Festive with The Flummies ᖁᕕᐊᓱᓗᖃᑎᖃᖅᐳᑦ ᐃᖏᖅᑏᓂᒃ ᑕ ᕕᔅᙱᕝ

Rankin Inlet

The Rankin Inlet Fire Department extinguished a house fire late in the day Friday, July 21.

Thirteen firefighters attended the scene and had water on the flames within nine minutes of the initial call. Apart from the exterior cold porch and some minor smoke damage, most of the home is intact, according to the department, which added that the fire is not suspicious.

Rankin Inlet

Rankin Inlet RCMP responded to a call of possible gun shots in the community at 10 p.m. Tuesday, July 18.

Police searched several areas in and around Area 6 and spoke to several people, but did not find anyone with a gun or anyone shooting.

Witnesses described the shots as coming from out of town, said the RCMP’s media relations spokesperson, who added that police drove around Johnson’s Cove and Swan Lake areas but did not locate anyone.

Greenland

The Arctic Peoples’ Conference, hosted by the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) and the Saami Council, brought together some of the original participants who attended the 1973 conference in Copenhagen, as well as Indigenous leaders of organizations that have evolved and developed since then, during the recent gathering in Greenland.

The stated purpose of the 50th anniversary Arctic Peoples’ Conference in Ilulissa, according to a news release from the ICC, was to celebrate the cooperation, successes and achievements of Arctic Indigenous Peoples, while taking stock of the current situation, and discussing visions for the next 50 years.

“The road ahead will be long,” said ICC Chair Sara Olsvig in her keynote address. “We are heading in a direction of greater recognition of Indigenous peoples, and our representation through our own institutions in the United Nations, which are our own Indigenous governments, parliaments or traditional councils.”

Aslat Holmberg, President of the Saami Council, lamented the fact that Saami from Russia could not attend the conference due to the war in Ukraine. He highlighted the increasing threats to Indigenous lands from the ravages of climate change.

“I must be honest, there are some very dark clouds in our horizon,” he said, according to the news release. “We face severe threats from green colonialism, where our lands are colonized in the name of fighting the climate change.”

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services Local Journalism Initiative Baker Lake

Baker Lake had some special events for Nunavut Day.

Nathan Annanaut, recreation director for the community, said Mayor Richard Aksawnee wanted something special for the Elders on the 30th anniversary of the Nunavut land claim agreement.

The town arranged for an Inuit band from Labrador, The Flummies, to perform in Baker Lake the Friday before Nunavut Day and then again for the Elders at a luncheon the next day.

The Elders and band ate caribou stew, pipsi, coffee, tea and snacks before another performance, said Annanaut.

“The Elders truly had fun with the band participating in most of the day’s festivities with them,” he said.

For Sunday, community wellness coordinator Karen Yip helped organize the Nunavut Day parade, barbecure, ceremony and sponsors.

Sherrie Lee Mouqtassid and William Manernaluk both won Outstanding Community Service Awards for keeping Baker Lake clean and safe.

Annanaut added that Yip said she could not have pulled the event off without a lot of help from the community, specifically the RCMP, Fire Department, volunteers, Sanavik Co-op, Nunamiut Lodge, mayor Aksawnee, Mark Oklaga and Marjorie Kavik Kaluraq from the health and wellness committee. The community’s youth coordinator also held an event at the campground for youth to enjoy a barbecue, music and socialization.

On Monday, the community enjoyed their annual Nunavut Day games in Baker Lake, as well as Inuit games. There were bicycle giveaways from Agnico Eagle, plus cash prizes.

Annanaut said the weekend event would not have been possible without the tremendous sponsorship and partnership with local businesses such as Sanavik Co-op, the Northern Store, Agnico Eagle Mines, the RCMP, Fire Department and the Hamlet of Baker Lake.

“Also, a big thank you to the volunteers and participants of Baker Lake who took part in our celebrations,” he said. “Happy Nunavut Day, everyone.”

ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᐱᖁᔨᓚᐅᕋᒥ ᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᒥᒃ, 30 ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑦ ᐊᓂᒍᖅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓄᓇᕗᑦᑖᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᑎᓪᓗᑕ.

ᓄᓇᓕᒃ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᐃᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᖃᐃᖁᔨᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑎᑕᒃᑎᓂᒃ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᔪᖅ ‘The Flummies’ ᑕ ᕙᓚᒥᔅ ᓛᐸᑐᕆᒥᐅᑦ, ᑎᑕᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᐅᓪᓗᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᕆᓚᐅᖏᑎᓪᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᓱᓕ, ᖃᐅᖕᒪᓪᓗ ᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᓕᖅᖢᓂ. ᐃᓐᓇᕆᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᓂᕆᖃᑎᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᑎᑕᒃᑎᓂᒃ ᑐᒃᑑᑉ ᖃᔪᐊᓂᒃ, ᐱᔅᓯᓂᒃ, ᑳᐱ, ᑏ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᒧᓗᒐᒃᓴᑦ ᑎᑕᓯᒋᐊᓚᐅᖏᑎᓪᓗᒋᒃ ᓱᓕ, ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᓐᓇᓴᐅᑦ. ‘ᐃᓐᓇᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᔭᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᑎᑕᒃᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᓕᒪᑲᓴᒃ’ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ.

ᓴᓇᑕᐃᓕᐅᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᐃᓅᓯᖃᖅᑎᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᔨ ᑭᐅᕆ ᔨᑉ ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᖁᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᓄᓇᓯᐅᑏᑦ ᐃᖏᕋᔭᒃᑐᓄᑦ, ᐹᐱᑭᐅᖅᑐᓄᑦ, ᐊᓯᒃᑲᓂᖏᓐᓄᓪᓗ.

ᓯᐅᕆ ᓖ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕆᓕᐊᒻ ᒪᓄᕐᓈᓗᒃ ᓵᓚᒃᓴᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔪᑎᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒧᑦ ᐊᑦᑐᐊᔪᒥᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᖃᑕᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐱᓗᐊᖅᑐᒥᑦ ᐸᓖᓯᒃᑯᑦ, ᖃᑦᑎᕆᔩᑦ, ᐊᑭᖃᖏᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᕙᒃᑐᓄᑦ, ᓴᓇᕕᒃ

ᓛᐳᑐᕆᒥ ᑎᑕᒃᑏᑦ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᔪᑦ ‘The Flummies’ ᑕ ᕙᓚᒥᔅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᐃᓐᓇᖏᑦ ᐱᖑᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᕆᑎᓪᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᐅᑉ ᓄᓰᐊᓂ. ᐊᔨᖁᑎ ᓇᐃᑕᑦ ᐊᓈᓴᐅᑦ

Labrador band The Flummies and Baker Lake Elders play Inuit games together for the community’s Nunavut Day celebration weekend. Photo courtesy of Nathan Annanaut

ᓯᐅᕈ ᓖ ᒪᖕᑖᓯᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔪᑎᑖᖅᐳᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒧᑦ ᐊᑦᑐᐊᔪᒥᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᖃᑕᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ ᓇᐃᑕᑦ ᐊᓈᓴᐅᑦ

Sherri Lee Mougtassid receives an outstanding community service award with children Adam and Asher. Photo courtesy of Nathan Annanaut

ᕆᓕᐊᒻ ᒪᓄᕐᓈᓗᒃ, ᕿᑎᐊᓃᑦᑐᖅ, ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒧᑦ ᐊᑦᑐᐊᔪᒥᒃ

William Manernaluk, middle, is awarded an outstanding community service award.

Photo courtesy of Nathan Annanaut

ᓇᒡᒐᔭᐅᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᓄᓇᓕᒃ ᐊᕋᒍᑕᒪᖅ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᓲᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᖓ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᓘᑕᐅᓕᖅᐳᖅ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᓂ, ᐃᓄᐃᓪᓗ ᐱᖑᐊᕈᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᖑᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ. ᑐᒃᑲᕆᐊᓕᖕᓂᒃ ᓵᓚᒃᓴᒐᒃᓴᖅᑕᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ, ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒡᓗ, ᐊᓐᔩᑯ ᐄᑯᒃᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ.

ᐊᓈᓴᐅᑦ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕋᔭᓚᐅᑏᓐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᖏᑉᐸᑕ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᓂᒃ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖃᖅᑎᐅᔪᓂᒡᓗ, ᓴᓇᕝᕕᒃ ᑯᐊᐸᒃᑯᑦ, ᓂᐅᕕᕐᕕᒃ, ᐊᓐᔩᑰ ᐄᑯ ᐅᔭᕋᕐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ, ᐸᓖᓯᒃᑯᑦ, ᖃᑦᑎᕆᔩᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ Hᐊᒻᒪᓚᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᓂ. ‘ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᔭᓕᒋᓪᓗᑎᒍ ᐊᑭᖃᑏᑦᑐᑯᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐅᕐᒥᐅᑦ, ᑲᒪᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖕᓇᐅᑎᓪᓗᒍ,’ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ. ‘ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᖓᓐᓂ ᐅᓪᓗᖃᑦᑎᐊᕆᑦᑎ’.

The winning men. First is Qaritaq Kusugak-Clark, with father Pujjuut Kusugak second and Panniuq Karetak third. Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo