

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Youth in Baker Lake mug for the camera after an engaging meeting about men’s programming in their community. Though Atii Angutiit made it to only three communities before blizzards and Covid-19 interrupted travel plans, the suggestions had already tallied into the triple digits. Photo courtesy of Atii Angutiit

Community ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᕐᓇᖅ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᓕᒃ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᐃᓪᓕᔪᒥᒃ ᖃᓄᐃᙱᖁᔨᔪᖅ Rankin Inlet woman inspires despite cancer battle

News ᓱᕐᕋᖕᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᓇᓂᑐᐃᓐᓈᓗᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᑲᙳᓇᕐᒪᑕ Stigma keeping cannabis use closeted

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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.

fact file Nunavut COVID-19 situation as of Jan. 18 Active cases: 177 Confirmed cases: 1,222 Recovered cases: 1,040 Deaths: 5 Vaccine uptake: 31,623 first doses/ 88 per cent 24,998 second doses/ 71 per cent

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ï·∆¿Í´ ≤áflúòî ÖÚÊéÔÒπØflî Ç≤úõ¿Ö≤ú Ö±Ø ÖéÍ≤ú Ulukhaktok áîéÖ≤Í´ú. íØêØ Äƒù‚ ÖÚÊéÔÒπØ≤Ò Ä¿íÒπÕ‰ÖÔÍ≤Í´ú í±ØÒíÇÀ≤ú Ö±Ø ÜÒïùÖÒπ¿Í≤Ò. íò∏≤Ê›î í±ØÒπØÀ´ú 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 Kugaaruk Ç„·√∏≥î ∂¬∂ĉÖͬü áÀ∏∂ÒπêÖÊçí.

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Naujaat

Around Kivalliq

Wednesday, January 19, 2022 A3

Behchoko

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with Stewart Burnett

Breakdown by community: Kugaaruk: 2 Arviat: 32 Naujaat: 11 Baker Lake: 33 Pangnirtung: 2 Cambridge Bay: 11 Chesterfield Inlet: 1 Pond Inlet: 1 Rankin Inlet: 17 Coral Harbour: 13 Sanikiluaq: 11 Iqaluit: 11 Sanirajak: 3 Gjoa Haven: 2 Taloyoak: 4 Kinngait: 16 Whale Cove: 2 Source: Government of Nunavut Department of Health

ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᖅ ᐊᖑᑎᓄᑦ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ

Sanikiluaq

ᓵᒻ ᑐᑕᓐᓄᐊᖅ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒃᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᖅᑲᑎᒌᖕᓄᑦ ᐊᑏ ᐊᖑᑏᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᖏᑦ ᑲᑎᓐᓂᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᕐᔪᖕᒥ ᑎᓯᐱᕆᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥ.

Gloria Anawak snapped this photo of essential workers in Rankin Inlet making sure the roads were clear after a blizzard Jan. 7. Photo courtesy of Gloria Anawak

Covid relief funding rolls in

Kivalliq The Government of Nunavut is injecting $4 million of Covid relief funding into the communities, resulting in about $1.23 million going to the Kivalliq.

Funding must be allocated toward Covid-19 prevention, response and/or recovery priorities.

Per community, the breakdown is as follows: Arviat - $212,510 Baker Lake - $197,084 Chesterfield Inlet - $130,544 Coral Harbour - $162,014 Naujaat - $138,410 Rankin Inlet - $257,607 Whale Cove - $131,960

No community untouched in latest outbreak

Naujaat A presumptive case of Covid-19 in Naujaat announced Jan. 15 meant every Kivalliq community saw the virus hit home during the new year outbreak.

Rankin Inlet saw the first case in the outbreak, just before Christmas, eventually pacing with Arviat and topping out at 55-65 active cases. The rest of the Kivalliq has seen a smattering in each community.

However, because the Government of Nunavut changed its testing priorities Jan. 6, it’s not known exactly how many active cases there are in the territory. The government’s numbers show only those that have been lab tested.

Fuel efficiency to be determined

Chesterfield Inlet Following a story in last week’s Kivalliq News (Jan. 12, 2021) about Qulliq Energy Corporation’s plans for a new power plant in Chesterfield Inlet, Kivalliq News reached out to QEC for clarification on just how much more “fuel efficient” the new power plant would be, as quoted by Rick Hunt, president of and CEO of QEC. In response, QEC’s Sandy Lewis told Kivalliq News that fuel efficiency is based on several parameters, such as operational philosophy, weather, demand and supply of power.

“When our new power plant is operational, we will be able to determine the percentage of fuel efficiency based on the data collected,” stated Lewis in an email.

“However, in general terms, the new generator sets are much more fuel efficient than the old units they are replacing.”

Sam Tutanuak speaks to community members at an Atii Angutiit gathering in Chesterfield Inlet last December. Photo courtesy of Atii Angutiit

ᐊᑏ ᐊᖑᑏᑦ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᕈᖅᑎᑦᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᔪᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᖑᑎᓄᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ Northern News Services

ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᖑᑎᓄᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑑᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᐸᑦ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ? ᑕᒡᕙ ᐊᐱᖅᑯᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᑏ ᐊᖑᑏᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᑉᓗᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂᒃ ᐳᓚᕋᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᑎᓯᐱᕆᒥ. ᑖᑉᑯᐊ ᐊᖑᑏᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓄᑦ ᑎᑭᐅᑎᓚᐅᕋᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐱᖅᓯᓕᓚᐅᕐᒪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᕙᒡᔪᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᓴᖅᑭᒃᑲᓐᓂᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓄᑦ ᑎᑭᑦᑐᓐᓇᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᔪᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᓚᐅᕐᒪᑎᒃ, ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑕᐅᖁᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ 100-ᖏᓐᓃᓕᐊᓂᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ. “ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓄᑦ ᑎᑭᓚᐅᕋᑉᑕ ᑐᓴᕈᒪᑦᑎᐊᖅᖢᑕ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᓵᒻ ᑐᑕᓐᓄᐊᖅ, ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖅ ᐅᖃᐅᔾᔨᒋᐊᖅᑎᓂᒃ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᖏᓐᓄᑦ, ᐃᒻᖏᖅᑎ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᑏ ᐊᖑᑏᑦ ᐳᓚᕋᖅᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ. “ᖃᐅᔨᒪᙱᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐅᖃᐅᑎᔭᐅᓂᐊᕐᒪᖔᑉᑕ. ᓇᐅᒃᑰᕐᓂᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᖅᐳᑦ ᓂᕆᐅᒋᓚᐅᙱᑕᖅᐳᑦ.” ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᖏᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐳᓛᕐᕕᒃ ᖃᑉᓗᒃᑯᓐᓂᒃ ᑲᑎᑦᑎᕙᓪᓕᐊᑉᓗᑎᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᒃᓴᕆᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᖑᑎᓄᑦ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔪᒪᖕᒪᖔᑕ. ᐊᑏ ᐊᖑᑏᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᑎᑦᑎᕙᒃᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓲᑦ, ᐅᖃᖃᑎᒌᒃᑎᑦᑎᓲᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᒻᖏᓲᑦ. ᐃᓄᒃ ᐃᒻᖏᖅᑎ Hyper-T, ᓂᐅᓴᓐ ᑕᒍᕐᓈᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓯᖏᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᓲᑦ ᐃᒻᖏᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔪᓂᒃ. ᓄᓇᖅᑲᑎᒌᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᖃᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓈᓗᒃ ᑐᓴᕐᓂᐊᕋᓱᒋᓚᐅᙱᒃᑲᓗᐊᖅᑐᒍᑦ, ᓲᕐᓗ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒋᐊᖃᑦᑕᕈᒪᓂᕋᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᕐᕈᑎᓕᐅᖃᑦᑕᕈᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᒪᔪᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᖕᒥᓂᒃ ᓴᐳᓐᓂᐊᖃᑦᑕᕋᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐃᓕᑦᑎᔪᒪᔪᓪᓗ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓵᖓᓂ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒍᓐᓇᖅᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕆᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᔪᒪᔪᑦ. “ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂᙶᖅᑐᑦ ᑕᒡᕙ ᓄᓇᖅᑲᑎᒌᖕᓂᒃ, ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᐅᙱᑦᑐᖅ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑐᑕᓐᓄᐊᖅ. ᐳᓚᕌᓂᒃᐸᑕ, ᐳᓛᕐᕕᒃᑯᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᕐᒥᒃ

ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᓄᖅ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑕᐅᓪᓚᑦᑖᕋᔭᕐᒪᖔᑕ. ᑐᑕᓐᓄᐊᖅ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑕᑯᔪᓐᓇᓚᐅᕋᒥ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᓴᕐᕕᒋᔪᓐᓇᓚᐅᕐᒪᒋᑦ. ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑑᔪᓐᓃᕋᓗᐊᖅᖢᓂ, ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᐃᒻᖏᖅᑎ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑐᑭᓯᐅᒪᔪᕉᖅ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐱᑕᖃᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒥ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᖑᑎᓄᑦ. “ᐊᖑᑎᑦ ᐊᖑᑕᐅᖃᑎᒥᓄᑦ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒍᓐᓇᖅᓯᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᐃᒃᐱᒋᔭᒥᓂᒡᓗ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᑭᓯᐅᒪᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᒃᐱᖕᓂᐊᓂᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᖔᑕ ᐅᑉᓗᑕᒫᒃᑯᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ. “ᐊᑖᑕᖃᖅᑑᔭᓕᕈᓐᓇᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᑕᐃᑉᑯᐊ ᐊᑖᑕᓕᔭᕈᓐᓃᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒥᓂᒃ ᐊᑖᑕᖃᙱᑦᑐᑦ, ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑦᑐᖃᕆᐊᓕᒃ.” ᑐᑕᓐᓄᐊᖅ ᐊᑖᑕᐃᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑑᑉᓗᓂ. “ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᕋᓂᒃ ᐊᓯᐅᔨᓯᒪᔫᔭᖅᑐᖓ, ᓄᓇᒥ ᐃᓅᓇᓱᐊᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᑎᒍᑦ ᓴᓇᕐᕈᑎᓕᐅᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐊᑖᑕᖃᙱᓐᓇᒪ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ. “ᐊᖓᔪᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᓇᔭᖃᖅᖢᖓᓗ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓄᑕᕋᖅᑖᕋᒥᒃ ᐃᖕᒥᓂᒃᑕᐅᖅ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒌᓕᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ.” ᐅᐃᕆᓯᒪᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᓂᑰᔪᖅᑕᐅᖅ, ᑕᐃᒪᐃᒻᒪᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑦᑕᕈᒪᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᓴᓇᖃᑎᒥᓂᒃ, ᐃᓚᓐᓈᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᖅᑲᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᓇᓂᓯᓇᓱᒍᓐᓇᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᑦᑎᐊᕙᐅᓂᖅᓴᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓅᓯᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᒥᑐᑦ ᐊᔪᓕᑐᐃᓐᓇᖁᓇᒋᑦ. “ᖃᐃᖃᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ (ᑲᑎᒪᔪᓂᒃ) ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊᒎᖅ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᐅᑉ ᓄᙳᐊᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᖃᑦᑕᖅᐸᑕ ᐃᖢᐊᕋᔭᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᖓᔮᕐᓇᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᓵᙵᑐᐃᓐᓇᕈᒪᓇᓂ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑐᑕᓐᓄᐊᖅ. “ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᓱᒪᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᐅᔪᖅ Hᐃᓖ?” ᑖᑉᑯᐊ ᐳᓚᕋᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᑦᑎᔪᒪᔪᑦ ᐳᓚᕋᕐᓂᕆᔪᒫᖅᑕᒥᓂᒃ ᕕᕗᐊᕆᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒫᑦᓯᒥ, ᐊᐅᓪᓚᖃᑦᑕᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᔪᒫᕐᓂᖏᑦᑕ ᒪᓕᒐᖏᑦ ᒪᓕᒡᓗᒋᑦ. ᑐᑕᓐᓄᐊᖅ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᖑᑎᓂᒃ ᐅᔾᔨᖅᑐᖁᔨᔪᖅ ᐳᓛᕐᕕᒃᑯᑦ Facebook-ᖓᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᔭᒃᓴᖃᓕᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᑲᒪᔨᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑖᑉᑯᑎᒎᓇᖅ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᒥ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᒃᑯᑦ.

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Kivalliq News

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Smiling in the face of hardship Kivalliq heroes offer inspiration Northern News Services

In the first week of January, we covered stories of two people in extremely difficult situations: Ernie Eetak, who lost his hands in a blizzard, and Alexandra Rudd, who is battling stage 4 brain cancer.

The first couldn’t stop giggling during his interview, and the second is still posting charming TikTok cooking videos. Their good spirits are remarkable and inspiring.

It begs the question of how much our reality is influenced by our mindset.

We know we’re experiencing depression when we can objectively look at our life and admit nothing is seriously wrong, but we still feel awful.

With clinical depression, chemical imbalances override any rational assessments.

course of their lives.

Eetak and Rudd have every reason Those who do face in the world to feel those challenges and terrible, but they sure remain smiling dedon’t come off like spite them earn heroic status in our eyes. they do.

But perhaps it is in Whether they are the human condition simply putting on a to “keep on keeping brave face or not, the on” no matter what. mere fact that they We are not, in an can present a brave evolutionary sense, face is inspiring. to be happy These stories tend stewart geared and content, even if to generate a lot of burnett everything is going hits and interest onwell. We are geared line precisely because for survival, adaptathe ability to remain tion and growth. positive in such circumstances Eetak and Rudd have been dealt seems unbelievable to most peodifficult cards, but they are doing ple.

For most of us, we hope not to be what is in their nature to not let that stop them and adapt to their part of the rare statistics we see on the news: the ones who suffer from circumstances.

For Rudd, she is advocating for serious ailments, accidents and brain tumour research and funding natural disasters that change the

so others don’t have to go through what she’s experienced. Eetak may have lost his hands, but he doesn’t plan to stop doing the things he loves, namely hunting.

Their cards have changed, but they’re still playing the game of life with full commitment.

Even understanding all of that, I find it hard to imagine myself coping so well in their shoes.

Although I can rationalize that some of their determination comes from natural evolutionary processes, I’m not sure I could hold myself together so well.

Even if survival mechanisms are driving their positivity, they are still clearly heroes regardless, and it is amazing to have two examples of such strength right here in the Kivalliq.

Should I find myself in similar circumstances, I will remember their stories.

ᐃᓅᓇᓱᖕᓂᖅ ᑐᒃᑐᓕᕆᑉᓗᓂ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᐊᖅ

Sanikiluaq

ᑎᒻ ᑐᙳᐊᖅ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᐊᒐᒃᓴᖃᓪᓚᕆᒃᑐᖅ ᑐᒃᑐᑦ ᒥᒃᓵᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᖅ ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᑉ ᓯᓚᑖᓂ ᐃᖕᒥᓂᒃ ᕿᒫᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ.

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Tim Tunguaq has his fair share of caribou stories, and one on the land near Baker Lake sent him running. Photo courtesy of Tim Tunguaq

ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑎ ᑎᑉᓯᓇᖅᑐᒥ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᐊᒐᒃᓴᓕᒃ ᓄᓇᒦᓚᐅᖅᖢᓂ Northern News Services

ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑏᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᐊᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᑖᒻᓇ ᑕᖅᑭᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᓕᓵᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᑎᑉᓯᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑐᒃᑐᒐᓱᖕᓂᒃᑯᑦ. ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᑎᒻ ᑐᖑᐊᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᔪᓚᐃᒥ ᑕᐃᑉᓱᒪᓂᑐᖃᖅ ᐃᕐᓂᓂᓗ ᑐᒃᑐᓐᓇᓱᒃᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᑕ ᖃᓂᒋᔭᖓᓂᒃ. ᐅᒥᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᒥHᐊᓗᒃᒧᙵᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑕᑯᔪᕕᓃᑦ ᑐᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᖃᑉᓰᓐᓇᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᒋᐅᑎᑦ ᐅᐊᖕᓇᖓᓂ ᐊᓂᒍᖅ ᑰᖕᒥ. “ᕿᖑᒻᒥᒃᖢᑕ, ᑐᒃᑐᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᒃᖢᒋᑦ, ᖃᐅᔨᓇᓱᒃᖢᑕ ᓇᒧᙵᐅᖕᒪᖔᑕ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᔪᖅ ᑐᙳᐊᖅ. ᐅᕙᑦᑎᐊᕈᙳᕐᒪᑦ, ᑐᒃᑐᓯᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐅᔾᔨᕈᓱᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑐᒃᑐᑦ ᑕᖃᐃᖅᓯᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ. ᐊᖓᔪᒃᖡᑦ ᐊᖏᐅᑎᓕᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓇᓱᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᑐᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᖃᓂᓪᓕᒋᐊᕈᓐᓇᕐᒪᖔᕐᒥᒃ. ᐅᒥᐊᓂ ᑰᑉ ᓴᓂᐊᓂ ᓄᖅᑲᖅᑎᖦᖢᒍ ᑐᒃᑐᑦ ᒪᔪᕆᐊᕐᕕᐅᑉ

ᖄᖓᓃᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᑉᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑏᑦ ᐹᕐᖑᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐸᕐᕆᐊᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ. ᑐᒃᑐᑦ ᓇᓚᑲᑕᒃᑐᑦ ᓱᓕ ᑐᙳᐊᖅ ᖃᓂᓪᓕᒐᒥ ᑐᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᑐᕌᖅᑎᑦᑎᓕᖅᖢᓂ. “ᓴᓂᓕᕇᒃᖢᑕ ᖁᑭᐊᓕᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᐊᑕᐅᑦᑎᒃᑯᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᖢᓂ ᑐᙳᐊᖅ. “ᐃᕐᓃᒃᑲ ᐅᖃᐅᑎᓯᒪᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᑐᓂ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᕌᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᕐᓂᑉᑎᓐᓄᑦ, ᑰᒃ ᐃᒃᑲᑦᑑᖕᒪᑦ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᐊᒥᓲᓂᖅᓴᑦ ᑕᒪᑐᒥᙵ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᖕᒪᑕ.” ᑐᒃᑐᑦ ᒪᑭᒋᐊᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᒪᙱᑎᓪᓗᒋᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᓱᓕ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑏᑦ ᖁᑭᐊᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ. “ᑕᒪᑦᑕ ᑐᒃᑐᖦᖢᑕ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᖢᓂ ᑐᙳᐊᖅ, ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂᓗ ᑐᒃᑐᓯᒪᓕᕋᒥᒃ ᑐᒃᑐᑦᑕᒥᓄᑦ ᐱᓱᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ. ᖃᓂᓪᓕᒐᒥ, ᐅᔾᔨᕈᓱᓕᖅᖢᓂ ᑐᒃᑐᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᒥᓲᓂᖅᓴᐅᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ, ᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᑐᑭᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑎᐅᑉ ᐃᓚᖓ ᖃᑉᓯᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᒃ ᑐᒃᑐᓯᒪᔪᒃᓴᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ. ᐃᕆᐊᓪᓚᒃᖢᓂ, “7-ᖑᔪᑦ ᑐᒃᑐᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᕐᕕᓂᓖᓐᓇᐅᑉᓗᑕ. ᑭᓇ ᒪᕐᕈᕌᖅᓯᒪᖕᒪᑦ?”

ᑐᒃᑐᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑕᑯᒋᐊᓕᕋᒥᒋᑦ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᒧᑦ ᑎᑭᐅᑎᑉᓗᓂ. ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑐᑦ ᖁᒃᓴᓪᓚᒃᖢᑎᒃ, ᑐᒃᑐᓗ ᐅᐃᖦᖢᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᔾᔨᕈᓱᓕᕋᒥ ᐅᐸᒃᑕᐅᓂᕐᒥᓄᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ, ᐅᐸᒋᐊᖅᑐᓯᔪᐊᓘᑉᓗᓂ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ. “ᐊᖑᑎᐊᓘᙱᖔᖅᖢᖓ, ᑐᓄᖦᖢᒍ ᕿᒪᓯᔪᖓ ᖁᑭᐅᓯᔭᖅᑐᖓ ᑕᒡᕙ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᖢᓂ ᑐᙳᐊᖅ. “ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓕᐅᖅᖢᓂᓗ ᓴᓂᓕᕆᔭᕋ ᐊᖑᑎ, ᑕᒪᓐᓄᒃ ᐃᕆᐊᓛᖢᓄᒃ. ᐱᖃᑎᕗᑦ ᐊᖑᑎᑦ ᐅᕙᑉᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᐅᑐᒃᑐᑦ ᐃᒡᓚᖅᑐᐊᓘᑉᓗᑎᒃ.” ᑐᓄᑕᐃᓐᓇᕋᒥᒃ, ᑕᑯᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑐᒃᑐ ᐅᑎᒧᑦ ᐅᑎᓕᖅᑐᕕᓂᖅ ᕿᒪᓯᑉᓗᓂᓗ. “ᑐᒃᑐ ᕿᑉᓯᙱᑦᑐᕕᓂᐊᓗᒃ ᖁᑭᐊᔪᐊᓗᖕᓂᒃ, ᖁᑭᖅᑕᐅᓇᓂᓗ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕿᓪᓚᖃᕐᓇᓂ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑐᖅ ᑐᙳᐊᖅ. ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᖃᐅᔨᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑐᒃᑐᑦ ᓯᓂᒍᓐᓇᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᓂᐱᖃᖅᑐᐊᓘᒐᓗᐊᖅᐸᑦ. “ᐊᑕᓈᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᐅᕿᓚᓂᖅᓴᐅᓚᐅᖅᑰᖅᑐᖓᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᑕᐃᑉᓱᒪᓂ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᖢᓂ ᑐᙳᐊᖅ, ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑕᕐᕆᔭᐅᓯᐊᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥ 2001-ᒥ ᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᑕᐃᒎᓯᓕᖕᒥ: The Fast Runner.

Kivalliq News

Wednesday, January 19, 2022 A5

Rankin Inlet woman battles brain cancer at home www.nnsl.com

Viral TikTok, cooking and family keep Alexandra Rudd’s spirits up in face of prognosis

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Rankin Inlet

Once thought to be in remission, Alexandra Rudd’s brain cancer became more severe in the past year, but one would hardly know it watching her charming – and viral – TikTok cooking videos.

Now home in Rankin inlet, Rudd is staying as positive as she can in the face of a prognosis in November that gave her one to two months to live.

“Their prognostic guesses are only guesses due to the tumour of where it is, the size and going by other patients’ outcomes,” said Rudd, who is now on an IV chemotherapy.

Despite that news, Rudd has continued updating her TikTok account, where a macaroni cooking video she filmed in December went viral and received more than 130,000 views.

“I made a family dish my grandma taught me to make,” said Rudd. “It’s comfort food, which is why I believe it went viral. I made the video for my family, for something for them to look back on and follow along with if they chose to, and it went viral on me. I wasn’t expecting it to go viral. I was amazed and shocked that it did.”

She films all sorts of cooking videos, even one from a hospital bed. She also uses the platform to discuss her health conditions with viewers. Her account’s bio says it all: “a Nunavut girl legally blind and brain cancer fighter badass.”

As a baby, Rudd was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, a condition that can lead to tumours on nerve endings and wreak havoc on the body.

Rudd underwent two years of chemotherapy as a toddler to treat optic nerve gliomas, but due to the tumours, she became legally blind.

In 2016 and 2017, she began having major headaches. An MRI in the summer of 2017 showed a shadow in her brain, and another MRI in December identified a growing mass.

In March 2018, she had a biopsy. Because of the location of the tumour, only a small amount was taken, and it showed stage 2 brain cancer.

The tumour was growing so quickly that doctors treated it as stage 3 brain cancer and Rudd began a regime of radiation and chemotherapy.

In the summer of 2019, she was considered in remission.

Regular MRIs every three months began to show minor changes, starting in January 2021.

By April, it showed the tumour was clearly growing again, and in June, she was diagnosed with glioblastoma stage 4 brain cancer.

Rudd started on an experimental chemotherapy treatment that attacks certain genes that allow for tumours to grow quickly. Unfortunately, it didn’t work.

“I thought it was working, but an MRI confirmed that it wasn’t,” said Rudd. “It made me very tired.”

That’s when she received the prognosis in November. According to The Brain Tumour Charity, only 25 per cent of glioblastoma patients survive more than one year, and only five per cent survive more than five years.

Rudd’s treatment switched to Avastin, a chemotherapy drug that blocks blood flow to the tumour, allowing for some relief of its effects, which she is also on steroids to help with.

“I am weaker and have low energy,” said Rudd about how she’s feeling now. “I need help for my daily living.”

Cooking has become difficult, as her energy drains so quickly now. She still cooks as much as she can with breaks and help from her family.

“It is very hard to stay positive all the time,” said Rudd. “It’s very hard to do so and it’s all I can do to stay strong. My family has helped in a lot of ways, so that helps me tremendously to stay positive.”

For anyone else going through a difficult situation of their own, Rudd has this advice: don’t keep your feelings bottled up when you are overwhelmed, and keep doing what you enjoy doing as much as possible.

In a recent video, she thanked the doctors and nurses that have allowed her to take chemotherapy in her home of Rankin Inlet. She also thanked Rankin Inlet Fire Department for transportation between her home and health centre to receive treatment.

She encourages people to donate to the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada or Cancer Care Manitoba.

Her TikTok can also be found under the account alexandra.rudd.

Alexandra Rudd is back at home in Rankin Inlet while taking IV chemotherapy for brain cancer. After an experimental treatment failed last year, Rudd’s doctor gave her one to two months to live in November 2021. Photo courtesy of Alexandra Rudd

A6 Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Hamlet opens joy ride loop

Kivalliq News

www.nnsl.com

Arviat’s Nuvuk ice road provides opportunity to get out of town

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Arviat

It doesn’t go anywhere, but if you need to get out of town for a break, Arviat now has an ice road loop residents can take for a pleasure cruise.

Funding from the federal government circled down through Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the Kivalliq Inuit Association and finally the Hamlet of Arviat to clear roads in town.

“Part of that funding was to clear roads so that people can go out and about and drive around, so they’re not always holed up in their homes,” said Arviat Mayor Joe Savikataaq Jr. The Nuvuk ice road loop is about 10 kilometres long, leaving town from one part, circling the point and coming back in another part of town.

The goal of the road is to provide an opportunity for residents to get out of town, ease their minds and take a joy ride, “rather than

just driving around and around in town,” said Savikataaq Jr. The hamlet will be maintaining it this winter for as long as the maintenance funding lasts.

“It’s quite expensive to maintain these roads,” said Savikataaq Jr., saying storms are the biggest factor in how long the road will be open, as they take a lot of resources to clear afterward.

The hamlet is also about halfway finished making an ice road to Wolf Creek south of town.

“Quite a few people pick up ice from that (creek),” said Savikataaq Jr. Wolf Creek is about 10 km from town as well, and that road will also be temporary and dependent on funding.

The hamlet will be announcing when it is finished and ready to drive on.

Savikataaq Jr. went to check out the Nuvuk ice road loop in person the day it opened on Jan. 14 and said a few cars were already out and enjoying the road.

Hamlet staff are keeping the Nuvuk ice road loop clear so long as funding allows. Photo courtesy of Joe Savikataaq Jr.

Marijuana still comes with stigma for some Despite legalization, cannabis use often done in the dark

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Kivalliq

Cannabis is legal in Nunavut, but not everyone supports its use, leading some smokers to keep their habit quiet. Pixabay photo

Though cannabis has been legal in Nunavut and across the country since 2018, perceptions around its use still push some smokers to partake in secret.

“Too many people still frown down the fact that people smoke marijuana,” said one Kivalliq resident who wanted to remain anonymous because of the judgment she feels still exists.

“Yet people are more than OK with the beer and wine store (in Rankin Inlet). There are still people in the community who are against (cannabis),” she said.

She’s been smoking cannabis for 20 years, but legalization didn’t change her habits regarding how much she smokes. It hasn’t changed how much she smokes cigarettes, either.

“The only major change I saw was that sales of it dropped from $50 to $20 for a gram of weed,” the resident said.

She thinks some people are stubborn and won’t ever accept that cannabis can be used as medicine.

Despite cannabis being legally available now, the resident said

there are still plenty of local dealers, many of whom are just average people who buy legally online and mark up sales in town.

She added that it’s sad there are pills and cocaine in town as well. However, she contended that marijuana is not a gateway drug, as she has never taken up an offer to do anything other than smoke weed.

Weichien Chan, manager of communications with the Department of Finance, said that since legalization, the Nunavut Liquor and Cannabis Commission has run campaigns providing information on the law around cannabis and operating boats and motor vehicles under the influence.

Chan would not reveal the volume or value of legal cannabis sales in the territory.

“While we do collect information on legal cannabis sales, because we only have one legal cannabis retailer in Nunavut, releasing this information would reveal details that could affect their business interests,” Chan wrote in an email.

Details for cannabis use from Statistics Canada in Nunavut are scant and based on low numbers, but self-reported use over the last three years tended to show about 30 per cent of the territory were smoking.

www.nnsl.com

ᑐᒃᑐᑦ ᑲᑎᑦᑐᑦ Hᐊᕝᕙᖅᑑᕐᒥ ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᑉ ᖃᓂᒋᔭᖓᓂᒃ.

Kivalliq News

Wednesday, January 19, 2022 A7

A herd of caribou gather at the Kazan River near Baker Lake. Photo courtesy of Tim Tunguaq

A death-defying caribou story Baker Lake hunter recounts amusing tale from the land

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Baker Lake

Hunters from across the North took to social media earlier this month to share humorous caribou stories.

For Baker Lake’s Tim Tunguaq, it made him recall an early summer day in July some years ago when he and his boys were chasing a caribou herd near town.

He headed up the water to Mihaluk by boat and saw a small herd on the north side of Agiutit on the Aniguq River.

“We were scoping, watching, trying to figure out where they were heading,” recalled Tunguaq.

After a while, the group noticed the caribou were settling down to take a rest.

The older guys headed up to Agiutit to see if they could get closer to the herd. They landed their boat on the river’s

edge below the herd and began creeping up the hill.

The caribou were still laying down when Tunguaq was close enough to take aim.

“We formed a line and started shooting at the same time,” wrote Tunguaq. “I had told the boys that we were going to get only one caribou per person, as the river was kind of shallow, as most people around Baker Lake knows.”

The caribou didn’t even have a chance to stand up when the hunters started shooting.

“We all got ourselves caribou,” wrote Tunguaq, adding that the harvesters started walking towards the slain animals.

When he got closer, he noticed there were more dead caribou on the ground than there were people hunting, meaning someone must have shot more than one.

He yelled out, “There are seven caribou and there’s only six of us. Who caught two?”

They began checking out the caribou on the ground and

came up to the final one. To the group’s surprise, it raised its head, slowly opened its eyes and realized it was being approached by humans, prompting it to start charging right toward the group.

“Instead of being a real man, I turned around and started running away with rifle in hand,” wrote Tunguaq. “So did the other person beside me, both yelling. The other guys were watching us and laughing.”

When they finally looked back, they saw the caribou had turned and run away in the other direction.

“Damn thing slept right through all that shooting, wasn’t shot and didn’t have a single wound on it,” wrote Tunguaq.

That’s when he found out caribou can sleep very soundly despite a whole lot of noise.

“I might have been a faster runner than Atanarjuat at that time,” wrote Tunguaq, referring to the namesake of 2001 Inuit-directed film Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner.

A8 Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Kivalliq News

www.nnsl.com

Over $8 million in new supports announced in Covid-19 update Return to class scheduled for Nunavut students; isolation and other restrictions easing

By Trevor Wright Northern News Services Nunavut

The Government of Nunavut is undertaking several initiatives to help Nunavummiut through this latest wave of Covid-19, Premier P.J. Akeeagok said during a Jan. 13 Covid-19 update, with more than $8 million in additional funding allocated.

These initiatives include $4.5 million to bolster Covid-19 isolation food support programs, $4 million which will go toward critical community services such as water, sewage and other critical functions and the return of the $5,000 small business support program business relief funding.

The isolation food support program can be accessed by emailing IsolationSupports@gov. nu.ca or by calling 1-888-902-0872 in order to get the process started. Nunavummiut who need to access supplies while in isolation can reach out for support.

The $4 million going toward critical services will help hamlets and municipalities with funds to ensure Covid-19 response efforts don’t compromise a community’s financial status. This is run by the Department of Community and Government Services and funding is provided by the federal government.

“Water, sewer, that’s a daily thing every household needs support on, we’re working with every hamlet and municipality to ensure services go uninterrupted as long as possible,” said David Joanasie, minister of community and government services.

The small business support program pro-

vides business relief funding of up to $5,000 to subsidize eligible business expenses such as insurance, licensing fees, office rentals, utilities or non-refundable business expenses for goods rendered unusable due to the pandemic.

Businesses with fewer than 10 employees or less than $500,000 in gross sales are eligible.

More information on this can be found on the Government of Nunavut website. This initiative is run by the Department of Economic Development and Transportation. Artists, crafts people, retailers and harvesters can apply for funding.

Restrictions easing Nunavut’s circuit breaker lockdown ended Jan. 17 with a slight easing of public health restrictions, including the reopening of childcare facilities and a lift of community travel restrictions, though non-essential travel is still discouraged.

“What we foresee is those communities that continue to not have cases will have measures eased earlier. Communities that continue to have transmission and new cases will stay at this current level for a longer period of time.

“We’re really only easing them a little bit and (are) still really tight compared to much of the country,” said chief public health officer Dr. Michael Patterson.

Nunavut teachers are expected to return to work Jan. 17 for remote teaching, with a return to in-class learning set for Jan. 24. Whether that will be at either 100 per cent capacity or 50 per cent capacity, will depend on the Covid situation in each community.

As of Jan. 14 forty-one education staff in the territory are still on prior approved leave.

ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᒥᓂᔅᑕᖓ ᔮᓐ ᒪᐃᓐ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᔭᓄᐊᕆ 13 -ᒥ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᓱᓕ ᐅᑕᖅᑭᕗᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᓐᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓯᕗᓂᐊᓂ .

Nunavut health minister John Main said as of Jan. 13 the GN is still waiting on help from the federal government on the human resources front.

Trevor Wright/NNSL photo

There are 29 staff who are in isolation, some of whom are isolating due to symptoms present, while others are in isolation due to their vaccination status, according to education minister Pamela Gross.

Isolation changes On Jan. 17, Nunavut’s chief public health officer announced shortened isolation periods.

Those who have received at least two doses of Covid-19 vaccine will typically be required to isolate for seven days.

Unvaccinated individuals will need to be in isolation for a minimum of 10 days. High-risk contacts and household contacts, regardless of vaccination status, will also isolate for 10 days, after the last exposure, according to Patterson.

“Evidence shows it is reasonable to shorten isolation for some individuals, depending on the situation,” Patterson said. “Isolation continues to be vital to containing outbreaks and transmission. Please remain isolated for the time you are told to. If you take a self-test and it comes back negative, you must still complete your full isolation period. Leaving isolation early increases the risk of spreading Covid in a community, which will lead to tighter restrictions.”

Those who are isolating after travel should isolate for 10 days from arrival to Nunavut.

The isolation period is from either the start of symptoms or a positive test result.

Isolation will be extended if the person has not been asymptomatic for a 24-hour period.

– with files from Derek Neary

Kivalliq News

www.nnsl.com

Wednesday, January 19, 2022 A9

ᓯᓘᑉ ᑖᒃᓯᖓ ᐱᕈᖅᐹᓪᓕᖅᑐᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᒃ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᐅᔪᖅ ᖁᕕᐊᓲᑎᖃᕈᒫᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᒥᒃ ᓇᓪᓕᐅᓐᓂᖅᓯᐅᕐᓂᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ Northern News Services

“ᐊᐱᕆᙱᑦᑎᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ,” ᐃᒡᓚᖅᖢᓂ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᓯᓗ ᐊᐅᑐᑦ ᐊᐱᕆᔭᐅᒐᒥ ᖃᑉᓯᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᓗᒡᕕᐅᓯᒪᓚᐅᕐᒪᖔᕐᒥ ᑐᒡᓕᐊᓂ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕐᒥ ᔭᓄᐊᕆᒥ. ᐊᔾᔭᖅᑐᐃᔨᐅᓕᖅᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᓂᕿᑖᖑᔪᓂᒃ, ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᑖᒃᓯᖓ ᐊᔾᔭᖅᑐᖅᑎᐅᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᒃᑯᑦ ᓄᕙᒡᔪᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᑉᓗᒍ ᓂᐅᕕᕈᑎᑖᖅᑎᑦᑎᔾᔪᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓄᖅᑲᔭᖅ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥ. ᐅᖃᓘᑎᖓ ᓂᐸᖏᕈᓐᓇᐃᓪᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ Facebook-ᑯᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᐅᖏᓐᓇᓕᖅᖢᓂ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᖃᑉᓰᓐᓇᕐᓂᒃ ᒥᓂᑦᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓂᒃ ᖃᓄᖅ ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᓂᑦᑕᐃᓕᑎᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᐅᑭᐅᒥ ᑖᒃᓯᖃᖅᑎᐅᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᑲᔪᓯᓂᖃᕐᒪᖔᑦ. “ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᕙᑉᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᓯᑕᒻᒥᕐᒥ. ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒃ ᑐᓂᕐᕈᑎᒃᓴᖏᑦ ᑐᓂᐅᖅᑲᐅᑕᐅᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᑕᓪᓕᒻᒥᕐᒥ. ᐃᒪᓐᓇᐃᓕᓚᐅᖅᑕᒃᑲ, ᐅᐊᓗᐊᖅ.” ᑐᐸᒃᖢᓂ 6:00-ᒥ ᐅᑉᓛᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᐅᖕᒪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓕᕇᓐᓇᖅᖢᓂ 3:00-ᒧᑦ ᐅᑉᓛᒃᑯᑦ. “ᑕᖃᓇᖅᑐᐊᓘᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᐅᑐᑦ. “ᐱᔭᕆᐊᑐᔪᐊᓗᒃ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐱᐊᓂᒍᓐᓇᖅᑕᖅᐳᑦ.” ᓯᕗ ᑖᒃᓯ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᓚᐅᖅᑕᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᓂ ᕕᕗᐊᕆᒥ ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂᒃ ᐊᖁᑎᖃᖅᖢᑕ. ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᖁᑎᖏᑦ 7-ᖑᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑯᒪᓕᕆᔨᖃᖅᖢᓂ. “ᓇᖕᒥᓂᕆᔭᖅᐳᑦ ᐱᐅᔫᔪᖅ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᐅᑐᑦ. “ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᓂᑦᑕᐃᓕᑎᑕᐅᖕᒪᑕ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓗᐊᓚᐅᙱᑦᑐᒍᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕆᐊᖃᕐᒪᖔᑉᑕ,

ᑕᐃᒪᐃᒻᒪᑦ ᓱᓇᓗᒃᑖᑦ ᑭᒡᓕᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ.” ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑐᒡᓕᐊᓂ, ᑐᑭᓯᐅᒪᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᓄᓇᒥ ᓄᓇᐅᑉ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᖅᓯᒪᓂᖓᓂᒃ. ᑲᒪᒋᓗᐊᖃᑦᑕᖅᑕᖅᐳᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓇᒧᙵᐅᔪᒪᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓂᐅᕕᕐᕕᓪᓗ, ᑕᐃᒪᐃᒻᒪᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᒃᑲᓐᓂᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᓂᕿᑖᖑᔪᑦ ᐊᔾᔭᖅᑐᖅᐸᒃᖢᒋᑦ ᓂᐅᕕᕈᑏᓪᓗ.

14-ᖑᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᒃᑰᕈᑎᖏᑦ ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ, ᖁᓕᑦ ᐊᐅᓪᓛᖅᑐᑦ. “ᖁᕕᐊᓱᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᖓ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᑉᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᐅᑐᑦ. “ᐃᓄᓗᒃᑖᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᐅᑎᑉᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᕆᐊᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑕ, ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᓯᓇᓱᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᒍᑦ.” ᐱᑕᖃᙱᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᓄᓇᒃᑰᕈᑕᐅᓯᕝᕕᖃᙱᓐᓇᒥ, ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᑕᒡᕙ ᑐᕌᒐᕆᓕᖅᑕᖓ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᕆᔭᒃᑯᑦ. ᒪᑐᐃᙶᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖅ ᐅᑉᓗᑕᒫᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᒃᑰᕈᑏᑦ ᐊᐅᓪᓛᑦᑎᐊᖃᑦᑕᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᔪᓐᓇᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᖃᐅᒃᐸᒧᑦ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᑐᔫᓯᒪᔪᖅ, ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᓯᓯᒪᓪᓚᑦᑖᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᑉᓗᑕᒫᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓚᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᖃᕈᓐᓇᕋᔭᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ. “ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒍᒪᓪᓕᖅᑐᖓ. ᓄᓇᒦᑦᑐᒪᓪᓕᖅᑐᖓ. ᐃᓚᓐᓈᒃᑲ ᑕᑯᔪᒪᓪᓕᖅᑕᒃᑲᑦᑕᐅᖅ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ. ᐊᐅᑐᑦ ᖁᔭᓕᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᖅᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᖃᑦᑕᕋᒥ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖕᒥᓂᒃᑕᐅᖅ ᓄᓇᖅᑲᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᕋᓱᒃᐸᒃᑐᖅ ᐊᒧᓯᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓵᓚᒃᓴᒐᒃᓴᓂᒃ. “ᖁᔭᓕᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖃᕋᑉᑕ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᐅᑐᑦ. “ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᖁᒪᔭᒃᑲ ᓄᓇᖅᑲᑎᒃᑲ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓗᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᓴᓇᔨᕗᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᕐᔪᐊᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑕ ᐅᕙᒻᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᔾᔨᓪᓗᑎᒃ.”

Silu’s Taxi sees huge growth

ᓯᓗ ᐊᐅᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐃᑉᐸᓂ ᒪᐃᒋ ᑭᖕᒥᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᓯᓚᐅᖅᑑᒃ ᐆᒥᖓ ᓴᓇᔨᖏᑦ ᐊᖁᑎᖏᑦ ᑕᖃᐃᖅᓯᖅᑎᖔᕈᒪᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᖁᖔᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᓐᓅᔪᒥ.

Silu Autut and partner Maggie Kingmeatok snapped this photo when they took over driving one night late last year to give their staff a night off. Photo courtesy of Silu Autut

Rankin Inlet company will soon celebrate one-year anniversary

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Rankin Inlet

“Don’t even,” laughed Silu Autut when asked how many calls he was getting in the second week of January.

On top of starting grocery deliveries, his Rankin Inlet cab company was also distributing the Kivalliq Inuit Association’s Covid gift cards to just about everyone in town.

His phone was ringing off the hook and Facebook filling with messages, but he still found a few minutes to debrief with Kivalliq News on how the current lockdown and first year in business for Silu’s Taxi was going.

“KIA approached us on Thursday. They wanted everything

distributed for Friday. I was like, holy smokes.”

He got up at 6 a.m. the next day and wasn’t done until 3 a.m.

“It was overwhelming,” said Autut. “It was challenging. But we got it.”

He started Silu’s Taxi last February with two drivers. Now he’s up to seven and a mechanic.

“Business is really good,” said Autut. “Our first lockdown, we really didn’t have any clue of what to do, so everything was limited.”

But the second time, he had a much better understanding of the landscape. The major players and stores in town needed his delivery services, so he picked up lots of new business, from grocery deliveries to gift cards.

He has 14 vehicles in total now, with 10 running.

“I’m extremely happy of what we could give to our community,” said Autut. “Everybody needs our service, and that’s what we’re trying to accomplish.”

The only thing he’s lacking is his own shop, which is his next goal for the business.

Staying open every single day and keeping the vehicles maintained and ready for the road has been the most challenging part of the venture, and it’s taken a huge bite out of his personal life.

“I miss hunting. I miss camping. I miss my friends too,” he said.

Autut is thankful for the community’s support of his company, and he tries to give back with draws and prizes.

“We appreciate doing business for the whole community,” said Autut. “I want to thank our community and especially our staff for working this hard with me.”

A10 Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Kivalliq News

www.nnsl.com

Developing men’s programming from the ground up

ᐃᓄᒃ ᐃᒻᖏᖅᑎ Hyper-T ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒃᑐᖅ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᖑᑎᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᔪᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᖑᑎᓄᑦ.

ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᑦ ᖃᒪᓂ’ᑐᐊᕐᒥ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᖃᑎᖃᖅᑳᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐊᖑᑎᑦ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᖏᑦᑕ ᒥᒃᓵᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥ.

Inuk rapper Hyper-T speaks during the Rankin Inlet gathering to discuss the development of programming for young men. Photo courtesy of Atii Angutiit

Youth in Baker Lake mug for the camera after an engaging meeting about men’s programming in their community. Photo courtesy of Atii Angutiit

Atii Angutiit seeks to provide more options for young men

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Kivalliq

What should programming for young men look like in the Kivalliq?

That’s the question Atii Angutiit posed during community tours in December.

Though the group made it to only three communities before blizzards and Covid-19 interrupted travel plans, the suggestions had already tallied into the triple digits.

“We came to the communities with an open mind,” said Sam Tutanuak, senior adviser with the Department of Health, musician and one of the hosts of the Atii Angutiit tours. “We had no idea what was going to be said. It was truly an

experience that we did not anticipate.”

His department is working with the Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre to gather feedback from young men in the Kivalliq about the type of programming they would like to see. The Atii Angutiit gatherings featured workshops, discussions and music. Inuk rapper Hyper-T, Nelson Tagoona and others contributed to the upbeat energy at the meetings.

Community members had more ideas than anyone expected, ranging from traditional hunting practices and tool-making to self-defence classes, public speaking and photography.

“It’s from the community level up, not from the top down,” said Tutanuak.

Once the tours are completed, Pulaarvik will draft a report about the ideas and ways to make

them a reality.

Tutanuak was glad to see youth come out to the gatherings and have their voices heard. Though he’s not a youth anymore, the Kivalliq musician said he could relate to the need for programming in the territory for young men.

“Men do need time to talk to another male counterpart and be able to express their feelings and all the different emotions we go through every day,” he said. “To be able to have a father figure for the ones that have lost or don’t have father figures in their homes, it’s needed.”

Tutanuak lost his father in his teens.

“I feel as if I lost a lot of my culture, my traditional survival skills and traditional tool-making, because I didn’t have that father figure,” he said.

“I had older siblings, but they were busy with

their own families.”

He is also a recovering addict, which adds to his inspiration to assist his colleagues, friends and community members in finding a better life and not falling into the same trap he did.

“There was this individual (at the gatherings) that said it would be good to have these programs run on the weekends so we can stay off of the substances,” said Tutanuak. “How profound is that?”

The group is looking to continue its community tours in February and March, dependent on travel restrictions.

Tutanuak suggested young men keep an eye on Pulaarvik’s Facebook page for job opportunities as coordinators for some of these future programs.

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