Kivalliq News - May 24, 2023

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Knowledge of the land helps find the best fishing holes

Ulukhaktok Gameti Behchoko

AROUND Kivalliq

with Cody Punter

Kugaaruk Naujaat

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Hitting the big stage

Cathy Towtongie takes home three spots in top eight for trout

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Rankin Inlet

Cathy Towtongie tapped into some ancient knowledge to help her reel in three monster trout in the 2023 Rankin Inlet fishing derby.

Sanikiluaq

“I was going to win four times, but one of my big fishes was eaten by a fox,” said Towtongie, adding that another one was lost as she brought it to the surface.

Still, the three she was able to take home earned her second, third and eighth in the contest, totalling $7,250 in winnings. Her biggest fish was 40 and 5/8 inches. The top place trout was Tyeya Subgut’s, coming in at 41 and ¼ inches.

Few went trout fishing this year, as an early spring brought warm temperatures and mushy conditions on the land, so many preferred to stick close to town and cod fish on the bay.

Baker Lake youth performed in the Outside Looking In Indigenous youth dance program at Toronto’s Meridian Hall May 12 and 13. It was the 16th annual showcase from the organization, which features more than 250 students from communities across the country. Seen in this image are, from left, Mary

ATV bylaws in effect

Rankin Inlet

Summer traffic bylaws are in effect starting June 1 in Rankin Inlet.

That includes some ATV rules, such as: the minimum age for all drivers is 16; only two people are allowed on an ATV at once, except in the case of a baby in an amauti; helmets are mandatory for driver and passenger; the speed limit is 40 kilometres per hour in town and 20 kilometres per hour in playground and school zones; ATVS must stop at stop signs; and no person shall operate an ATV between 1 and 6 a.m. except to go home, go to work or travelling on the land.

Tuberculosis outbreak

Naujaat

The Department of Health declared an outbreak of tuberculosis in Naujaat May 16, following a spike of active cases in the community.

At the time, there were six active cases of TB and 10 cases of latent TB in Naujaat, a community of fewer than 1,300 people, which has necessitated “enhanced public health follow-up,” according to a public health advisory.

Those who have come into contact with an active TB case are encouraged to visit the health centre for screening as soon as possible, as are those exhibiting symptoms.

Symptoms of active TB include coughing that lasts longer than three weeks, feeling unusually tired, loss of appetite, fever and night sweats.

TB is treatable and can be cured with medicine that is available in the community, however, it can be serious and even lethal, so it’s important to get tested, receive treatment, and take medication as directed by your health care provider, according to the Department of Health.

Community members with questions are encouraged to contact their local health centre.

Northern premiers meet

Northwest Territories

Premiers of the three territories met to discuss shared objectives in Inuvik, NWT on May 17.

Those subjects included climate change, Arctic security, infrastructure opportunities, affordability, economic development and health and wellbeing of people and communities.

The premiers also called on the federal government to create a northern-specific mining exploration tax credit to complement existing tax incentives for mining, given the high operating costs in the region.

“It’s a June sun,” remarked Towtongie about the weather. “That’s the troubling part.”

She relied on her husband, Harry Towtongie, to navigate the land and find the best fishing spot.

“You have to know how to go,” she said about travelling in those conditions. “You just don’t go in the middle of the snow. You go on the edge where there’s pieces of rock or land. If you go straight into the snow, you’re going to sink into the soft snow.”

Harry, she said, has learned well from brother David Ooloyuk about how to scout the land and lakes, as well as from Lewis Voisey.

When Harry finds a location he likes, he looks around for rocks and markers to determine where the fish might be, explained Towtongie.

“He doesn’t just drill all over the lake,” she said. “He drills where the pointers are telling him to drill and he will measure his steps. It’s like reading a lake.”

She called herself fortunate to have Harry’s guidance.

“I trust my husband and I believe him,” she said. “He’ll tell me, ‘This is not where to drill, this is not the area.’ I’m often amazed.”

Towtongie even revealed one of her top tips: that big trout often swim in pairs.

“So if you get a big one, you should put another hook in right away,” she said. “I wonder if I should be giving you these secrets!”

Among her tackle box was a special gift she had requested for her birthday, May 14 – an ivory hook made by John Tatty. The hook works well because it goes up and down slowly, she said, as well as being single-pronged instead of three – the latter of which can sometimes mean big fish spit them out.

Some cod disposed of

Though the fishing derby is a weekend of family fun and generous prizes, a hiccup in the pleasure is seen in the number of cod that end up being disposed of after measuring.

“I really do not waste fish,” said Towtongie when asked for her thoughts on fish that are thrown in the garbage after measurement.

She said the trout skin can make for fantastic fish bags.

“People can make mitts out of them,” she added. “They’re the best waterproof mitts if done properly.”

In terms of the cod that ended up in the garbage, Towtongie pointed to the town’s sewage heading into the ocean where people fish.

“It’s that open sewage on the ocean,”

she said. “We never used to have open sewage before. That’s a factor. We can eat cod, but we’re used to fresh cod. You can fry them, boil them, but not the ones from Johnston Cove. The human debris is too close.”

Martha Hickes, deputy mayor, said cod that are caught farther away from the pump area are put to use, but the ones in the bay are not good for consumption.

“And if they’re caught since Friday, the fish are too soft to eat too, so most will throw them out, but not all,” she added, referencing the fact that measurement doesn’t take place until Monday, meaning some fish go bad in the time between.

Asked if she saw any ethical issues with the fishing derby if fish are being disposed of after measurement, Hickes said, “It’s a yearly event, so we have no problem.”

She added that the winters are long, dark and cold, with spring being the time to enjoy the weather and family.

“We love our families,” she said. “Spring is the time to enjoy each other, and fishing has been part of our lives, whether we win or lost, it will continue for years to come. Like the saying goes, lots of fish in the ocean.”

Final results

Trout

1st — Tyeya Subgut, 41 ¼ inches

2nd — Cathy Towtongie, 40 5/8 inches

3rd — Cathy Towtongie, 37 7/8 inches

4th — Michelle Kaludjak, 37 1/8 inches

5th — Hannah Pilakapsi, 37 inches

6th — Noel Kaludjak, 36 ¼ inches

7th — Linday Alogut, 36 inches

8th — Cathy Towtongie, 35 ¼ inches

Cod

1st — Arlene Alagalak, 25 3/8 inches

2nd — Hyka Gordon, 24 ½ inches

3rd — Dianna Kaludjak, 24 inches

4th — Catherine Airut, 23 13/16 inches

5th — Robert Tagalik, 23 ¼ inches

6th — Mary Jane Aggark, 23 1/8 inches

7th — Kailee Karlik, 23 1/16 inches

8th (tie) — Monica Pissuk and Iris

Tatty Tanuyak, 23 inches

Source: Hamlet of Rankin Inlet

Cathy Towtongie, trout master, is seen surrounded by family after winning three prizes for top trout in the 2023 Rankin Inlet fishing derby. On the left is Uvinik Issakiark and daughter Maliayak, with Cathy’s husband Harry Towtongie in the brown cap. On the right is Jarvis Towtongie in blue, Neco Towtongie and son Neco Jr. Towtongie. Cathy’s great-granddaughter Piuyuliaq Towtongie Taylor is in front, with Darren Flynn photobombing in the back. Photo courtesy of Cathy Towtongie

Anna Okalik smiles while having her cod measured Monday, May 16. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

John Ussak passes a fish to recreation director David Clark for measurement. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

Ikuutaq, Chloe Nakoolak and Vicky Nakoolak. Photo courtesy of Dahlia Katz

Nunavut's

No reason cod need to die

Fishing derby reveals unfortunate practice

Member of:

CMCA AUDITED

Before I start, a warning: this is all going to be a very southerner, pearl-clutching column. I don’t like to do that, but I like fish more, and what I saw last week disturbed me.

As I was watching fish brought to the measuring table and assessed during the Rankin Inlet fishing derby, I noticed one person bag up their fish, head toward the green garbage bin next to me, ask generally if this was the place to put them, and then dump the fish in the garbage.

Dumbfounded, I continued watching as several more people went directly from the measuring table with their cod to throwing them in the garbage.

I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt that maybe the bin was going to be sorted through after

and the cod used for something. It was filled with other trash, so I recognized that would be an odd method for collecting them. I returned the next morning and saw the bins still full.

Through talking to people, I learned that fish are often disposed of during the derby for a couple of reasons: one is when fish go bad in the time between being caught and measured, as there could be a couple of days elapsed; the other reason is that cod caught in the bay, where many people were fishing, are said to not be fit for consumption because of the town’s sewage spilling into the area.

At a foundational level for both points, I hope people can agree that fish don’t deserve to die for a contest, and if they are dying purely for a contest, then there should be changes made to avoid that. I am not a conniosseur of fish derbies, but I understand that life loss is rather common during them, so it’s not an issue related exclusively to Rankin Inlet.

But though cod caught in the bay may not be fit for consumption, that doesn’t explain why it’s okay to kill them for a fishing derby. I grew up on the ocean, fishing every and all summer, and I ab-

solutely love fish. I have caught and eaten many fish from the west coast of Canada, and I have seen the effects of overfishing and lack of respect first hand.

So when I saw these cod being thrown out, I was truly heartbroken. Catching fish just to measure to try to win a contest is no reason to take a life. It shows a disregard for wildlife, the environment, the land, Mother Nature. Just because we can’t eat those fish doesn’t mean they deserve to die.

If changes to the derby in the future are possible to avoid this, that would surely make it a more humane event. Fishing is perhaps the best family time of all and it’s a fantastic thing that people are encouraged to fish here. If we could have that family time while avoiding undue loss of life, everyone would win.

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Living life with these steel hands

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services

It’s been more than a year since Ernie Eetak was trapped on the land outside Arviat for five days during a blizzard, a scene that ended in his frostbitten hands needing amputation, but thankfully his life intact.

His dire week happened late 2021, when he was tracking caribou outside of his community and temperatures dropped to below 50 with the wind chill.

Now with his prosthetic arms, Eetak is living life and enjoying the land again.

The legend continues

Catherine

STEWART BURNETT

Airut, left, flips off the cameraman, as she is wont to do, during the Elder’s games in the 2023 Pakallak Tyme in Rankin Inlet. This time, she’s joined by Martha Kanayok.

Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

Ernie Eetak using his prosthetic arms to hold binoculars just outside of Arviat. Photo courtesy of Ernie Eetak

Ernie Eetak in his full traditional clothing, complete with Inuit sunglasses and his new steel hands. Photo courtesy of Ernie Eetak

Wired for success

Kristopher Okpatauyak stumbled a few times on his way to becoming a red seal electrician, but he prevailed

By Derek Neary Northern News Services

Kristopher Okpatauyak is not the kind of person who gives up easily, and that was a key factor in him achieving his red seal as an electrician.

The Rankin Inlet tradesman attained his red seal status in February, meaning he meets national standards within the profession.

The entire process took him close to 10 years.

“Now I conquered,” he said, after admitting that he failed his second year and fourth years of apprenticeship but he kept trying and said he stayed away from alcohol to get his focus back on track.

As a high school student, Okpatauyak said he considered careers in law enforcement and as a ship’s captain. Then a friend of his, Gareth Taylor, told him that he’d been accepted to a pre-trades program for electricians. Okpatauyak was also interested in that line of work, but his math skills were not up to par, he said. He applied through Nunavut Arctic College anyway and was accepted — and a program instructor helped him improve his math.

After passing pre-trades, he got a job at Agnico Eagle’s Meliadine gold mine north of Rankin Inlet, which was still under construction at the time.

“I had a great experience with them for two years… it was a good learning experience,” he said, adding that he worked on industrial tasks such as installing generators, grounding and bonding and “pulling wire.”

Then he moved on to assist in building the new arena in Rankin Inlet.

Each of the first three years of schooling in

the electrician program entailed eight weeks in the classroom while the fourth and final year was 12 weeks of studies, Okpatauyak noted.

But to complete the third and fourth years, he went south to finish his studies in Calgary, since that possibility didn’t exist in Rankin Inlet.

Now, he’s working for EPLS Maintenance, mostly taking calls for service at government buildings in town. Although he’s satisfied with the terms of his employment, he has job offers from the territorial government and the option to return to the mine still stands.

“There’s so many opportunities,” he said. “There’s so many doors that opened for me when I passed that (red seal) exam.”

He’s planning to ensure that even more doors open by getting a second trades ticket, either as an oil-burner mechanic or a plumber.

“I don’t mind going to school. I’m just going to keep building myself,” he said. “The more school you have, the more tickets you have, it just helps you.”

He’s also considering the possibility of owning his own business someday.

Okpatauyak again emphasized how much difficulty he had with academics, but he didn’t allow that barrier to stop him from reaching his goal.

“I barely passed high school,” he said. “I was a bad kid, but I just changed my life around… I hope more Inuks and kids and people in Canada that (struggle) in high school know that when you mature up, it’s possible. I never thought I could ever get my ticket as an electrician. I just kept trying and I did it.”

For more stories from Construction 2023, click this link: https://www.nunavutnews.com/ pdf-downloads/construction-2023/

“I barely passed high school… I never thought I could ever get my ticket as an electrician. I just kept trying and I did it,” says Rankin Inlet’s Kristopher Okpatauyak. Photo courtesy of Kristopher Okpatauyak

Big smiles at Elders’ games

Elders filled the community hall for games during Pakallak Tyme in Rankin Inlet earlier this month. They faced off in dice matches, mini-golf, hook throwing and more.

Full-day kindergarten to be tested in two Kivalliq communities

Whale Cove, Chesterfield Inlet will participate in pilot project

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Whale Cove and Chesterfield Inlet Local Journalism Initiative

Schools in Whale Cove and Chesterfield Inlet will be participating in a pilot project to test the feasibility of implementing full-day kindergarten across Nunavut.

“We believe in the value of offering full-day kindergarten to support development and early language acquisition for our students, and to increase the options and opportunities for working parents and families,” stated education minister Pamela Gross in a news release May 15.

“It was great to see kindergarten students at Nanook School drawing Inuktitut syllabics during our visit using one of the many Inuktut resources available.”

Victor Sammurtok School in Chesterfield Inlet and Inuglak School in Whale Cove are among the five schools that will be running the pilot project this fall. The others are Nanook School in Apex, Jimmy Hikok Ilihakvik in Kugluktuk and Qaqqalik School in Kimmirut.

The schools were chosen for the pilot based on the amount of capital renovations each would need to support the program and to represent each region, according to the government.

Gross, Premier P.J. Akeeagok and members of the Nunavut

Chesterfield Inlet’s Victor Sammurtok School will be testing full-day kindergarten starting this coming fall. NNSL file photo

district education authorities and Apex District Education Authority met at Nanook School in Apex earlier this month to see recent renovations made to support full-day kindergarten.

The purpose of the pilot project includes confirming departmental resources needed to support a full-day kindergarten program, testing of the program, learning how the program stands up to real-life scenarios, making improvements to the program prior to full roll-out and ensuring buy-in from

relevant stakeholders, stated the government.

In the longer term, the department will also be looking at the impact of the full-day kindergarten program on Inuktut language acquisition and early years language learning. The success of the full-day kindergarten pilot will be measured through feedback from educators and families. This feedback will determine if there will be a phased roll-out of full-day kindergarten across the territory.

Harry Towtongie laughs while trying to reel in a prize. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

Mary Anne Tattuinee takes a shot in the putting challenge. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

Paul Pissuk smiles as he successfully hooks a prize. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Rankin Inlet

Martha Hickes spins in the circle and points. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

Adele Angidlik smiles after taking a shot at the hole. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

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