Tusaayaksat Magazine – Winter 2015-2016 Double Issue

80 YEARS OF REINDEER HISTORY

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INUVIALUIT ATHLETES REACH NEW HEIGHTS SPOTLIGHT ON PAULATUK: HONOURING THE PAST, CELEBRATING THE PRESENT

STORIES THAT NEED TO BE HEARD

COMMEMORATIVE YEAR-END POSTER INSIDE

FACEBOOK.COM/TUSAAYAKSAT

TUSAAYAKSAT MAGAZINE / WINTER 2015 - 2016 DOUBLE ISSUE / $10

2 ON THE COVER Photographer Nicolas Dory captured this stunning image at the annual reindeer crossing at Swimming Point last year. To read about the historic herd, check out our feature story beginning on page 80.

Published quarterly by ICS at Box 1704, 292 Mackenzie Rd, Inuvik, Northwest Territories, X0E 0T0.

TUSAAYAKSAT MEANS “STORIES AND VOICES THAT NEED TO BE HEARD.” WE CELEBRATE THE INUVIALUIT PEOPLE, CULTURE AND HERITAGE.

OUR MISSION:

TO EMPOWER, CELEBRATE, COMMUNICATE, HEAL AND BOND. TO BRING YOU THE BEST COVERAGE OF OUR NEWS, VIBRANT CULTURE AND PERSPECTIVES.

Contact us at +1 867 777 2320 or tusaayaksat.magazine@gmail.com PUBLISHER Inuvialuit Communications Society EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison HEAD DESIGNER Vanessa Hunter EDITORIAL TEAM WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHER Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison COPY EDITOR Laura Busch INUVIALUKTUN TRANSLATOR Albert Elias

CONTENTS

CONTRIBUTORS Meagan Wohlberg, Laura Busch, Charles Arnold, Angela Voudrach, Natan Obed, Darcie Setzer, Cody Greenland, Jackson Christie, Ippiksaut Friesen, Sheree McLeod and Colleen Parker PHOTOGRAPHERS Nicolas Dory, Michelle Gruben, Lawrence Norbert, Andre Cyr, David Stewart, Susan Stewart, Tara Day, Tom Mcleod, Jim Whitesell, Perry Iatridis, Darcie Setzer, Jeanie Bennet, Jerri Thrasher, Lee Sacrey, Roy Goose, Alex Pulwicki, Peggy Jay and Jason Van Bruggen SPECIAL THANKS TO The Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre, WWF-Canada, the Aklavik HTC, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Gloria Iatridis, Megan McCaffery, Andre Cyr and the staff of East Three Secondary School, James Day Jr., Kynwill Gordon-Ruben, Donald Kuptana and the Northern Games Society, NWT Archives, Library and Archives Canada, Mystic Seaport Museum, Bob Simpson and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada

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NEWS FROM AROUND THE ISR AND BEYOND

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CLEAN CAMPS, CLEAN COASTS AT SHINGLE POINT

News 4 ELECTIONS BRING NEW FACES IN LEADERSHIP 5 CANADA’S ARCTIC EXHIBIT OVERHAULED AT AQUARIUM 6 COMMUNITIES REMOVE LITTER FROM REMOTE HUNTING CAMPS 8 NATIONAL INQUIRY INTO MISSING AND MURDERED 9. IRC’S NEW INITIATIVE CALLED PROJECT JEWEL

BUSINESS OFFICE Inuvialuit Communications Society

Features 10 INUVIK & BEYOND 17 WHY THE EDMONTON ESKIMOS SHOULD CHANGE THEIR NAME

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: PRESIDENT, INUVIK Lucy Kuptana TREASURER, TUKTOYAKTUK DIRECTOR Debbie Raddi AKLAVIK DIRECTOR Colin Gordon UKLUKHAKTOK DIRECTOR Joseph Haluksit PAULATUK DIRECTOR Anne Thrasher SACHS HARBOUR DIRECTOR Jean Harry EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Veronica Kasook OFFICE MANAGER Roseanne Rogers SUBSCRIPTIONS E-mail subscription inquiries to tusaayaksat.magazine@gmail.com or phone +1 867 777 2320 FUNDING MADE POSSIBLE BY Inuvialuit Regional Corporation GNWT (Education, Culture and Employment) GET SOCIAL Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

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BEAUTIFUL IMAGES FROM LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHERS

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BEAUTIFUL IMAGES FROM LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHERS CONTINUED

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Inuvialuit Youth IGNITING THE FLAME

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Inuvialuit Youth RUNNING FOR A CURE

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Northern Games Series TOE HANG

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SKY’S THE LIMIT

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CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

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Commemorative Poster CELEBRATING 2015

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INUVIALUIT ATHLETES PURSUE THEIR PASSION

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TERRY FOX RUN AT EAST THREE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL

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NORTHERN GAME SERIES: LEARN HOW TO TOE HANG!

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A LOOK INTO THE LIFE OF TALENTED OLIVIA IATRIDIS

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CELEBRATE PAULATUK’S PAST AND FUTURE

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CELEBRATE PAULATUK’S PAST AND FUTURE CONTINUED

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COMMEMORATIVE YEAR-END POSTER

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ELDER STORY: THE EARLY LIFE OF GEORGE KRENGNEKTAK

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ELDER STORY: THE EARLY LIFE OF GEORGE KRENGNEKTAK CONTINUED

REINDEER ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS CONTINUED

80.

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Elder Story THE EARLY LIFE OF GEORGE KRENGNEKTAK

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Inuvialuktun Story 80 YEARS OF FOOD AND FRIENDSHIP

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Inuvialuktun Story A WELL-TRAVELLED PARKA

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TRADED REINDEER PARKA TRAVELS FAR

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REINDEER ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

27TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL IN INUVIK

Artist Photo Feature 100 CELEBRATING GREAT NORTHERN ART

Artist Profile 112 A LEGEND IN HIS TIME

Inuvialuktun Story 126 RESCUE AT PAULATUK

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KEEPING INUVIALUIT CULTURE ALIVE THROUGH ART

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SAVING THE CREW AND PASSENGERS OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES

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LEADERS SIGN AGREEMENT-IN-PRINCIPLE

Agreement-in-Principle Story 136 A HISTORIC MOMENT

Language Games 146 TONGUE TWISTER GAME

Inuvialuit legend 152 SEDNA’S STORY

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PRACTICE YOUR INUVIALUKTUN WITH THIS GREAT GAME!

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HOW THE GODDESS OF THE OCEAN CAME TO BE

TUSAAYAKSAT UKIUGAQHIGAA

TUSAAYAKSAT IN THE WINTER

NUTAAMI UKIUMI QUVIAHUGLUHI! HAPPY NEW YEAR! “That’s my wish, that they know how to sustain themselves without a switch or a thermostat.”

Those powerful words are spoken by Ray Ruben Sr., the mayor of Paulatuk, in our story ‘Celebrating 50 years: Envisioning a future for Paulatuk while honouring its past,’ which can be found on page 56.

Ray Sr. is one of Paulatuk’s most vocal supporters, although in our three stories profiling the community you will find no shortage of people who have lived there, or visited, and found something very special about the place. For this issue of Tusaayaksat, we took an in-depth look at the community to see what makes it tick and how the residents are juggling the traditions of the past and the ever-changing technologies of the present.

In ‘Rescue at Paulatuk: How the Kalineks helped save the crew and passengers of Our Lady of Lourdes’ on page 126 we take a look back to 1936, almost 30 years before the establishment of Paulatuk as a settlement. That was when one of the Arctic’s first airplane assisted rescues happened at the Hornaday River, and four young children were saved with the help of Tom Kalinek and his family.

Our final story connecting Paulatuk’s history is on master sculptor Abraham Angik Ruben, one of the community’s most celebrated artists. Before being sent to residential school in 1959, Abraham was raised on the land near Paulatuk. Now living in British Columbia, his carvings often pay homage to Inuvialuit traditions and legends.

In our upcoming issues of Tusaayaksat we will be profiling each ISR community – the people, the land and what makes it home for the people who live there.

Is there a youth in your community who is going above and beyond, acting as a role model, or succeeding in sports, academics or traditional activities on the land? Is there an elder passing on their knowledge? An artist who exemplifies your community and your artistic traditions? An event you would like us to cover that brings the community together? Please let us know! Send us an e-mail, give us a call or visit our Facebook page to let us know what you think. All the best in 2016!

QUYANAINNI THANK YOU, Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison Editor-in-Chief

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News from around the ISR and beyond From the federal level right through to local community corporations, waves of elections have recently put many new faces in leadership positions throughout the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.

The first of many elections came last October, when Western Arctic voters were caught up in the Liberal wave sweeping

Elections bring changes the nation and voted in Michael Mcleod, brother of NWT Premier Bob Mcleod.

Perhaps the most drastic change at the top has been the replacement of Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Chair and CEO Nellie Cournoyea, who was replaced with Duane Smith in the election on Jan. 25. Nellie helped negotiate Inuvialuit land rights before serving as Nunakput MLA from 1983 to 1995,

and Premier of the Northwest Territories for her final term at the legislature. Before deciding not to seek re-election, voters had put Nellie back at the helm of the IRC every two years since 1996.

Federal election, Oct. 19, 2015

Territorial election, Nov. 23, 2015

IRC Chair election, January 25, 2016

Michael McLeod, Liberal, elected with 9,172 votes Dennis Bevington, NDP, 5,783 votes Floyd Roland, Conservative, 3,481 votes John Moore, Green, 537 votes

Inuvik Boot Lake: Alfred Moses, elected with 366 votes Desmond Loreen, 47 votes

Duane Smith (Inuvik), elected with 23 votes Vernon Amos (Sachs Harbour), 13 votes Jackie Jacobson (Tuktoyaktuk), 5 votes Richard McLeod (Inuvik), 0 votes Vince Teddy (Tuktoyaktuk), 1 vote

Inuvik Twin Lakes: Robert C. McLeod, elected with 262 votes Jimmy Kalinek, 174 votes Nunakput: Herbert Nakimayak, elected with 229 votes Jackie Jacobson, 225 votes Ethel-Jean Gruben, 174 votes John Stuart Jr., 81 votes Robert Kuptana, 35 votes

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Waves of elections have recently put many new faces in leadership positions throughout the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.

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Visitors will be intimately connected to, and take action to protect, the animals, the people and the northern region of our great nation.

More eyes turn north‑ward The speed at which the Arctic is warming is getting more and more attention in southern Canada and around the globe, including at the Vancouver Aquarium, where researchers are expanding their focus on Canada’s North.

As part of an expansion project at the aquarium, the Canada’s Arctic exhibit has been overhauled, including a new art gallery titled Portraits of Resistance that launched early in the new year and focuses on the rapid changes happening in the Arctic.

The temporary exhibit features photos and stories sent in by youth from Pangnirtung, Nunavut; Shishmareh, Alaska; Nesseby/Unjarga, Norway; Uummannaw, Kalaallit Nunaat, Greenland; and Novo Chaplino, Chukotka, Russia.

The permanent Canada’s Arctic exhibit is located near the beluga habitat

at the Vancouver Aquarium and includes content and photos gathered by aquarium researchers on trips to Tuktoyaktuk.

According to aquarium researcher Dr. John Nightingale, the goal of the expanded exhibit is that “more and more visitors will be intimately connected to, and take action to protect, the animals, the people and the northern region of our great nation.” An aquarium spokesperson says reaction to the redesigned Canada’s North exhibit has been great so far.

The Vancouver Aquarium receives about one million visitors per year. Its work in the Canadian Arctic includes researching marine mammals with a particular interest in belugas, sea ice loss and working with communities to measure ocean conditions.

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Clean Camps, Clean Coasts at Shingle Point WWF initiative helps communities remove litter from remote hunting camps Words by Colleen Parker, specialist, Western Arctic at WWF-Canada with input from Michelle Gruben, resource person for the Aklavik HTC Photos by Michelle Gruben

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hingle Point is a permanent summer camp for Inuvialuit who make the 160-kilometre trip by boat from Aklavik to do their summer fishing. Michelle Gruben, resource person for the Aklavik Hunters and Trappers Committee (HTC) lives in Aklavik and has a camp at Shingle Point. In June 2015, funded by WWF’s “Clean Camps, Clean Coasts” initiative, she coordinated a camp

cleanup to dispose of garbage that has built up during the past 20 years.

Litter and discarded items such as old metal gas drums, propane tanks and batteries were collected at three summer camps along the Beaufort Sea: Shingle Point, Middle Camp and Down the Hill. Community members and

Clean Camps, Clean Coasts hired labourers collected garbage and hauled it to barge, which carried its full load the 12 hours back to Aklavik.

With a clean camp now free of debris, the HTC has plans to prevent the need for future clean ups.

“We can’t let garbage build up again for another 20 years,” Michelle Gruben says. “We need to be proactive. We need to sort garbage and make sure that if we haul it up to the camp we can haul it back out after it’s been used.”

WWF’s “Clean Camps, Clean Coasts” project has been conducted in Paulatuk, Tuktoyaktuk, Ulukhaktok and Aklavik, with more cleanups being considered in Sachs Harbour and Inuvik for spring 2016. To date, in partnership with Inuit and Inuvialuit HTCs and funding from Environment Canada, approximately 30 tonnes of garbage and 12 shoreline areas have been cleaned, benefitting species, ecosystems and communities across the north.

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We need to be proactive. We need to sort garbage and make sure that if we haul it up to the camp we can haul it back out after it’s been used.

-Michelle Gruben

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National inquiry into Missing and Murdered

Groundwork laid for inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls The shift in Canada’s political climate seems to have finally lifted the barriers to beginning work examining an important but difficult topic: why are Indigenous women and girls so often victims of violence?

The new Liberal government announced a national inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls on Nov. 8, and the early stages of the inquiry were underway soon after. The first step was a two-month period during which Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett, Attorney General of Canada and Justice Minister Jody WilsonRaybould and Minister for the Status of Women Patty Hadju gathered information on what the size and scope of the inquiry should be. They met with and have been

gathering statements from survivors and family members and loved ones of victims, as well as Indigenous leaders.

Their travel to the North has been fairly limited thus far, with one visit each to the territories’ three capitals in January. The government is expected to release a report on its findings this spring, and will then develop a plan for the inquiry.

Indigenous leaders have been applauding the effort, which stands in stark contrast to how the call for a national inquiry was treated by the past government.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan Obed gave a statement shortly after the federal government announced the first phase of the inquiry, saying he is glad to see this issue, included in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to

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Action, is being approached in such an open and transparent way.

“Inuit are ready to do our part to fully examine this issue, which has national, regional and individual implications and scope. We acknowledge that considerations with respect to murdered and missing Inuit women and girls are unique; we are ready to work with all organizations that represent Inuit to tackle the Inuit-specific causes and find Inuit-driven solutions to strengthen our communities,” Obed said.

“We welcome this announcement by the Government of Canada and are keen to work with officials to make advancements on behalf of Inuit across Canada.”

Indigenous leaders have been applauding the effort, which stands in stark contrast to how the call for a national inquiry was treated by the past government.

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Help along your healing journey Those who could use a helping hand along their healing journey are being encouraged to take advantage of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation’s new initiative called Project Jewel: Helping Aboriginal People Re‑discover their Value.

The program aims to hold five on‑the‑land camps per year where Beaufort‑Delta residents can participate in holistic workshops and focus on how to achieve their personal goals under the guidance of elders. In an effort to fill a gap in service experienced by

many returning from treatment centres and healing camps in the past, the IRC will also offer after care support to all participants. The goal of after care is to prevent relapse into destructive behavior once back in a home environment.

For more information, please contact Jimmy Ruttan, after care coordinator with IRC.

Kylik Kisoun Taylor recognized as young business leader Kylik Kisoun Taylor, owner and guide of Up North Tours, has been named Inuvik’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

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Project Jewel: Helping Aboriginal People Re‑discover their Value.

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Drop that pop For the 10th year running, NWT students are being asked to Drop the Pop in favour of healthier beverage choices like water or juice for a chance to win prizes.

Students at Angik School in Paulatuk and Moose Kerr School in Aklavik were among those honoured for their successful Drop the Pop campaigns last year.

The Inuvik Chamber of Commerce presented Kylik with the award during its Small Business Awards on Nov. 14.

The two schools are among 18 across the territory to share $16,000 in prizes for participating in the Department of Education, Culture and Employment’s weeklong 2014-15 Drop the Pop program.

Kylik saw the need for a tour company that could offer visitors to the Inuvik area authentic wilderness experiences while working for Barb Cote at her now-defunct travel agency. In 2006, he founded Up North Tours, now operating under the name Tundra North Tours, to do just that.

In Paulatuk, students were asked not to bring pop to school, and juice was replaced with water in the school.

In Aklavik, students created awareness posters, jingles and fact sheets about sugar content in drinks, and local stores got on board to provide nutritious snacks for the learners.

Nutaami Ukiumi Quviahugluhi! Happy New Year from the Inuvialuit Communications Society and all the best in 2016!

Aarigaa!

ICS producers Tom Mcleod and Jerri Thrasher shoot scences for the upcoming children’s show Iglaq.

Photo by Lawrence Norbert

Second place at the Tsiigehtchic Snow-Pitch Tournament.

The Tsiighetchic Snow‑Pitch Tournament.

Photo by Lawrence Norbert

Practicing Northern Games at the Lights On program at East Three Secondary School.

Photo by Andre Cyr

INUVIK & BEYOND

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In class at East 3.

Photo by David Stewart Competing for best Halloween costume at Ingamo Hall.

Photo by David Stewart

Harry Kaglik shows off his metal works creation at East 3 Secondary School.

Photo by David Stewart

Photo by Andre Cyr

Halloween at Ingamo Hall.

Halloween at Ingamo.

Baby pumpkins at Ingamo Hall.

A donation for the Inuvik Homeless Shelter.

Photo courtesy of IRC

Joyce Blake at the Snow‑Pitch Tournament.

Lauren Ross participates in Listen Up! Photo by David Stewart

Arctic Winter Games trials.

Photo by Lawrence Norbert

Halloween at Ingamo.

Photo by David Stewart

Underwood Day competes at the Arctic Winter Games trials in Invuik.

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Jason Nasogaluak competes in the Tsiigehtchic Snow-Pitch Tournament.

Playing musical chairs on Halloween.

Photo by Lawrence Norbert

Halloween at Ingamo.

Photo by David Stewart

Photo by David Stewart

Elder Ivy Ikaksak.

Photo by Tara Day Jemra Gruben competes in the arm pull at the Arctic Winter Games trials in Inuvik.

Olaf at Ingamo Hall.

Photo by David Stewart

Tsiigehtchic’s Snow-Pitch Tournament.

A cake for Nellie’s goodbye luncheon at IRC. Photo by Lawrence Norbert

Anders Baldwin and Braydon Greenland.

Photo by David Stewart

Photo by Lawrence Norbert

Shaomek Bernhardt Jr. with his poem for Listen Up!

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Photo by Lawrence Norbert

Lekeisha Raymond with her poem for Listen Up! Photo by David Stewart

Kalluk and Nuna from the Inuvialuit Communications Society’s children’s show Iglaq.

Photo by Lawrence Norbert

A bingo costume for Halloween.

Photo by David Stewart

Elder Emma Dick.

Alex Gordon at bat.

Shalayah Raymond with her poem for Listen Up! Photo by David Stewart

Photo by Lawrence Norbert

First place at Tsiigehtchic’s Snow-Pitch tournament.

Photo by David Stewart

Photo by David Stewart

Halayna and Fitzgerald Cockney in the studio at Inuvialuit Communications Society.

A happy clown for Halloween.

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Exploring Shingle Point.

Photo by Lawrence Norbert

Photo by Tom Mcleod

Listen Up! participant Paris Wainman.

Tsiigehtchic’s Snow-Pitch Tournament.

Photo by David Stewart

Photo by Andre Cyr

The haunted house at Ingamo Hall.

Photo by David Stewart

Why

Photo by Andre Cyr

Photo by David Stewart

Halloween at Ingamo Hall.

WORDS BY NATAN OBED,

PRESIDENT OF INUIT TAPIRIIT KANATAMI the name Edmonton Eskimos harms Inuit and why it should be changed I am determined to achieve greater Inuit unity in order to mobilize against our continued colonization and together fight for equity in Canada.

This is why Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami has demanded that the Canadian Football League team stop using the moniker “Eskimos” as part of an ongoing fight against colonization in the name of reconciliation. This stance has been supported by many Inuit, although I fully understand and appreciate that not all Inuit view the term as offensive.

The colonial legacy of naming is about power and control. The issue of Inuit being used as a sports team mascot matters because this is the way this legacy continues to play out in popular culture. This issue is about our right to self-determine who we are on our own terms. We are not mascots or emblems.

In a time when we still struggle to be heard, where there is vast indifference to our socio-economic condition, where we still fight for acceptance and respect from Canadians every day, dominant society continues to use us, a minority Indigenous people, as their mascots for their sports entertainment. Allowing this practice is a fundamental departure from how we wish to be treated in all other conversations we have with Canada.

The response by Canadians to my stance against the use of the name “Eskimos” reflects how Inuit and the issues we care about are often viewed.

Some have spoken out in support of our right to self-determination, and for that I am most grateful. A vocal minority used the opportunity to express hatred towards us, while the majority simply said this issue does not matter. Sadly, the majority of responses showed us once again that when we speak, our voice means absolutely nothing. True reconciliation at the national level

will only be possible when the federal government, media, and all Canadians do not feel they have a right to decide on their terms whether or not the Inuit‑specific issues we raise are legitimate or not before engaging in a path to resolution.

This is why we need unity. I believe that we can stand and fight together and support one another even on Inuit issues that some individuals may not have a negative personal association with. In the beginning of the residential school lawsuit discussions, some Inuit stated they did not have traumatic residential school experiences; some Inuit felt that their education through residential schooling allowed them to be successful in life. If those Inuit, many of whom were the most successful in our society, had decided that because they were not negatively affected personally then they would fight against the lawsuit, we would have not been included in the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement, the Truth and Reconciliation process, or any of the health supports that have been offered to date for all Inuit residential school survivors. Unity won.

So for all my fellow Inuit who are not offended, please consider that many Inuit are offended by the term. Many Inuit do not want to be mascots. We cannot divorce this particular issue from our colonial relationship with Canada. I ask that we stand together across Inuit Nunangat and say, for the good of Inuit in Canada, we will combat colonization while supporting healing, reconciliation, and mutual respect in all its varied forms. I will continue to do all I can to work toward this goal.

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IGNITIN

FLAME Inuvialuit athletes pursue their passion for sports

G THE Words by Cody Greenland, Jackson Christie, and Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison Photos by David Stewart, Susan Stewart, Tom Mcleod and Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison

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NWT

Cody Greenland, pitcher I

started playing baseball when I was in Grade 3 or 4.

I loved watching the sport and all my friends were playing, so I thought I’d try it. I was hooked after just a few practices. I’ve loved the sport ever since and know I always will.

In June 2014 I took part in the softball tryouts to represent the Northwest Territories at the North American Indigenous Games in Regina, Saskatchewan. I was beyond excited to try out with all of my close friends, and when I found out we made the team I was pumped. I told my parents as soon as possible. They were so proud of me.

Once I found out I made the team, I practiced almost everyday until we left for Regina.

During my time at the North American Indigenous Games I made a lot of friends. This was probably one of the best experiences I’ve ever had as an athlete because I had tons of fun playing my favourite sport.

I was the starting pitcher on the team and even though we lost all of our games I still had a lot of fun.

I also got to meet a lot of new people from different provinces. A highlight of my time in Regina was the opening ceremonies because of all the people that were there and how big of an event it was. We played most of the provinces, such as New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. There was even an Indigenous group of youth from the Haudenosaunee Nation of New York that participated in the games. As the week went by we improved more and more as a team. Our last game we played was the closest game of the tournament.

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Baseball is a very popular sport here in Inuvik and it has been for many years. I was wondering how and when it started, so I talked to Jeffery Amos, who is very active in the baseball community. He said that baseball has been around since the early seventies when construction crews, people in town and the military would get together for some scrub games.

There was a very active men’s fastball league that started when the Canadian Forces were here. A few years later, a women’s fastball league started. It slowly died out in the mid-eighties, and all that was left were a few local teams. A slo-pitch baseball league started in the nineties and has been played ever since. When there are no games happening, the field is always being used by other people that don’t play in the league like my friends and me. In the summer we are always there until late at night having fun playing.

Being involved with baseball and softball has had a positive impact on my life. I get a lot of exercise, I always have something to do and I always have fun.

I also learned that if you work hard at your sport, you can travel almost anywhere. You also get to meet many different people, whether you travel elsewhere in Canada or you go to neighbouring communities in the Delta. I choose to play sports instead of staying out late drinking or doing drugs because I know there are more opportunities in sport. Playing late on a summer night under the midnight sun with all of your friends is one of the best feelings in the world.

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NWT

Jackson Christie, speed skater M

y name is Jackson Christie. I am a determined Inuvialuit student on the road to success. I am a 16-year-old male and I have been pursuing my passion for speed skating for four years. I have lived in Inuvik for 12 years and have participated on many school sports teams including basketball, volleyball, soccer and track and field. I began playing hockey when I was 11 and started speed skating to help my hockey game. I immediately fell in love with speed skating and haven’t looked back.

Speed skating has taken me on many journeys and I hope to continue on this path. I have been all across Western Canada and the Western Arctic for training and competitions. I have travelled extensively in British Columbia and Alberta and even gone as far as Selkirk, Manitoba and Fairbanks, Alaska. Out of all the places I have travelled Canmore was my favourite. It was my first competition outside of the Northwest Territories and, before I arrived there, I thought of myself as a hot shot. I soon realised I wasn’t the best skater in Western Canada and if I wanted to be I’d have to dedicate myself to becoming the best.

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Living in the Northwest Territories, it’s hard to compete with people at my level because of the remoteness of the land and small population. There are only 43,000 people living in the territory, which makes it about four times less populated than the City of Regina. This means I have to travel further to reach the goals I have set for myself. This fall I have to compete at three high level competitions to get a ranking to qualify for competitions in the spring. If I do well in the fall and spring competitions then I will be on the road to becoming a part of Speed Skating Canada’s Elite Athlete Pathway for high performance skaters.

Speed skating has shaped who I am as a person.

My first major competition was at the 2014 Arctic Winter Games in Fairbanks, Alaska. I had a good opportunity to medal in five events, but due to falling and disqualifications I came home with two medals.

Two weeks later I competed at the CanWest event for the top skaters in Western Canada. I was able to put the disappointment of the Arctic Winter Games behind me and finished the fourth overall. I was able to refocus, stay on my feet and improve my personal best times. I bounced back by forgetting about the negative.

I learned from my mistakes. As my dad Darrell Christie would say, “No regrets.”

My goal in speed skating is to skate with the Calgary Oval Program, skate with the Canadian National Short Track Team and to coach at a national level.

As a national coach I would like to come back to the Northwest Territories to coach, inspire, and work with the next generations of skaters. I’d like to help future skaters experience everything I’ve been able to experience and have the passion I have for the sport of speed skating.

In my speed skating career I have had so many influential people that have helped me, like my family, past Olympians and my coaches. My mom Stacey Christie has gotten so involved with speed skating. She has gone from not knowing anything about the sport to becoming the president of Speed Skating NWT. My dad encourages me before each event to skate on the edge and have no regrets. My coach, Paul MacDonald, encourages me to never give up, and pushes me to my limit and beyond. Michael Gilday, a former Olympian raised in Yellowknife, has influenced me as well. He shows that it doesn’t matter where you live, you can become a great athlete. It’s the work you put into your passion that lets you accomplish greatness.

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Chantelle Allen, Golfer A

gainst all odds, Chantelle Allen-McCarthy is achieving huge success in women’s golf.

Born and raised in Inuvik, the 23 year old first picked up clubs at the age of five on a family vacation. It wasn’t until her senior year in high school that she realized she had a real knack for the sport.

“I got into it and I was like, ‘I’m actually half decent at this sport,’” she remembers. “I thought it was a long shot, but I tried out for the team.”

That team was the College of the Desert in California.

Chantelle, known as Chanty by her family and friends, made the team – and helped propel them to the state championships in 2014.

Off the success of the state title, Chantelle was recruited by an NCAA school – the top level of college sports in the United States – and received a scholarship to play and study at Crown College in Minnesota. Now in her sophomore year, she is studying sport management with the goal of one day moving back north and giving back to her community.

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Chantelle grew up in Inuvik and attended SAMS School until Grade 6. She remembers spending freeze up and break up with her grandparents Rita and Colin Allen, trapping and hauling wood at their camp up river from Inuvik. In the summers, she would travel to Baby Island with them. In Grade 6, Chantelle’s family moved to Beaumont, Alberta, which is where she completed her studies and received her high school diploma. She credits her parents, Vince and Donna, with pushing her to go even further. “If it wasn’t for them my dreams

wouldn’t be reachable and possible,” she says.

Chantelle’s studies in Minnesota are much different, she says, because she has to juggle golf three days a week, and often travels with her team to tournaments across the United States. Although they haven’t won any big titles yet as a team, as an individual Chantelle is reaching new heights. She has won two tournaments, including the Upper Middle West Athletic Conference (UMAC) championships.

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“Just never give up.

There is hope.

Chase your dream.

The north will always be home, but there is a lot more out there.”

- CHANTELLE ALLEN-MCCARTHY

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“Right now I have two rings to my name, two trophies, which is kind of cool,” she says.

Chantelle’s sister says she couldn’t be prouder.

“I am extremely proud of my sister and I think she deserves recognition for her accomplishments,” says sister Shaylene Allen. “Her story is one of interest and it will inspire other Inuvialuit youth to pursue their dreams. It’s a true tale of a small town girl making it

in the south, pursuing her dreams, playing a sport she loves, excelling in academics and sports and always being proud to let others know she is Inuvialuit.”

Chantelle’s advice for Inuvialuit with dreams of making it big?

“Just never give up. There is hope. Chase your dream.

The north will always be home, but there is a lot more out there.”

Do you know an Inuvialuk athlete who should be profiled in Tusaayaksat? Let us know!

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Running for A cure East 3 students raise over $6,000 for annual Terry Fox Run Words and photos by Darcie Setzer

M

ichele Tomasino, a teacher at East Three Secondary School in Inuvik, was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer on Sept. 14, 2001. When she received the news from her doctor, her mind went blank. The diagnosis was the most traumatizing moment of her life. At the age of 36, she was unusually young to be diagnosed with breast cancer.

The Terry Fox Run is a fundraiser for cancer research.

Almost everyone knows someone who has fought cancer, so we do this for them. Here at East Three Secondary and Elementary School in Inuvik, the kick off for the Terry Fox run was Sept. 18. This year both East Three Elementary and Secondary School raised over $6,000. The student that raised the most money this year for the Terry Fox Run was Will Rogers, who raised $550. To reward students for their efforts, staff volunteered to have pies thrown at their faces, be duct taped to the wall and take a dip in the dunk tank.

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Michele credits some of her success to the fact that at the time of her diagnosis she was a resident of the Northwest Territories, where you are taken care of very quickly. She was diagnosed in September and her first surgery was on Oct. 5. She also explains that she took ownership of the disease and researched the best course of treatment for her. While in Edmonton for treatment, she made friends at Larga House where cancer patients reside together. They would laugh and try and stay positive. It was their way of dealing with the stress and fear. Michele was declared cancer free on Dec. 22, 2001 and has been in remission for 14 years. Her advice for those who are fighting cancer is to find a group that you can have a laugh with, and to stay positive and optimistic.

The Terry Fox Run is not just a run. It helps a lot of people and will continue to make a difference in this world. I hope that East Three Elementary and Secondary School continue to participate in this annual event. I know that even after I graduate I will continue to participate in this cause. It is something that has become an important event in my life. I know family, friends and community members that have had cancer or have passed on. I hope one day we will find a cure together.

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TOE HANG Words by Northern Games Society Photos by Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison

NORTHERN GAME SERIES

The toe hang is an Inuit game of pain resistance. It is meant to mimick the feeling of frozen feet that one would experience on the land in the fall, winter and spring. Both men and women had to build their own resistance to the demands of living in the Arctic, and these pain resistance games enabled them to better tolerate the ice, wind and snow. For example, if a hunter’s feet got wet while on the ocean and they were a great distance from their camp, they would need to endure the pain of frozen feet to make it back safely.

James Day Jr. demonstrates the toe hang with help from Courtney Larocque and Donald Kuptana.

DO TRY THIS 44

The participant who goes the furthest distance or hangs for the longest period of time, enduring the most pain, is declared the winners of toe hang. There are no differences in techniques used between male and females in this game. The game begins when the participants lays on their back, with two handlers at their side ready to lift them.

1.

The participant will position themselves under the stick with their legs stretched out and feet positioned above the stick.

Northern Games and Proper Techniques

AT HOME 2.

The participant will wrap both arms around their legs behind their knees linking their hands.

3.

4.

The participant will position their toes to grip the stick to be lifted. The participant will tighten all of their muscles and position their head as close to the legs as possible. On their go, their handlers will lift them off the floor with only their toes gripping the stick to hold them up.

Once lifted off the floor the stick handlers will walk forward for a distance. The participant also has the option of hanging for a time.

SKY’S THE LIMIT Photo by Jim Whitesell

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OLIVIA IATRIDIS ON SCHOOL, SPORTS, ACTING AND SHOOTING FOR THE STARS

Words by Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison Photos by Jim Whitesell and Perry Iatridis

Photo by Perry Iatridis

Olivia on the coast last August. “I love Tuk so much,” she says.

Olivia Iatridis first caught the acting bug in Grade 4 when she was cast to play Jiminy Cricket in her school’s production of Pinocchio.

“That’s when I made the decision to pursue acting,” she said.

Now in Grade 9 at W.D. Cuts Junior High School in St. Albert, just outside of Edmonton, Olivia is doing anything she can to achieve her dream of becoming an actress.

Photo by Jim Whitesell

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Photo by Jim Whitesell

B

efore moving to the Greater Edmonton Area in 2014, Olivia grew up in Yellowknife, attending Montessori School, N.J. Macpherson School and Range Lake North School. The 14 year old still has strong roots in the North, and last summer travelled to Tuktoyaktuk to visit her nanak Sarah Anderson.

“It was so fun. I love Tuk so much. It’s so pretty, especially in the summertime when you can go have bonfires and watch the sunset – or close to the sunset,” Olivia says with a laugh.

Although the Aboriginal community in Yellowknife and Edmonton is more scattered compared to in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Olivia remembers learning to sew with her mother Gloria at a young age, and watching her make traditional dishes like maktak or geese.

As her nanak Sarah was an Inuvialuit language teacher for 27 years, she has learned some of the language from her and even did a science fair project on the topic of language revitalization. More recently, Olivia was able to take part in a smudging ceremony at her mother’s office, where she works as Assistant Deputy Minister, Aboriginal Engagement and Strategy with the Department of Human Services.

Olivia Iatridis, 14, goes by the stage name ‘Olivia Kate.’

Photo by Perry Iatridis

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Olivia with her dad Perry, mom Gloria and brother Michael.

“

I can’t tell you how lucky I am to have them. They’re always supporting my decisions. I could wake up tomorrow and say, ‘Mom, I want to be a professional soccer player,’ and she would still support me on that.

”

- Olivia Iatridis

Photo by Perry Iatridis

Olivia with her nanak Sarah in Tuktoyaktuk last summer.

Photo by Perry Iatridis

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Photo by Perry Iatridis

Olivia has since gotten used to living “down south,” but says it was definitely a big change for her and her family.

“I grew up in Yellowknife so I’m used to the people there and the way they teach things. Edmonton was kind of a new world. They dress differently. They talk differently.”

She says the warmer weather doesn’t hurt either. “It is a lot less cold and dark, more green,” she says.

To say Olivia is busy would be an understatement. She figure skates nine hours a week, dances two hours a week and is a mentor at Dance Without Limits, where she teaches children with cerebral palsy to dance. Like any teenager, she sometimes babysits for the neighbours, but unlike most teenagers, she travels far and wide for acting and modeling workshops and auditions.

In January she travelled to New York City for open casting calls and to learn more about acting for television.

Last year Olivia drew attention when she attended a Premiere Event in Florida. Premiere is a global entertainment industry event that connects actors, models, dancers and singers to talent agents, managers and industry professionals. Young performers from all over the world must go through an intensive interview process in order to be invited. Olivia auditioned in Edmonton and was one of only 30 selected to attend out of a few thousand hopefuls.

Not only did Olivia take part with confidence, but she exceeded almost everyone’s expectations, getting 10 callbacks and being named to the ‘honour roll,’ which highlighted the achievements of the event’s best actors, models and dancers.

Olivia modelling at the Premiere event in Florida

Photo by Perry Iatridis

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“

It doesn’t matter where you come from or what you do. You can do whatever you set your mind to as long as you believe in yourself and believe you can achieve your goals.

”

- Olivia Iatridis

Photo by Perry Iatridis

Olivia dancing and auditioning for industry professionals at a Premiere event in Florida

Photo by Perry Iatridis

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She also won the Facebook contest, garnering the most ‘likes’ out of more than 500 participants.

“At first it was a long shot,” she says. “I didn’t realize I had so many supporters. I was like, ‘Wow, I have a fan base.’”

Olivia’s northern roots certainly helped propel her to first place, with cousins and strangers alike sharing and liking her photo.

“My cousin, who’s a flight attendant, even made an announcement on the plane for people to vote for me,” she says with a laugh.

To this day, Olivia’s biggest supporters remain her family.

“I can’t tell you how lucky I am to have them. They’re always supporting my decisions. I could wake up tomorrow and say, ‘Mom, I want to be a professional soccer player,’ and she would still support me on that,” she says.

“My mom is definitely the person I would look up to the most, because she’s always kind of been there, even when I’m feeling down about an audition or something.

She’ll say, you know, ‘You were great.’ She always cheers me up.”

After graduation, Olivia plans on attending postsecondary school.

“One of my bigger goals is to become a famous actress and model, but of course my mom’s going to make me go to university,” she says with a laugh.

After university, she hopes to move to a big city like Los Angeles or New York to reach her goals of being in movies and on television.

“It doesn’t matter where you come from or what you do.

You can do whatever you set your mind to as long as you believe in yourself and believe you can achieve your goals,” she says.

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CELEBRATING 50 YEARS Envisioning a future for Paulatuk while honouring its past Words by Laura Busch Photos by Jeanie Bennet, Jerri Thrasher and Lee Sacrey

The rain outside did nothing to dampen the spirits of those gathered inside the gymnasium at Angik School to listen to speeches, watch a short film on Paulatuk’s history prepared by the Inuvialuit Communications

society and enjoy a feast featuring caribou roast, stew and char chowder.

The celebrations were not so much about the actual date—as, according to Mayor Ray Ruben Sr., you can “give or take a year” on when the community was actually founded—but about honouring the founding members of the community and those who have worked to make their hamlet a good place to live.

Photo by: Lee Sacrey

A

fter the outdoor opening of Paulatuk’s Iqalukpik Jamboree on Aug. 15, 2015, festivities moved inside as the community celebrated its 50th birthday.

Photo by: Jerri Thrasher

Ruben Green watches a caribou in the distance while in Tuktut Nogait National Park last summer.

Photo by: Lee Sacrey

Shirley Esau and Rihanna Ruben focus on their mud pies rather than watching boat races at the annual jamboree.

Photo by: Jerri Thrasher

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Photo by: Lee Sacrey

Photo by: Lee Sacrey

Aaron Ruben at the hockey arena.

its short 50 years as an established “ Insettlement, Paulatuk has gone from a tent city with no running water and electricity to a thriving community with cell phones and televisions.

Photo by: Lee Sacrey

�

Fishing at the mouth of the Hornaday River.

Photo by: Lee Sacrey

Bill Wolki Jr. plays hockey at the local arena.

Photo by: Lee Sacrey

Candice Thrasher and Veronica Ruben join in the strong women competition at the Iqalukpik Jamboree.

Photo by: Jerri Thrasher

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Before the permanent houses, school, co-op store and recreation centre that line the shoreline today existed, Paulatuk was a traditional camp where 50 to 70 people would set up tents for parts of the year. The community was a stop-over point for families that spent the year travelling back and forth between Paulatuk and Cape Parry.

“We’d come in the spring when the geese were passing and caribou were coming back,” says Ray Sr. “That’s why Paulatuk was really established, before the government officially established a hamlet here.”

The bounty of the land surrounding Paulatuk—from its rich waters, to driftwood making its way up from the treeline, to the nearby coal seam—is both to thank for its founding and responsible for what makes living in the community sustainable today.

“Our way of life is still living,” says Aaron Ruben, who is about half the age of his home community. “Half of the community is still living the way they used to live back then.”

Some community members are still out at camp for most of the time between May and November and, partly because of the lack of other economic opportunities, living off the land remains a popular way of life.

The anniversary celebrations became a bit of a pet project for Ray Sr., who saw it as a way to honour the work of his father Garrett Ruben, who was the hamlet’s first mayor and among those who went out and lobbied the government to support a settlement at Paulatuk.

“He didn’t do it for the recognition, it was just part of what he did,” says Ray Sr. Garrett was one of 13 children born to Angik Ruben and Sadie Sukkayaaluk. Although the Rubens are not the only family line whose history in the area precedes the founding of the community, if Paulatuk has a founding mother and father, Angik and Sadie would hold that title.

Most of their 11 surviving children spent their whole lives in the area, and two live in Paulatuk to this day.

Photo by: Jerri Thrasher

Elders Eileen Thrasher, Millie Lucas, Millie Thrasher and Shirley Elias watch canoe races and share a laugh at the jamboree.

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my wish, that they know how to sustain themselves “ That’s without a switch or a thermostat. ”

A trip to Fred Matthews with family.

Photo by: Jerri Thrasher

-RAY RUBEN SR.

Photo by: Jerri Thrasher Sadie Lester at La Ronciere ` Falls.

Photo by: Jerri Thrasher

Photo by: Lee Sacrey

The community gathers outside to watch boat races in August.

Ray Ruben Sr. cleans, fillets and makes dry fish with his daughters Rebecca, Gloria and Colleen as granddaughter Brooke Lennie watches and learns.

Photo by: Jeanie Bennet

Photo by: Jeanie Bennet

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Mabel Ruben with daughter Phoebe at the 2015 Inuvialuit Day celebrations.

Photo by: Jeanie Bennet

Photo by: Lee Sacrey

Eileen Thrasher receives a framed photo from Lawrence Ruben of her and husband Fred in honor of their recently celebrated 50th anniversary.

Photo by: Lee Sacrey

Other early settlers included Sam Green, who came over from Alaska with his adopted parents, the Thrashers, who have bloodlines going back to San Francisco by way of the DEW line, the Steens and the Nasogaluaks.

When the federal government started taking the lobby to create a settlement at Paulatuk seriously, they sent Billy Day from Inuvik to spend a year there and report back on whether it could sustain a village. Billy Day ultimately sent Ottawa a report recommending a settlement at Paulatuk, noting, among other things, that the place could comfortably support 400 people—a little more than Paulatuk’s population today.

Although the federal government did not formally establish Paulatuk until 1967, it was about 1965 when materials were shipped in from the south to build half a dozen houses—the first permanent homes on the site aside from the RC mission house. But when the barge arrived, most people were out on the land and so there was a miscommunication and the supplies were dropped

off at Brock River, more than 30 miles too far north.

But Garrett Ruben had the Roger, a boat used to help families move supplies and dog teams around the area, and he and other community members were able to get everything where it needed to be before the ice set in.

The community’s early days were not without other hiccups, like the blustery winter of 1967, where blizzards and high-speed winds blew down a good number of the houses that had been built up until that point. Still, the wheels had been set in motion and Inuvialuit in the area had started the process of getting used to living somewhere year round instead of out on the land.

In its short 50 years as an established settlement, Paulatuk has gone from a tent city with no running water and electricity to a thriving community with cell phones and televisions. The change in lifestyle has been challenging, says Ray Sr., and time can only tell what other changes the 21st century will bring.

Ray Ruben Sr.’s makeshift stage with white and char dry fish.

challenge is going to be new technology with “ Our our traditional lifestyle. There’s going to have to be a balance. ” -RAY RUBEN SR.

Photo by: Jeanie Bennett

“Mabel Ruben wearing her beautiful sunburst parka, as well as her lovely smile.” - Jeanie Bennet

Photo by: Jeanie Bennett

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Photo by: Jerri Thrasher

Photo by: Jeanie Bennett

The harpoon throw at the annual jamboree.

Photo by: Lee Sacrey

Wendy Michelle Ruben with her son Noah.Â

Photo by: Jerri Thrasher

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Photo by: Jerri Thrasher

Rose Kirby and Albert Elias take in the jamboree events.

Men’s canoe races.

“I’m just a bit older than Paulatuk is, and I can remember having nothing other than what was on the table. You didn’t have toys, you didn’t have gadgets,” says Ray Sr., adding his house today stands on a spot where he often played as a child.

“Our challenge (in the next 50 years) is going to be new technology with our traditional lifestyle. There’s going to have to be a balance.”

Aaron agrees. He would like to see a future Paulatuk that can offer more to its youth, both in on-the-land training, education and employment opportunities.

“I’d like to see some differences, from my point of view,

for our kids,” he says. “I guess it will be different than the way we lived back then, and a little bit today.”

While he appreciates all the comforts of Paulatuk and wonders of technology, Ray Sr.’s dream is to one day retire, build a camp out on the land, and get back to a simpler way of living somewhere where he can continue to teach young people how to fend for themselves. That balance between staying up to date with the south and self-reliant enough to survive when things get tough is vital to the future, he says.

“That’s my wish, that they know how to sustain themselves without a switch or a thermostat.”

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Sheree McLeod is 25 years old and has been drawing since she was about five. She grew up in Inuvik and currently works at the Community Counselling Program as an Administration Assistant. Her favourite thing to draw is flower patterns and fantasy art (dragons!). She wants to go to college to take courses on digital media and design.

To celebrate 2015, Sheree put together a collage of past events, including the reindeer crossing, signing of the Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement-in-Principle, drum dancing at Kivgiq in Alaska and the Great Northern Arts Festival, the Sunrise Festival and spring jamborees across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.

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Elder Profile

THE EARLY LIFE OF

GEORGE KRENGNEKTAK stories from on the land WORDS BY GEORGE KRENGNEKTAK PHOTOS BY JERRI THRASHER AND TOM MCLEOD

Stay tuned for the Inuvialuit Communications Society’s upcoming television program Ata! In the 13-part program, Gerry Kisoun sits down with elders from across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region to share stories and remember times from long ago. Below is a sneak peak at a story told

by Paulatuk elder George Krengnektak. Quyanainni for sharing George!

I

was brought up with my grandparents. We lived off the land and everything. We used to start moving from Read Island with our dog team, going west, and I was always thinking, ‘How come we’re travelling

west?’ I was just a young kid. I asked my granddad, ‘Where we’re going?’ and he said, ‘We’re looking for a better place to hunt. Not too far for animals and everything.’

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“

I think about my life and bringing my kids up. I don’t want ‘em to be poor and hungry.

- GEORGE KRENGNEKTAK

”

George Krengnektak on the set of Ata! at the ICS studios in Inuvik.

From there we started travelling with dogs in the summertime. We made our dogs pack. Maybe one whole year we started struggling for a while. Starving for a while. No caribous, no nothing. Not enough to eat. My granddad had to leave me steady, had to go two, three days to look for something to bring home. From there, I know we were hungry, and we got nothing else to eat. That’s the worstest part I ran into. You know those seal skins? We dried up one, and we start to take the hair off with a wooden tool and boil them. That’s the worstest meal I ever ran into.

I don’t want to run into that again. I think about my life and bringing my kids up. I don’t want ‘em to be poor and hungry. From there I started walking around with Abraham Carpenter. We’d go two days up land walking.

Next thing it started raining on us and we got two caribou - one little one and one big one. We brought them home, two days of packing. And I was just a young, young guy, and they made me pack a young caribou. I was really cooked by the time I walked back two days to our camp to bring food to our family!

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George Krengnektak (right) with Ata! host Gerry Kisoun.

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My granddad started to wander off, looking for a better place to hunt, going on his own sometime, out on his own for two days walking, looking for a better place to move.

From there he said he found something. He said he found something after two days walking. All that time he’d been going into Brock River Lake. From there we started making a sled to move up. We made our dogs pack and some pulled the sled too, and we got DEW line guys to put those tires on the sled, two on the front and two on the back. You know those wheelbarrow wheels? We were going downhill and I was riding that and the dogs started hollering and the dogs went under the sled. I really got a kick out of it. We got no anchor to slow us down! Next thing all the dogs were under the sled, some dragging in the sides. From there, I don’t know, we had to figure out a way to slow the dogs down. It was just one river, Brock River I think, going down one place. After that the rest is okay to Brock Lake. From there we stayed two summers

to make our dog team, get better, get stronger. Our granddad, he’s always fishing with the naulaq (nauligaq), the harpoon, with three or four spears on the end of the harpoon, homemade. They stay in the water maybe seven, eight hours, ten hours out there, and he got a long rope.

He got a piece of bone on the end of the rope, and every time he would get one, he’d put the hook through their mouth and let them go. When he got maybe 15, 20 or 30 fish, he’d go to the beach. We had to make a bowl (a manmade pond) for the fish to keep them from drying out. We stayed a couple of summers there.

In addition to Gerry’s interview with George, Ata! will feature conversations with Jerry Arey, Lillian Elias, Albert Elias, Liz Kuptana, James Rogers, Steve Cockney Sr., Nellie Arey, Clara Day, Robert Kuptana, Agnes Kuptana, Edith Haogak and Emma Dick. To hear the rest of George’s story, stay tuned for the airing of Ata!

“

Maybe one whole year we started struggling for a while. Starving for a while. No caribous, no nothing.

�

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80 YEARS OF FOOD AND FRIENDSHIP REINDEER EXPERIMENT LEAVES LASTING LEGACY IN DELTA

Photo by Nicolas Dory

Words by MEAGAN WOHLBERG

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Photo courtesy of Robert C. Knight/ NWT Archives

Buster Kailek and reindeer in from Reindeer Station for the Muskrat Jamboree in 1961.

“F

or some unexplainable reason, the caribou quit migrating,” Ellen Binder recalls in the 1992 book, Reindeer Days Remembered.

The daughter of a Norwegian reindeer herder, Binder’s family was brought—along with 3,000 reindeer—to the Mackenzie Delta region in the 1930s. Their arrival, at the end of a long arduous journey overland from Alaska, helped stave off famine in the Western Arctic after the once-predictable caribou migrations stopped.

Though the establishment of Canada’s only free-range

reindeer herd is now somewhat of a legendary tale, back then, Binder says the reasons behind the fabled migration were matter-of-fact: “There was a need for meat.”

In the mid-1920s, the federal government launched the Canadian Reindeer Project, an initiative that saw 3,440 reindeer cross the border into Canada via Alaska. Originally from Russia, the animals had been transported from Norway to New York City by steamship, then to Seattle by train and north to Alaska again by ship, as part of the U.S. government’s Alaskan Reindeer Experiment.

Photo courtesy of D. Wilkinson/ NWT Archives Photo courtesy of D. Wilkinson/ NWT Archives

Herders taking a break. Joe Illasiak, Mikkel Pulk (far behind), Wallace Lucas (front), Peter Kaglik (with hat), and Roger Allen in 1940.

Photo courtesy of J.A. Parsons/ Library and Archives Canada

Herd owners Donald Pingo and Adam Emaghok hold down a reindeer at a roundup in 1955.

Adam Emaghok and Peter Rufus hold down a reindeer while Wallace Lucas gives an injection in 1955.

Photo Courtesy of J.A. Parson/ Library and Archives Canada

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Charlie Rufus holding a fawn from ‘Native Herd No. 1’ on Nicholson Island in 1943.

Photo Courtesy of D. Wilkinson/ NWT Archives

Roundup at Kitigaaryuk in 1955.

Reindeer hitched to sled, date unknown.

Photo courtesy of Archibald Fleming Collection/ NWT Archives Photo courtesy of A.L. Fleming Collection/ NWT Archives

Ruth Lucas stands in the foreground as sleds are loaded to move out to reindeer camps at Reindeer Station in the 1940s.

Noting the success of the Alaskan experiment, Canada decided to try its own hand at reindeer herding.

Purchased at $65 a head from the Loman Brothers Company in Alaska, the Canadian government paid more than $150,000 (around $2.5 million, today) for the 2,370 animals that survived the arduous journey from Napaktolik in Alaska to Reindeer Station—a community created 100 kilometres north of what would eventually become Inuvik.

Though the reindeer were expected to arrive in 1931 after an easy 18-month trek, hundreds escaped and tried to return home to Alaska. Storms and frigid winter temperatures broke the herd up further, impeding travel. A single ice storm in 1934, alone, is credited with delaying the herd’s arrival across the frozen Mackenzie Delta by almost a full year.

In the end, it would take a remarkable five years to finish the entire journey, and the herder—Anders Bahr, a Saami man from Poulsbo, Norway—would become heralded as “The Arctic Moses” for successfully following through with his treacherous mission. Shortly after the herd’s arrival, 811 fawns were born, increasing the total population close to its original number.

Along with the reindeer came other Saami people — Indigenous reindeer herders from Scandinavia—to train apprentices. Among those were Ellen Binder’s parents, Anna and Mikkel Pulk, who were part of the first wave of Norwegian Saami hired to manage the Northwest Territories herd in 1932.

While many Inuvialuit continued to trap and harvest furs in the early reindeer days, the Great Depression in the 1930s saw fur prices drop, drawing locals into the herding way of life for economic reasons. Soon, strong cultural bonds began to flourish between the Saami and the Inuvialuit.

Photo courtesy of Mary Saich/ NWT Archives

Boys pushing a cart loaded with reindeer meat toward the Anglican school in Aklavik in the 1940s.

The Canadian Wildlife Service continued to own the herd until the 1960s, using it to provide meat to people in the region. In 1969, the government withdrew from the project and the 90 or so residents of Reindeer Station relocated to Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk. In 1974, there was no longer any shortage of food in the region and the herd was sold to a private firm.

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Although the caribou have since returned—along with other economic opportunities—and Reindeer Station has emptied, to the Inuvialuit, the deep intercultural relationship forged alongside the reindeer experiment continues to thrive.

Today the reindeer remain a permanent economical and cultural fixture in the Delta, where around 3,000 animals represent the only free-range reindeer herd in Canada. Ownership of the herd is now shared by the Binder family and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) through the company, Canadian Reindeer. Still an

important source of meat, reindeer are now distributed locally through the IRC or sold privately.

“Inuvialuit are well positioned to engage in the sustainable commercial harvesting of reindeer for markets beyond the region,” Inuvik locals Peggy Jay and Jiri Raska wrote in Inuktitut Magazine last spring. “It creates direct employment, provides further mobility to skilled workers, supports food security and country food nutrition initiatives and stimulates opportunities in value-added processing and country food retail trade between Inuit regions through the Nutrition North program.”

Photo by Nicolas Dory

In addition to boosting food security and employment in the region, the reindeer are also becoming their own tourist draw. Each year, the herd makes its trek from its wintering grounds at Jimmy Lake to the calving grounds on Richards Island. Two years ago, the IRC decided to open up the reindeer migration to be viewed by the public. Visitors and locals alike now gather each spring at Swimming Point Crossing, where the reindeer cross the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk ice road over the east arm of the Mackenzie River.

This year’s crossing included a special celebration to mark the herd’s 80th anniversary in the Mackenzie Delta.

In mid-2014, IRC partnered with the Inuit Circumpolar Council, the Government of Canada, the Association of World Reindeer Herders and the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry to recognize the history of reindeer herding in Canada and tie it to the circumpolar world.

To recognize the cultural bonds forged between Saami reindeer herders and Inuvialuit, five reindeer herders from Norway and Russia travelled to Inuvik last March to ring in the 80th anniversary of the first reindeer crossing, held in March 1935.

Photo by Nicolas Dory

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Photo by Alex Pulwicki

Photo by Alex Pulwicki

Photo by Peggy Jay

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Photo courtesy of IRC

Photo by Peggy Jay

Photo by Northwest Territories Tourism/Jason Van Bruggen

Photo by Alex Pulwicki

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Joined by students from East Three Secondary School, the special guests visited the historic Reindeer Station, learning how to herd, lasso, harvest and cook reindeer.

The visitors were then given a taste of Inuvialuit culture, including Arctic sports, drum dancing and trapping.

The cross-cultural exchange continued at the annual Muskrat Jamboree where reindeer meat and Saami bread were part of the official menu. A Saami tent was set up along the river, and people could get their photos taken with Addjub the reindeer.

But the highlight of the anniversary celebrations was watching the magnificent herd make its annual crossing toward the Arctic coast. For a steady half-hour, the 3,000 animals flowed thunderously before a crowd of 500 spectators like a moving river across the ice road.

Photo by Peggy Jay

With all of the many challenges that Canada’s one-of-akind reindeer herd has overcome over the last 80 years, it’s an occasion that is unlikely to stop any time soon.

Photo by Northwest Territories Tourism/Jason Van Bruggen

Photo courtesy of IRC

Photo courtesy of IRC

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Photo by Alex Pulwicki

Photo courtesy of IRC

Photo courtesy of IRC

Photo by Alex Pulwicki

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Photo by Alex Pulwicki

Photo by Alex Pulwicki

Photo courtesy of IRC

Photo courtesy of IRC

Photo by Northwest Territories Tourism/Jason Van Bruggen

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“

For a steady half-hour, the 3,000 animals flowed thunderously before a crowd of 500 spectators like a moving river across the ice road.�

A WELL-TRAVELLED PARKA WORDS BY CHARLES ARNOLD

Photo courtesy of Captain John A. Cook/Mystic Seaport Museum

“Kog-mul-luk [Inuvialuit], May 1895”. The people in this photograph are wearing a mixture of traditional and more modern types of clothing. The woman at the left is wearing a parka made from reindeer skins, and the pants worn by the man shown third from the left in the back row are also made from reindeer skins.

considered to be more stylish and harder to come by than caribou skins. This raises the question: how did reindeer skins end up so far from Siberia? From various sources we know that long-distance trade networks existed across the Arctic long before the arrival of fur traders and whalers. Items such as soapstone travelled west, and ivory and other items travelled east along these trade networks.

Exotic reindeer skins could have been amongst the items that were traded.

Inuvialuit-Smithsonian Project

Photo Courtesy of David Stewart/

Between 1861 and 1865 the Hudson’s Bay Company operated a fur trading post known as Fort Anderson on the southeastern edge of traditional Inuvialuit territory. In addition to his duties with the HBC, the post manager Roderick MacFarlane collected natural history objects and ethnographic artifacts for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. One of the items in the MacFarlane Collection is a woman’s parka that, judging by the variegated white and brown colouring, was made from skins of domesticated reindeer.

Judging from archival photographs from the At the time Fort late 1800s and early Anderson was in 1900s, reindeer skins operation, the nearest Mervin Joe holds a woman’s parka made from reindeer skins had a long-lasting that was collected at Fort Anderson circa 1861-65 during a reindeer were in appeal for use in parkas visit to the Smithsonian Institution in 2009.

Siberia. Forty years and other garments. By after MacFarlane acquired the parka that now that time reindeer herds had been established resides at the Smithsonian Institution, Minnie in Alaska and reindeer skins would have been Guninana told the anthropologist Vilhjalmur easier to obtain, but clothing made from the Stefansson that Siberian reindeer skins were distinctive brown and white skins apparently traded at least as far to the east as Baillie Island were still considered to be at the height of ‘before the whalers came’, and explained that style. they were sought after because they were

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Celebrati Northern

ng Great n Art

Inuvialuit artists take centre stage at 27th annual festival in Inuvik Photos by Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison

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Colton Gordon-Ruben demonstrates the bum hop during Northern Games demonstrations on July 21.

A polar bear purse by Lena Wolki.

Louie Goose performs with daughter Leanne on July 22.

Security worker Jamie Niakoaluk Notaina of Ulukhaktok.

Visitors learn to make their own ulus with George Roberts of Whitehorse.

Artist work area in the Roy “Sugloo� Ipana memorial arena.

Chris Church and Dang Dang Gruben demonstrate the head pull with help from Kyle Kuptana.

Visitors and volunteers came from across North America and beyond for the 2015 Great Northern Arts Festival.

Inuvialuit artist Caroline Blechert shows off some of her porcupine quill creations.

Visitors learn to make beaded headbands with Heather Dickson of Whitehorse.

Sarah Seward at the Arctic Fashion Show.

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Festival volunteers Alexia Baldwin and Sasha Spencer show off artwork by Joanna P. MacMann of Yellowknife.

Staff, artists and volunteers celebrate the end of another successful Great Northern Arts Festival.

Visitors show off their beaded headbands made during a workshop with artist Heather Dickson.

Joe Nasogaluak helps Abraham Ruben to carve the fine details on his sculpture celebrating the life of David Nasogaluak.

Louie Nigiyok of Ulukhaktok poses with one of his traditional prints.

Visitors learn to make their own customized ulus.

Tommy Smith, a longtime staff member and volunteer of the festival.

Young and old took in performances at the community hall.

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Joe Nasogaluak puts the finishing touches on a carving he completed at the Great Northern Arts Festival.

Derrald Taylor is presented with the Artist’s Choice Award at the festival’s closing ceremonies. He was also awarded the People’s Choice Award.

Clorese “Biddy” Nogasak, a member of the Siglitmiut Drummers and Dancers, performs in Inuvik after returning from the Pan Am Games in Toronto

Debbie Gordon-Ruben performs with the Siglitmiut Drummers and Dancers.

Dang Dang Gruben and Chris Church demonstrate the muskox push.

Brayden Gruben demonstrates the bum hop.

The Siglitmiut Drummers and Dancers perform on July 21.

Lorna Elias performs with the Inuvik Drummers and Dancers at the opening ceremonies on July 17.

Tianna Elias performs with the Siglitmiut Drummers and Dancers.

Lena Wolki poses with her kamngit.

Bambi Amos walks in the Arctic Fashion Show on July 25.

Quantum Tangle performs on July 24.

Kamngit by Lena Wolki.

Trina Qaqqisiq and her son Francis open the 2015 Arctic Fashion Show.

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Henson Nasogaluak performs with the Siglitmiut Drummers and Dancers.

Artists Antoine Mountain and Brigitte Genois.

Inuvik jiggers take in the performances at the community hall.

Earrings for sale in the gallery by various artists.

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Hans Lennie shows visitors how to drum dance.

Kathleen Ivaluarjuk Merritt and Iva perform.

Leanne Goose performs on July 22.

Participants prepare porcupine quills in a workshop with artist Charissa Alain-Lilly of Yellowknife.

A carving by Joe Nasogaluak.

Lorne Omilgoituk enjoys drum dancing at the opening ceremonies.

Brayden Gruben gets ready to demonstrate the airplane.

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Abraham Ruben at the 2015 Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik.

A LEGEND IN HIS TIME Fighting for the survival of Inuvialuit culture through stone sculpting Words by Laura Busch Photos by Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison

T

he face of David Nasogaluak is often solemn, with a hint of that faraway look in the eyes of someone focused steadily on the horizon, as it stares out from within the soapstone slab Abraham Angik Ruben has transformed into a telling of David’s life. “He was a legend in his time,” Abraham says.

It’s not so much one, or a collection of, unbelievable stories that gave David his status, but the fact that he determinedly continued on Inuvialuit traditions—hunting, trapping, and storytelling—during a time when the culture was being overwhelmed by southern influences.

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“

He spent the first seven years of his life living more or less in the old way—born in a canvas tent in the middle of a particularly cold November night at a mountain camp near the coal mine south of where Paulatuk now stands; moving around with the changing of the seasons, stashing food and firewood in caches throughout the summer so they would know where to find the precious resources once winter came.

”

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“In the south, you call an individual who has an exceptional life as salt of the earth, or someone who lives his life as if he was a force of nature. And someone like that leaves a pretty big footprint,” says Abraham.

“He promoted Inuit culture through drum dancing, through storytelling, and through passing on his knowledge to the younger generation. He was part of the healing process that took place in the Western Arctic.

He was an individual who helped sustain and revive Inuvialuit culture through his voice as a storyteller and through his actions in his own personal life.”

“

Abraham is no stranger to the struggle to maintain Inuvialuit knowledge and traditions despite the rapidlychanging times. He spent the first seven years of his life living more or less in the old way—born in a canvas tent in the middle of a particularly cold November night at a mountain camp near the coal mine south of where Paulatuk now stands; moving around with the changing of the seasons, stashing food and firewood in caches throughout the summer so they would know where to find the precious resources once winter came.

I plan things with a long end game, much like my parents did. And that’s something that I learned early on: that what I wanted to become would take years of planning and waiting things out.

”

“I have almost daily memories of this time,” says Abraham. “My childhood memories, it’s almost a continuous flow of images and people and sights, and all related to life out on the land. From the whaling days to the stories by the shamans who lived in our area.”

His mother Kagun, or sometimes Kaguna (her born Anglicized name was Bertha Thrasher), would often tell stories about her side of the family. She was descended from shamans who had travelled east from Alaska to settle in the Delta. Kagun carried the name of her grandmother who was a shamaness with an underground serpent as a spirit helper. Abraham was given the name of his maternal great-grandfather, Atakark, whose spirit helper was a gyrfalcon.

Abraham’s father Isuktaaq (Billy Ruben) came from a long line of hunters and trappers, and worked hard to provide for his family. Out on the land, Abraham was taught to look at things from a 360 degree view, and how to plan for things far into the future.

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Abraham Ruben was awarded the Billy Ruben Award at the Great Northern Arts Festival for his achievements.

Abraham and Joe Nasogaluak work on the stone sculpture honouring David Nasogaluak’s life.

“When you’re out on the land, you watch people—your parents, grandparents, uncles—and they’re all doing things, either geese hunting, skinning, and everything that they show you is to teach you how to do things with the least amount of effort and the largest outcome,” he says.

“

“Those lessons were very much a part of my growing up, but also in my professional career. Because what I’ve done is, those early lessons, looking at and observing what my parents were doing, I’ve taken that and translated that into my life as an artist and as an individual.

In September of 1959 Abraham, along with a couple of his brothers and cousins, was put on a small plane from Cape Parry and sent off to Inuvik to attend residential school. It is here that his near‑perfect memory of childhood ends, and there are long periods of time missing.

”

“I plan things with a long end game, much like my parents did. And that’s something that I learned early on: that what I wanted to become would take years of planning and waiting things out.”

Many of the stories told to Abraham and his siblings and cousins when they were young centered around how children should behave. The stories became particularly common in late-March or early April, when children tend to get more and more rambunctious as spring fever sets in.

One of those stories is of Tupilak, the Dark One, an evil spirit that wanders the land in springtime looking for children who misbehave. Abraham’s aunt, Nora Ruben, would play the part, wandering along the beach in a disguise and then making her way towards the children, banging on and shaking the house until they were beside themselves with fear. Eventually, she would burst through the door laughing, and the children were relieved to have another chance to prove to Tupilak how well behaved they could be.

In September of 1959 Abraham, along with a couple of his brothers and cousins, was put on a small plane from Cape Parry and sent off to Inuvik to attend residential school. It is here that his near-perfect memory of childhood ends, and there are long periods of time missing. What he does remember is the shock of suddenly finding himself away from his small family camp and among hundreds of other children from all across the territories.

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Abraham’s tools at the Great Northern Art Festival’s carving tent.

“It was a culture shock that lasted a lifetime,” he says.

“The first nun I had a run-in with, I recognized her as a demonic spirit. She was given her position because she was recognized for her ability to… to remove the native language from children. And that was my first real run-in with Tupilak—as a seven year old.”

“

It was a culture shock that lasted a lifetime,” he says. “The first nun I had a run-in with, I recognized her as a demonic spirit. She was given her position because she was recognized for her ability to… to remove the native language from children. And that was my first real run-in with Tupilak—as a seven year old.

”

Abraham lived in Grollier Hall for the next 10 years of his life.

“They were doing their best to eradicate that culture through the use of force, through berating those who tried to use the language, and beatings,” he says.

“But I guess the plan backfired.”

Ever since he graduated residential school, Abraham has been slowly working his way back to his culture. It has taken him decades of work and study and talking with elders to make him comfortable enough with the old stories to feel he is making authentic art in his carvings, instead of just regurgitating a story that doesn’t feel like his to share.

In this way, Abraham’s story is the same as the story of so many Inuvialuit who lived through the time of cultural repression. In the 1950s and 60s, when the young hunter David Nasogaluak was just starting to make a name for himself throughout the Inuvialuit region, many of the old traditions had been lost. But slowly, over time, leaders like David helped revive the culture by doing things like starting the Tuktoyaktuk Drummers and Dancers group.

During the Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik last July, Ruben created The Life of David Nasogaluak along with help from several of David’s family members, who recounted stories and inspired the finished work.

The completed sculpture now sits on the third floor of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation’s headquarters in Inuvik. Joe Nasogaluak, David’s brother, contributed greatly to the project, both by sharing many stories of his brother, and by physically helping Ruben complete the sculpture.

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“

I think that in this story of his dream and his song, David is recounting his life,” says Abraham. “That he came to an understanding that everything comes full circle.

”

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Over the course of about 10 days, Ruben and others selected and created scenes from the life of the late cultural icon. They were happy to share the experience, and Abraham often stopped to chat and share stories with young Inuvialuit who came to visit.

One side of the piece shows David the hunter. The young man courting his first wife, then showing his children how to set white fox traps. Another scene shows David and his dogs cornering a polar bear, and yet another shows David as boat captain.

The second side focuses on David as a culture bearer, singing along with Inuvialuit drummers as he often did.

One scene is based on a dream David once recounted to Abraham’s younger brother Stanley Ruben and his wife, Debbie Gordon-Ruben. David dreamt he was somewhere in the Delta, sitting with Stanley by a fire, singing a song of rebirth and renewal. As he was singing, David turned to look at Stanley, only to realize he was sitting alone, although he could clearly hear the voice of the younger man singing along with him.

“I think that in this story of his dream and his song, David is recounting his life,” says Abraham. “That he came to an understanding that everything comes full circle.”

Rescue at Paulatuk

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Ikayuqtuat Paulatuumi

How the Kalineks helped save the crew and passengers of Our Lady of Lourdes

(Rex Terpening/NWT Archives/ N-1987-030: 0218)

WORDS BY CHARLES ARNOLD PHOTOS COURTESY OF NWT ARCHIVES ILLUSTRATIONS BY IPPIKSAUT FRIESEN TRANSLATION BY ALBERT ELIAS

Caught by the ice of the early freeze-up of 1936, the mission schooner Our Lady of Lourdes is frozen in at Pearce Point, 60 miles from the mission.

The schooner is currently located at the point in Tuktoyaktuk.

A

lmost thirty years before Paulatuk became a settled community it was the scene of one of the first airplane assisted rescues in the Arctic. Some of the events have become obscured with the passage of time, but most of the story can be gleaned from written accounts of two of the people who were there: Bishop Pierre Fallaize, one of the people stranded at Paulatuk, and Rex Terpening, an aircraft engineer who was part of the rescue operation.

I

ngliraan Paulatuk suli aullaqimatilugu sivullirmik tajva tingmiyualuum inuit quyalivialugait. Ilangit sujutit puigukapsaklugit aglaan. Ukuak Bishop Pierre Fallaize-lu taavyumalu tingmiyualuum ingniqiyinga Rex Terpening quliaqtuanginin tajva sujutaagun taimani kangiqsinaqtuq. Fallaize taamna ayuqsitauyuat Paulatuumi ilagiyaat.

Our Lady of Lourdes went into service in 1930, and for the next 25 years was a vital link in the Roman Catholic Church’s network of missions in the Canadian western Arctic. Almost 20 meters long, rigged for sailing and with a 70 horsepower auxiliary engine, it could carry a load of 30 tons or more through ice-infested waters and along shallow shore leads. The ship was built with a strong, rounded hull so that it would be lifted up, rather than being crushed, if it was squeezed by sea ice. This hull design proved its worth on many occasions during Our Lady of Lourdes long years in service.

Tarium sikua nalunavialuktuq maani nayuqtaptingni. 1936 ukiungani ingatavik sikuuvialuktuq. Umiaqpait angiyut niuvaayinun usiaqtuat surautinik tamatkualu Inuvialuit umiaqpauyait ilurilutik aulariiqtilugit sikum. Ilangit sikkutiblugit ukiukaluk. Anguniarviksatik tikiriililugit.

Catholigit umiaqpauyangat “Our Lady of Lourdes” taimani sapiqsavialuktuaq.

“Our Lady of Lourdes” aullaqiyuat 1930-mi. 25 ukiut naalugit ikayugait tamatkuat Roman Catholic Angaajuvingit maani nunaptingni. Umiaq angiaqtuq (20 meters) takitilaanga. Tingilrautilik. 70 horse ingniqutait.

Akijutaluni usialayuq. Sikukunlu ikatukunlu aulalayuq.

Qayangnaituq. Ataa angmaluarikapsaktuq. Sikukun aulayuminaaq. Taimalingaaqluni tajva sivituyukalukmik atugaat taimani.

Photo Courtesy of Rex Terpening/Edmonton Air Museum Committee/NWT Archives/N-1979-003: 0293)

Sea ice conditions are always unpredictable in the Far North, but 1936 was a notoriously ‘bad ice year’ in the western Arctic. Large commercial ships supplying coastal trading posts and smaller schooners used by Inuvialuit to travel to hunting and trapping areas alike experienced delays, detours, or worse yet became frozen in the ice and stuck for the winter a long way from home. Our Lady of Lourdes was one of the ships that suffered that fate.

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One of Our Lady of Lourdes tasks in 1935 was to help with the establishment of a mission at Paulatuk.

The Roman Catholic Church had operated a mission at Letty Harbour on the western shore of Darnley Bay since 1928, but church authorities had decided that Paulatuk, at the bottom of the bay, was a more favourable location. Seams of coal provided an economical alternative to coal shipped from the south for heating the mission buildings, and nearby lakes and rivers held plenty of fish to feed people and dogs. After transporting staff, supplies and building materials to the new location, Our Lady of Lourdes spent the winter of 1935-36 there, frozen in the ice.

Our Lady of Lourdes’ first voyage in 1936 was to Aklavik to pick up supplies and passengers for missions at Kugluktuk (then called Coppermine) and Burnside River, far to the east in Coronation Gulf.

The crew consisted mainly of church clergy: Bishop Fallaize, Fathers Binamé and Griffin, and Brother Kraut. Billy Thrasher, an Inuvialuk, was employed as the ship’s pilot, and Eddy Kouplou, originally from Alaska, was the cook. The trip to Aklavik was troublefree, but once there they learned that Coronation Gulf was still choked with ice. They departed anyway, hoping that conditions would improve. They didn’t, and only by extreme effort, skillful navigation and good fortune was Our Lady of Lourdes able to penetrate the icy waters and reach Kugluktuk, taking over four weeks to complete a trip that normally took less than a week. Unable to go any further to east,

they left the provisions for the Burnside mission at Kugluktuk, and headed back west. With them they took four orphaned children who were being sent to the Roman Catholic Church’s residential school in Aklavik. At Aklavik, the ship was to pick up provisions for the Paulatuk mission and spend another winter there.

The return trip from Kugluktuk started with clear sailing, but conditions soon deteriorated. Heavy ice blocked their route and damaged the ship. They were forced to seek shelter in a bay near Pearce Point, and Our Lady of Lourdes soon became locked in the ice.

By then their supplies were almost exhausted, and the crew was unable to make contact with anyone using the ship’s radio. Fortunately, Tom Kalinek and his family from the Delta were camped nearby, their schooner Only Way also frozen in near Pearce Point. The Kalineks were short of food, but shared what they had, and took the crew of Our Lady of Lourdes by dog team to Paulatuk, about 100 kilometers away.

They also cared for the children until they could be sent for.

Tajva “Our Lady of Lourdes” 1935-mi Paulatuum angaajuviksaanik usiaqtuaq. Sivullirmik Catholigit angaajuviruaqturaluat Letty Harbour-mi 1928.

Angalatchiyingit taima Paulatuumun nuutchuliqtuat nunagiktuamun. Aluaruaqluni tamaani quyalitauyuq, ingnirvingnun atauaksat. Tatchinilu kuukanilu iqaluubluni. Savaktillu sulliqaalu atuaksat aatqaaqlugit tajvunga “Our Lady of Lourdes” ukiiyuaq 1935-36 sikkutiblugu.

“Billy Thrasher,

1936-mi aasiin “Our Lady of Lourdes” Aklaqvikmuktuaq. Sivullirmik. Kugluktuumlu Burnside River-mlu surautiksainik inungniklu usiaqlutik. Taavungakaluk kivanmun aullaqibutik.

Umiam savaktingit angaajuvium inungit ukuat: Bishop Fallaize, Father Biname-lu Griffin-lu taamnalu Brother Kraut. Inuvialuk una Billy Thrasher aqutaubluni. Alaskarmiuq Eddy Kouplou kukialuubluni. Nakuuyumik aulayuat Aklakvingmun.

Tikinnamik ilitchuriyuat sikuuvialukturuuq kivalirmi. Utimun aullaqipaluktuat taima nakuruqsarugiblugu apqun. Alalinginiqtuaq aglaan. Nikaiqsuqlutik taima iluriblutik siku nautchiutaqlugu aulayuat Kugluktumun.

Tatqiqsiun atausiq sipiqlugu aulayuat.

Sikuitpan uva qapsisaani ubluni tikinnaqtuq.

Aulariilinamik kivanmun Burnside angaajuvingan suralingit qimaklugit Kugluktumi utimun aulaqimiyuat. Sitamat nutaqat naksaqlugit ilisarvingmuktuksat Aklavikmi. Tajvanga aasiin Paulatuum suraliksainik uslilirlutik ukiisuklutik taikani.

an Inuvialuk, was employed as the ship’s pilot, and Eddy Kouplou, originally from Alaska, was the cook.”

Kugluktumin aullaqigamik nakuuyuq sikuittuq. Aulamablutik sikuqpaum apqutiksairmiyait.

Umiaq navgibluni. Uqqisaqtutuat aasiin ilutakmun Pearce Point qaningani. “Our Lady of Lourdes” sikkutiya tajvani. Niqinik sunik inungasiyuat tajvani.

Umiam uqautitautait tusarnaiqlutik. Tom Kalinetkut uumarmiutat qanini inniqlutik quyaliyait. Umiaqtik “Only Way” sikkutiniga Pearce Point qaningani.

Kalinem fathertkut niqiksainik payuktuqlugit quyalliyait. Paulatuumun aatkiblugit qim-minik 100 kilometers ungasiktigiyuq. Nutaqat sitamat taapkuat munaqiriutiblugit. Tom Kalinem quyallivialugait taimani.

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The crew of Our Lady of Lourdes hoped that they and the four children would be able to travel from Paulatuk to Aklavik using the mission’s dog teams.

However, at Paulatuk they learned that a large cache of fish and seals intended to be used as dog food had been raided by grizzly bears.

Resigned to an extended stay at Paulatuk, they set about hunting and fishing, and digging coal from nearby seams to burn in the mission’s stove. The mission hadn’t received its annual resupply, but they were able to retrieve a few hundred pounds of flour, beans, rice and other provisions that had been left at Letty Harbour. These

efforts took a toll on people, and on the dogs as well. Bishop Fallaize would later write, “Several of our dogs, undernourished and daily overworked, died in harness.”

On another trip, this one back to Cape Parry to bring the children to Paulatuk, they retrieved the radio from Our Lady of Lourdes. Overdue and having been out of touch for several weeks, when they finally made contact with Aklavik they learned that church authorities were making arrangements to send an airplane to look for the ship. Hearing that the crew and passengers were at Paulatuk they directed the airplane to go there to pick them up.

“The Kalineks were short of

food, but shared what they had, and took the crew of Our Lady of Lourdes by dog team to Paulatuk, about 100 kilometers away.”

Our Lady of Lourdes savaktingita isumayuraluat tajva nutaqat Paulatuumin Aklavikmun aatchuklugit qimmiliyarlutik. Aglaan iltchuriyuat iqalukaluillu natchikaluillu qim-mit niqiksautait sauyat aklat nungunigait. Sivituyumik itaaqsiyuat tajva Paulatuumi.

Anguniluklutik, iqalliqiblutik. Aluaq qanini ittuaq nunami katitiqlugu ingnirvingmun atuaksaq. Suralrit ukiitaksat pingilugit taimani aglaan tajva niqit taniktat Letty Harbour-mi qimaktat quyaliyait. Inuitlu qimmiraluat nangituat taimani. Bishop Fallaize aglaktuaq,

“Qim-mipta ilangit ilurilutik niqiksailam payavaktuat anumingni.” Cape Parry-muklutik nutaqat aatait Paulatuumun. Naalautit “Our Lady of Lourdes-mi ittuat piblugit. Kangiitauyuat sivituaqtumik taimani.

Naalautit tusarnaqimata Aklavik-min ilitchuriyuat tajva tingmiyualungmik qiniqtuksatguuq. Tusaagamik tamaita Paulatuumi in-niqtuat tingmiyualuk aullaqtuaq aiyaqtuqlugit.

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Aviation was still in its infancy in the North in 1936. Airmail service had been established in the Mackenzie Valley in 1929 and was extended along the coast the following year. Mineral exploration companies increasingly relied on aircraft to support their northern operations in the 1930s, but landing strips and maps useful for aerial navigation were virtually non-existent. It is hard to imagine dispatching an airplane to such a remote spot under those conditions, especially since winter had set in, but on Dec. 3 a Canadian Airways Junkers aircraft left Fort McMurrray in northern Alberta to pick up the stranded passengers and crew of Our Lady of Lourdes. The pilot was Matt Berry, and Rex Terpening, an aircraft engineer, was also on board.

Terpening was an avid photographer, and with his camera he recorded the history-making trip. On the first leg of the flight they followed a well-known route along the Mackenzie Valley to Aklavik, with stops at several communities along the way, a trip that took them four days. To find their way from Aklavik to Paulatuk they had to rely on marine maps that showed

only the coastline, marking on it the locations of landmarks provided by local people who were familiar with the area they had to fly over. After a delay waiting out bad weather, they set out for Paulatuk on Dec. 9, taking with them Red Scharfe, a radio operator from the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals in Aklavik. By the time they reached their destination the light of the short winter day was fading, and they were unable to pick out a landing strip that had been marked for them on the sea ice in front of the mission building.

Nonetheless, they landed safely.

Data Source: Government of Canada, National Resources Canada, Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, The Atlas of Canada

The arrows show the route of the airplane sent from Fort McMurray to pick up the crew and passengers of Our Lady of Lourdes at Paulatuk.

Tingmiyualuit inukitut taimani 1936 nunaptingni.

Makpiraanik aglaktanik tingmiyualuktigun isagutiyuat 1929 uumarmi. Ukiutqingman tajva naubluni tarium sinaagun. Uyaraksiuqtit tangit tingmiyualuktigun sangulraaratik ilurilaittut 1930 ukiungini. Aglaan taimani mitarvingnik suittuq.

Nunauyanik suittuq. Imana itilugu tingmiyualuk tiliyaksaq ungasiktumun isumaginaittuq.

Ukiumi ingatavik. Aglaan tajva December 3-mi tingmiyualuk Canadian Airways Junker-mik atilik Fort McMurray-min aullaqiyuaq. “Our Lady of Lourdes� inungit aiyaqtuqlugit. Matt Berry aquti, Rex Terpening ingniqiyi, agliutinilu naksaqlugit.

Kuukpak malirutaqlugu tingmiyuat Aklavikmun.

Nutqalaayugaqlutik inilaani. Sitamanik ubluni aulayuat. Aklavikmin Paulatuumun nunauyatigun makpiraani tingmiyuat. Tarium sinaagun. Inungnin tamaani ikyaqtiruaqlutik quyaliyait. Aulavigiyaksatik nalunaitkusiqlugu nunauyami. Silagiksiman Aklavikmin aullaqiyuat December 9. Red Scharfe (Canadian Corps of Signals) naalausiqiyi malikluni.

Paulatuuq tikitaat unnuklunilu. Mitviksangata nalunaitkutait takulairamigit sikumi igluqpait qaningani nakuruqlutik mittuat.

Rex Terpening/NWT Archives/ N-1987-030: 0228

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Matt [Berry] and Red [Scharfe] with 4 Eskimo [Inuit] children [at Paulatuk].

It would be several days before weather at both Paulatuk and Aklavik was favourable enough to attempt the return trip. Leaving Fathers BinamÊ and Griffin and Billy Thrasher behind to sail Our Lady of Lourdes to Aklavik once the ice released it the following summer, the others boarded the airplane on Dec. 13, but within half an hour conditions deteriorated and they had to turn back. They tried again on Dec. 19. Once again they hit bad weather, and this time made a forced landing on a frozen lake. Rex Terpening later recalled that it was the roughest landing he had ever experienced in almost 50 years of flying. After a cold night (the temperature dropped below -40 Celsius) they took off again the next morning, with just enough fuel to get them to Aklavik – if they could find it. Flying by compass, but uncertain of their location, just in time they spotted smoke from chimneys in the distance. They landed at Aklavik with only enough fuel remaining for eight minutes flying time.

History emphasizes the role of the airplane in rescuing the crew and passengers of Our Lady of Lourdes. It should not be forgotten, however, that without the help of the Kalineks they might have remained stranded at Pearce Point, and the outcome could have been quite different.

For more on Inuvialuit history, visit the Inuvialuit History Timeline website (www.inuvialuithistory.com).

Qapsinik ubliblutik silanguqsiiyuat Paulatuumi. Father Biname, Father Griffin taamnalu Billy Thrasher qimaklugit. “Our Lady of Lourdes” aulataksangat auyatqikpan. Tingmiyualuk aullaqiyuaq Aklavium tungaanun December 13. Silaqluk aglaan tikinamijung utiqtuat Paulatuumun. December 19 uuktupsaaqtuat.

Silaqluk aasiin tikinnamijung tatchimun mittuat. Rex uqalaktuaq tajva ulurianaqtuq mitchaaramik. 50nik ukiuni tingmivakaluaqtuq. Tajvani un-nuiyuat qiqpangmi. Ublaami aasiin aullaqiblutik Aklavium tungaanun. Pakilagumijung. Uvva uqsukitut (gasoliikitut). Compass malirullugu tingmiugaqtuat.

Nani itlaamingnik nalulaqtuq. Isiq sivun-namingni

nunami takunaqiyuaq. Aklavikmun mittuat uqsuirutiblutiklu.

Taimani tajva tingmiyualuum quyalivialugait taapkut inuit tamaita. “Our Lady of Lourdes” usiaqtangit.

Puiguqtaksaungituq. Kalinetkulu tamaani ingitpata Pearce Point qaningani nanginiaraluaqtuat akijutalutik.

Inuvialuit pitqusiit ingilraan tusaasukkaini qaritauyakkun takunaqtut: (www.inuvialuithistory.com).

A HISTORIC MOMENT 136

LEADERS SIGN INUVIALUIT SELF‑GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT‑IN‑PRINCIPLE Photos by Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison and Roy Goose

I

nuvialuit took an important step on the road toward Aboriginal self-government on July 21 with the signing of the Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement-in-Principle. The document, which lays out the future Inuvialuit Government and its roles and responsibilities, was signed

by Nellie Cournoyea, Premier Bob McLeod and Mark Strahl, parliamentary secretary to the minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.

The joyous occasion, which took place at Ingamo Hall in Inuvik, was attended by many proud Inuvialuit, including the IRC board of directors, master of ceremonies Floyd Roland and elder Emma Dick, who said an opening prayer.

C

THE ROAD TO SELF‑GOVERNMENT OCTOBER 31, 1978 The Government of Canada (Canada) and the Committee for Original Peoples’ Entitlement (COPE), on behalf of the Inuvialuit, reach a land claim Agreement‑in‑Principle which included provisions on land, economic benefits, and wildlife resource management for Inuvialuit.

1993 Gwich’in Tribal Council and Inuvialuit Regional Corporation develop and submit a joint proposal to Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories for self-government.

APRIL 16, 2003 Gwich’in and Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement-in-Principle is signed by all parties.

MARCH 4, 2005 The Gwich’in Tribal Council seeks separate self-government negotiations. Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories accept the Gwich’in request and separate self‑government negotiations are opened with both groups.

JUNE 10, 2014 The Chief Negotiators initial the legal text of the Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement‑in‑Principle.

JUNE 5, 1984 Canada and COPE officially sign the Western Arctic Land Claims Agreement – Inuvialuit Final Agreement, which also provides for Inuvialuit interests to be taken into account if public government institutions in the Western Arctic Region are restructured.

1995 Canada approves the Inherent Right of Self-Government Policy.

1996 The Gwich’in Tribal Council, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Canada, and the Government of the Northwest Territories agree and approve a Process and Schedule Agreement to negotiate a joint Gwich’in and Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement.

MAY 4, 2007 Inuvialuit Process and Schedule Agreement is signed by Canada, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Inuvialuit, setting up the negotiations for the parties.

MAY 2007 – NOVEMBER 2013 The Parties negotiate a comprehensive Agreement-in-Principle.

JULY 21, 2015 The Parties sign the Inuvialuit Self‑Government Agreement-in-Principle and begin negotiation of the final Inuvialuit Self‑Government Agreement.

138

What is the significance of reaching the AIP stage?

The AIP is a major milestone toward achieving a final agreement. The AIP provides a sense of what a final agreement will look like and allows the Parties to start preparing for the changes that a final agreement will bring. It signals that the Parties have been able to make significant progress toward reaching a final agreement.

It is the basis on which a final agreement will be negotiated.

What is the Inuvialuit Self‑Government Agreement‑in‑Principle (AIP)?

The AIP is an agreement among the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, the Government of Canada (Canada) and the Government of the Northwest Territories that describes the jurisdictions and authorities of the future Inuvialuit Government and clarifies the relationship that will exist between the three levels of government. Selfgovernment will allow for the establishment of a future Inuvialuit Government, bringing more decision-making powers closer to the Inuvialuit communities.

The AIP sets out areas of agreement on most of the subjects under negotiation. The AIP is very advanced, and in many cases contains the level of detail that one would expect to see in a final agreement.

While it is not a legally binding document, the AIP is a major milestone toward achieving a final agreement.

The final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement will be legally binding once ratified by the three Parties.

The publication and distribution of the AIP provides the Inuvialuit as well as residents of the Western Arctic Region with the opportunity to review the content of the AIP. Now that the three Parties have signed the AIP, they have begun to negotiate the final Inuvialuit SelfGovernment Agreement, which is the next and final stage of negotiations.

What is the basis for the AIP negotiations?

The federal government bases its participation in negotiations on its Inherent Right Policy, which recognizes that Aboriginal people have the right to selfgovernment. This is based on the fact that Aboriginal peoples governed themselves before European contact and never gave up that right.

In 2007, the Parties signed a Process and Schedule Agreement, which sets out how the Parties will carry out negotiations. The Parties have agreed that the selfgovernment agreement must be consistent with the Inuvialuit Final Agreement.

140

How is the Inuvialuit Final Agreement different from the final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement?

The Inuvialuit Final Agreement was signed June 5, 1984 and was given Royal Assent on July 25, 1984.

The Inuvialuit Final Agreement is a comprehensive land claim settlement agreement and deals with land and harvesting rights, participation in the management of land and wildlife and financial compensation. The final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement will not conflict with the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. The Inuvialuit Final Agreement institutions (for example Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and Inuvialuit Game Council) will continue to be responsible for the implementation of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement.

The final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement will include law-making authorities of the Inuvialuit Government and clarify the relationship among the Inuvialuit Government, the Government of the Northwest Territories and Canada. The final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement would enable the Inuvialuit Government to pass laws and to deliver programs and services established by those laws.

What will the Inuvialuit Government look like?

The Inuvialuit will develop and approve their own constitution, which will set out the structure for government. There will be at least one representative from each Inuvialuit community in the Western Arctic Region to sit on the Inuvialuit Council and one leader (Ataniq) who will be elected at-large by all Inuvialuit who are eligible to vote.

The constitution will recognize the traditional roles and responsibilities of elders and youth within the Inuvialuit Government.

What will the Inuvialuit Government be able to do?

The future Inuvialuit Government will create laws and will have other powers and responsibilities regarding Inuvialuit. The Inuvialuit Government will have power to make and enforce Inuvialuit laws, design policies and programs, and deliver programs and services to the Inuvialuit. Inuvialuit laws will apply to those Inuvialuit who live in the Western Arctic Region, which includes the communities of Aklavik, Inuvik, Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk and Ulukhaktok.

The Inuvialuit Government would have powers over matters such as language and culture, health and social services, social assistance, education, economic development and justice.

142

What is the difference between an Aboriginal government and public government?

A public government represents and serves all residents in an area, and is elected by eligible voters in that area. The Government of the Northwest Territories and the town or hamlet councils are examples of public governments. The Parties attempted to negotiate a public government for the Beaufort-Delta Region but these negotiations did not result in a final agreement.

The Inuvialuit focused their negotiations on the establishment of an Aboriginal government, meaning it is a government for the Inuvialuit, and will serve the Inuvialuit of the Western Arctic Region. The Inuvialuit Government will have authority under the final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement to provide programs and services to Inuvialuit. Only Inuvialuit will get to vote for representatives of the Inuvialuit Government.

The final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement will clarify the responsibilities of and the relationship between the Inuvialuit Government, the Government of the Northwest Territories and Canada. As community and NWT residents, the Inuvialuit will still be able to vote for their town or hamlet councils, their Member of the Legislative Assembly and their Member of Parliament.

What benefits are expected for Inuvialuit as a result of the final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement?

The Inuvialuit Government will have authority over matters of importance to the Inuvialuit people. Some of these matters include: Inuvialuit culture and language, social programs and educational programs for the training and development of Inuvialuit children and adults.

Self-government will allow the Inuvialuit to set their own priorities, and to make decisions regarding their future.

By bringing decision-making closer to the community, the programs and services developed and delivered can be better suited to the needs of the Inuvialuit. There are self-government agreements in place all across Canada.

What will happen to my current benefits as an Inuvialuk from the federal and territorial governments after Self‑Government?

There are federal and territorial programs and services for which the Inuvialuit Government will not assume responsibility and these will continue to be provided to the Inuvialuit as for all Canadians or territorial residents.

These include programs such as the Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, Employment Insurance and the Territorial Health Insurance Program.

144

How is a final agreement approved or ratified?

Are there any plans to assist Inuvialuit residents in preparing for new responsibilities under self-government?

The Inuvialuit Government will have strategies in place to address appropriate skills training and capacity development before exercising law-making authority, and this may be reflected in an Implementation Plan.

Some existing federal program funding is available to the Inuvialuit for training and capacity building activities to support the skills required for new self-government responsibilities.

What are the next steps?

Negotiations towards a final agreement have begun now that representatives of the Parties have signed the AIP. These negotiations will address matters that are not covered by the AIP and are necessary to complete and approve a self-government agreement.

Now that the AIP has been signed, the Parties have begun to negotiate the final agreement. Once those negotiations are complete, the Parties will carry out an approval process for the final Inuvialuit SelfGovernment Agreement. First, the Board of Directors of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation will decide whether to recommend the final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement for approval. The Inuvialuit would then hold a vote of all eligible Inuvialuit to approve the final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement. If the Inuvialuit approve the final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement, the Government of the Northwest Territories and Canada would need to approve the final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement according to their processes and then introduce legislation in to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories and the Parliament of Canada.

Can you outline any sort of timeline for when these next steps will happen? Will it be months, years, decades?

We are hoping to complete negotiations within the next three to five years of the Final Agreement. We will also need to have a financial agreement and implementation plan and approve the Inuvialuit Government’s constitution. The approval process will include all Inuvialuit beneficiaries voting on the Final Agreement and if they approve it the Legislative Assembly and Parliament will need to approve - this usually takes a couple of years as well.

Information courtesy of Bob Simpson and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.

146

INUVIALUKTUN LANGUAGE GAMES #6

‘TONGUE TWISTER GAME’

Speakers of the Inuvialuktun dialects are no stranger to tongue twisters. One of the longest reported words, ‘tuktusiuriagatigitqingnapin’ngitkiptin’nga,’ means, ‘You’ll never go caribou hunting with me again.’

Can you guess the translations for these tongue twisters below?

Words and translations by ICRC

1. Humunngauliqqit?

2. Pinguruamunngauliqtunga.

3. Pingautigarmunngauliqtunga.

Answers

1. Where are you going?

2. I am going to the mountain.

3. I am going to the hill.

‘TONGUE TWISTER GAME’

INUINNAQTUN

4. Kuugarmunngauliqtunga.

5. Kuugaaryungmunngauliqtunga.

6. Tatchimungniaqtuami.

Answers

4. I am going to the River

5. I am going to the Creek.

6. I am going to the lake.

148

INUVIALUKTUN LANGUAGE GAMES #6

‘TONGUE TWISTER GAME’

Can you guess the translations for these tongue twisters below?

Words and translations by ICRC

1. Sumuaqsivit?

2. Irrimungniaqtuami.

3. Qimirmungniaqtuami.

Answers

1. Where are you going?

2. I am going to the mountain.

3. I am going to the hill.

‘TONGUE TWISTER GAME’

SIGLITUN

4. Kuungmungniaqtuami.

5. Kuukkinirmungniaqtuami.

6. Tatchimungniaqtuami.

Answers

4. I am going to the River

5. I am going to the Creek.

6. I am going to the lake.

150

INUVIALUKTUN LANGUAGE GAMES #6

‘TONGUE TWISTER GAME’

Can you guess the translations for these tongue twisters below?

Words and translations by ICRC

1.Humungniaqpit?

2. Irrimungniaqtunga.

3. Nunavingmungniaqtunga.

Answers

1. Where are you going?

2. I am going to the mountain

3. I am going to the hill.

‘TONGUE TWISTER GAME’

UUMMARMIUTUN

4. Kuungmungniaqtunga.

5. Kuugauramungniaqtunga.

6. Narvamungniaqtunga.

Answers

4. I am going to the River

5. I am going to the Creek.

6. I am going to the lake.

152

Inuvialuktun words Aapaga – my father Aakaga – my mother Ulu – bone-carved knife to cut up meat Anguniaqti – hunter Niqi - food Atikłuk– cover Kammaks – shoes

Uunnaaqtuq - warm Qilaun – drum Panik – daughter Kavighaq – red Qayak – small boat Iri – eyes Qilalugat – beluga whales

Natchit – seals Aivit – walruses Arvit – bowhead whales Qalut – fish (more than one) Angatkuq – Shaman Mitqut – feathers Timiarraruq – small birds

SEDNA’S STORY How the goddess of the ocean came to be Words by Angela Voudrach Images by Ippiksaut Friesen

E

ver since I was born, my aapaga would provide me with niqi and my aakaga would provide me with an atikłuk and kammaks. I was their only child and they tried their hardest to give me what I needed, therefore I never wanted for anything. Our cabin was always uunnaaqtuq and my aapaga would make sure that it was filled with logs to burn. My aakaga had an ulu collection that I was not allowed to touch until I was old enough, but when I got to, she taught me what I needed to know about cutting meat. They would care for me and love me, but as I grew older, they wanted me to find a husband, to create a family of my own. They wanted me to search the camps for an anguniaqti, but I did not find one that caught my attention. None of them would be able to provide niqi and clothing for me like my aapaga and aakaga do. Then one day, a handsome but very odd anguniaqti came to the camp, asking for the beautiful woman who haunted the dreams of many men. My aapaga explained that he was talking about me.

154

“Sedna,” the anguniaqti spoke my name. “Come, be my wife and let me make you happy.” With his request I accepted his hand, and we were married as soon as possible. My husband then wanted to bring me to his special island, where he can show who he really is, where he can provide food for me every day and promised to give me shelter. We got into his qayak and began paddling through the ocean. It was a little ways to his island from my old home and when it finally came into view, the smile on my face grew into a grin and I could not help but stare at my handsome husband. When he returned the smile, I turned to study the island. It was the perfect size: small, but not too small. There was a brown log cabin, perfect for my husband and I. The colour of the blue ocean matched the colour of the sky but, unlike the sky, the ocean shone from the topaz sun. Fireweeds were spread along the green grass outside the cabin. His qayak brought us closer to our happy life and wonderful home.

“His qayak brought us

”

closer to our happy life and wonderful home.

156

Once we got inside the cabin, however, I began to understand what he meant by ‘showing me his true self.’

The anguniaqti, my husband, transformed himself into a birdman. My shriek rebounded off the cabin walls and came back to me. At first I felt terrified and then I felt fury from his betrayal. I knew that no matter how angry I was at this birdman, I could not go back, for I made a promise, meaning that I had to live here and stay with him. As weeks went by, I had to gut and scale fish to eat, since that was all the birdman could provide. I had no animal fur and skin to sew, no qilaun to make, because the birdman cannot play it. We stayed on this island for a while, alone, until my aapang came to visit.

“My panik, Sedna, you look so unhappy. Did your husband do this?” My aapang worried.

“Yes, aapaga. He is a birdman, you see, and he can only provide me with fish. Even as he lied, I made a vow to him, so I cannot leave, no matter how much I desire to escape from this lonely prison,” I explained.

“Even as he lied, I

made a vow to him, so I cannot leave, no matter how much I desire to escape from this lonely prison.

�

158

“The birdman’s friends knew what

my aapaga had done and with that knowledge they flew towards us and began to flap their wings, making a huge storm around us.

”

160

My aapaga was full of rage, a rage I have never seen him in unless I was insolent, which was very rarely. He went to look for the birdman and, once he spotted him, he killed the bird. Kavighaq blood was everywhere and mitqut floated in the center of the flowing blood. My aapaga rushed out something that sounded like “get into the qayak,” so I did and we started to leave the island.

The birdman’s friends knew what my aapaga had done and with that knowledge they flew towards us and began to flap their wings, making a huge storm around us. The waves crashed against our qayak and my aapaga, fearing what may happen to him with me in the qayak, threw me ^ into the ocean, hoping to get rid of the tingmiarraruq, but even as I was gasping for air and trying to stay above ^ did not stop. I was the salt water, the tingmiarraruq holding on to the boat as my aapaga paddled against the crashing waves. Water got into my iri making them burn and I was deaf from the howling of the waves.

My aapaga noticed my grasp on the boat and dreaded the fact that I may tip the qayak, so he cut off each of my fingers. One by one, as each finger came off, they became a creature of the sea. In front of my eyes they transformed into qilalugat, natchit, aivit, arvit and qalut.

I began to sink to the bottom of the ocean, and became a part of it. My torso and head remained the same, but my legs were turned into a qaluk tail.

I now rule the entire ocean and, because of that, humans call me the Goddess of the Sea and show me praise and kindness. In return, I give the anguniaqti my qalut, qilalugat, natchit and many more creatures, but only if I stay happy. I will not allow them to take my creatures if I am unhappy or angry. Sometimes, if an anguniaqti does not get any niqi, an Angatkuq will change its form to come down to the depths of the ocean to brush and braid my beautiful, long hair.

“One by one, as each

�

finger came off, they became a creature of the sea.

162

I will not change who I am, nor will I let others persuade me from the path that I choose, for it is my own. I do not allow myself to love or care for anything. One day you might see me, for I may keep my creatures away from every human, including you, because they are all liars and harmful. But if each human learns to be kind, I shall keep giving.

“I began to sink to �

the bottom of the ocean, and became a part of it.

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