Spring Camp, Cabin, & Upcoming FTX

Inuujaq School held its annual Spring Camp during the week of May 6 – 10.  The week-long event sees all staff & students head out to a designated camp site on scheduled days to participate in a range of on the land activities that reflect Inuit culture & heritage.  Planning began in March with the school’s Events Committee holding weekly meetings to iron out all the details.  If I had to summarize the main parts, they would be staffing, food, safety, transportation, scheduling, equipment, communication, and activities. 

The school hires drivers & Elders as additional staff.  Drivers ferry participants & equipment to & from the camp site and the Elders instruct students.  The main mode(s) of transportation are snowmobiles & qamutiks (sleds).  Teachers mostly provide added supervision but are permitted to prepare backup activities.  School Administration orders a week’s worth of food from the local Co-op.  The quantity is a lot because we must feed around 300 people over 5 days.  Safety is very important because risks & dangers are present out on the land.  The two at the top of the list are polar bears & snowmobile accidents.  Only drivers & Elders are permitted to carry firearms.  The Events Committee takes great care in crafting a well detailed safety plan.  Classes visit the camp site on different days, making management, supervision, and food distribution easier.  Visits start with high school classes and then descend in order.  Various communication methods are employed to keep the school & camp site in constant contact.  We use VHF radios, instant messaging, satellite phones, and the snowmobile drivers as a last resort.

The Events Committee held a meeting before the start of Spring Camp with the hired drivers & Elders to go over everything.  I led the meeting, and it was informative & productive.  Some of the activities taking place would be: seal hunting & harvesting, fishing, sewing, cooking, Bannock making, dog sledding, qamutik maintenance, and Inuit games.  The drivers & Elders agreed to head out to the campsite over the weekend to set up the tents. 

Classes headed down to the ice in front of the school at 9am, carrying their belongings, and food from the school kitchen.  The convoy of skidoos & qamutiks would be waiting for them.  The drivers & students packed the qamutiks evenly.  Students & staff then got onto the qamutiks after attendance was taken.  The convoy then proceeded south towards the campsite, located about 12km out of town.  It’s far enough to give the feeling of being out on the land, but close enough to town in case of emergencies.  Students & staff were brought back to Arctic Bay by 4:30pm.  This process repeated every day during the week.  I would have attended the first day with high school students, but I had to stay behind and assist running the school as acting vice-principal.  However, Friday, May 10, the last day of Spring Camp, was reserved for Inuujaq School staff.  Students got the day off from school and a 3-day weekend.

Staff assembled out on the ice at 9:30am.  I brought my own skidoo & an extra filled gas can for the day trip.  My backpack was filled with day supplies.  Once attendance was taken, staff found empty spots on qamutiks.  The drivers brought their skidoos to life and the drive to the campsite began.  The drive took about 20 minutes.  I mostly followed the convoy but raced ahead at one point and stopped to take pictures of the passing convoy.  I let the convoy pass and then drove to catch up.  I stopped in front of the camp site, snapped landscape photos and then drove off the ice.

The campsite consisted of 5 tents of various sizes.  The head of the local District Education Authority (DEA) called for everyone to assemble in a circle.  She officially welcomed everyone to Spring Camp and thanked them for their hard work throughout the year.  An Elder said a prayer for the day to go well and then the circle was allowed to disperse.

Staff were given time to hang out with the Elders outside and/or visit them in tents.  I watched one carving a doll out of wood using her ulu knife.  Several staff members played a boardgame made by the woodshop teacher.  A Canadian North plane flew above us after 11am, heading towards the airport to land.  It was around this time I started to feel unwell.  I’m not sure what brought it on, but I retreated into one of the tents and laid down to rest.  I managed to get some sleep, but it didn’t stop the migraine from forming.  In the end, I decided to head home.  I apologized to staff, hopped on my skidoo and carefully drove home.  I safely made it and headed inside to sleep.  The migraine subsided the following day.  Unfortunately, I missed out on seal hunting & fishing.  There’s always next year.

Overall, Spring Camp was a success.  Students & staff had fun out on the land and learned new things. 

The annual Fishing Derby happened over the Victoria Day Weekend.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to participate or head outside to document it.  I really need to set time aside for this event, even if I’m not a fisherman.  It’s great to watch.  The challenge is driving out to the fishing lakes.  The closest one is at least a 2-hour drive by skidoo.

Sorry about the blurriness.

I saw a cabin on the move on May 22.  Well, it was being moved by a CAT loader.  The driver carefully lowered the completed cabin onto a qamutik near the shoreline in front of the Northern Store.  The driver had a spotter helping him.  Three large wooden logs lay on the qamutik to support & distribute the weight of the cabin.  My guess is the cabin will be moved to a camp site or fishing lake.

Looking ahead, this coming weekend is going to be exciting, because I’ll be heading out on the land with the army cadets for a field training exercise (FTX).  The spring FTX has finally returned!  More on this trip when I come back.

Long Service Awards & ACR Parade

Government of Nunavut (GN) representatives came to Arctic Bay to award GN Long-Term Service Certificates to local GN employees in a public ceremony at the local community hall on May 6.  GN employees receive public recognition for their dedicated years of service in 5-year increments.  Additional gifts & honours are included at times.  Many local GN employees were invited to attend the ceremony, including me & several teachers.

The GN Long-Term Service Awards began at 7pm.  The emcee opened with a speech welcoming everyone, thanking the local GN workers for their hard work & dedication, and congratulating them for the certificates they were about to receive.  The mayor of Arctic Bay spoke next, mentioning similar points, and adding he was proud of the GN workers’ accomplishments.  The Minister of Human Resources, David Akeeagok, and the Deputy Minister of Human Resources, Kristie Cronin, were present and offered their personal congratulations.

The ceremony continued with the Awards Presentation.  The first batch of recipients were the GN workers who completed 5 years of service.  The next batch were the workers who completed 10 years of service.  I was one of them.  To be honest, I didn’t have a 10-year plan before moving to Nunavut.  I originally thought I would stay, maybe, 5 years and then go somewhere else, but that didn’t happen.  I have no regrets staying longer.  I’m now thinking I’ll reach 20 years of GN service in Arctic Bay.  Only time will tell. 

There were a few people who received certificates for 15 years of service.  One recipient, a high school teacher, received a certificate for 30 years of GN service.  She received an extended applause from the audience.  The last certificate went to the Grade 1 teacher who has worked for the GN for 45 years as an educator!  She too received an extended applause and many personal congratulations from the GN hosts.

The last parts of the ceremony were the door prizes draw and closing statements from the presenters.  Everyone went to the refreshments table after that.  A few people congratulated me for my decade of service.  I stayed a little bit and ate a few snacks before making my exit.

3045 Army Cadet Corps held its Annual Ceremonial Review (ACR) Parade on May 8.  It’s similar to a Parents Night Parade but with more awards, badges, promotions, and announcements.  It’s the year-end parade before summer.  Most corps hold their ACRs in June, near the end of the school year, but we hold ours a month or two early because most people are out camping in late spring.  That and our school year finishes in early June.

The cadets & I arrived an hour before the parade to set everything up in the gym.  The cadets changed into their uniforms when everything was ready.  The cadet parade commander took attendance and sized the cadets before the start of the parade.  Once the audience & guest reviewing officer (GRO) arrived, I signaled for the ACR to begin.

The GRO was the mayor of Arctic Bay: Olayuk Naqitarvik.  I escorted him into the gym while the cadets stood at attention.  He received the General Salute and was escorted through the ranks by the cadet parade commander.  I did a short welcome speech while the mayor inspected the cadets on parade.  The cadets did a March Past after the inspection.  The mayor did a short speech, thanking the corps for inviting him, and congratulating the cadets for another successful year.

The mayor assisted me in awarding badges.  There were many to give out.  I first called up the marksmanship team to receive their Stage 3 competition pins.  The cadet coach received a t-shirt.  I then called out the cadets from each training level to receive star training badge.  The Canadian cadet program uses coloured stars for training years.  They’re organized into Green, Red, Silver, Gold, and Master. 

Next came the year end awards.  The first was the Most Improved Cadet.  The lucky recipient gets their name placed on a large plaque.  The next award was Best Boots & Deportment.  This went to the cadet who wore their uniforms to the highest degree.  Next were the top female & male athletes.  They were selected based on the high scores they achieved from physical training tests.  The top three cadets with the highest attendance for the year received t-shirts.  The final award is the Top Cadet Award.  This went to the cadet with the highest training results, best uniform & deportment, taking initiative, assisting other cadets, and displaying leadership qualities. 

Promotions were the last part of the Awards Section.  Six junior & senior cadets received promotions.  They were very glad to be advancing in the ranks. 

The parade concluded with an Advance in Review Order & General Salute.  I escorted the mayor out of the gym and the parade came to an end.  I thanked the mayor again for his participation and joined the cadets for a group photo.  The after-parade reception lasted about 20 minutes.  The cadets then helped me clean up the gym.  I congratulated the cadets for a job well done and then dismissed them for the night.

Nunavut’s 25th Birthday & Games Outside

On April 1, 2024, Nunavut turned 25 years old.  (No joke).  Canada’s third territory officially came into being on April 1, 1999, after decades of negotiations between the Federal Government and Inuit activists.  Nunavut means “our land” in Inuktitut.  The Nunavut Land Claims Agreement was signed in 1993, and a major component of the agreement was the creation of a new territory.  Everyone had six years to get ready for the big day.  I still have some memory of that day in 1999 when Canada’s interior borders changed. 

A lot has happened in the last 25 years.  I’ll give you the very condensed version.  For starters, territorial decision making was transferred to the town of Iqaluit on Baffin Island.  When the eastern Arctic was part of the Northwest Territories, decisions were made in Yellowknife.  Towns and communities have continued to grow in population, resulting in the highest birthrate in Canada.  The high school graduation rate is steadily increasing & a Nunavut-centric education curriculum is expanding & more robust.  (Nunavut borrowed heavily from the Alberta curriculum).  The territory is still finding its place in the world and is more noticeable than before. 

Unfortunately, there are still challenges.  The cost of living remains very high, there’s a severe lack of social & affordable housing, there’s no central road network connecting the communities, unemployment is high in some places, and there are many social issues plaguing the territory.  Despite these challenges, many have high hopes for the future.

Another reason to celebrate was the recent signing of the Nunavut Devolution Agreement on January 18, 2024.  (Sorry for not writing about it in earlier posts).  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was present in Iqaluit to sign the agreement with Nunavut Premier PJ Akeeagok and other Inuit leaders.  Devolution means “the transfer or delegation of authorities […] from the federal government to a local or regional government.”  Nunavut leaders now have more say & control over the territory.  I watched the live signing event on YouTube with my social studies students.  The historic moment is just as important as the signing of land claims agreement in 1993.  The agreement has 13 chapters so if you want to read about them in detail, click here.  The agreement took effect on April 1, 2024.    

Inuujaq School organized a celebratory assembly on April 26 to observe Nunavut’s 25^th birthday.  Decorations were made, food was prepared, and a program was put together by the school’s Events Committee.  Students and staff were encouraged to wear traditional Inuit clothing.

Everyone assembled in the gym.  Prepared posters were taped to the main wall and chairs lined sides.  Several high school students set up the food station at the back of the gym.  The food was prepared by the high school Inuit studies class.  I began the assembly with a short welcome speech.  I kept it short & to the point.  A staff member translated my words into Inuktitut.  Two local throat singers performed several traditional songs to the delight of the audience.  This was followed by a song & drum dance by several high school students and a teacher.

Country food consisting of Bannock, and caribou stew were distributed to everyone in attendance.  The prepared food was delicious.

The assembly concluded with everyone dressed in traditional Inuit clothing to come up to the front for a group photo.  I gave my camera to someone in the audience to take several photos.

The celebrations continued on April 30.  Teachers & students played a round robin of various games out on the playground.  Students played tug of war, dodgeball, jump ropes, bean bag throwing, and the Inuit game Naangijaqataglutik.  Judging from my observations, everyone had fun.

Happy Birthday Nunavut!  Here’s to another 25 years!

Nunavut Quest 2024

The annual Nunavut Quest (NQ) dog sledding race came to Arctic Bay again to serve as the Start Line.  The Finish Line was Pond Inlet.  NQ rotates its Start & Finish Lines every year between Arctic Bay, Igloolik, and Pond Inlet.  Eleven mushers competed in this year’s race.  You can read about them here.  They & their support teams are also from Arctic Bay, Igloolik, and Pond Inlet.  Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) was the race’s main sponsor.

NQ is a timed rally race.  You don’t have to be the first musher across the finish line.  You just have to complete all sections of the race in the shortest time possible.  Mushers don’t compete alone.  They have their trusty sled dogs, and a support team that travels ahead to set up camp at designated stops. 

The mushers, support teams, organizers, QIA representatives, fans, a CBC News North crew, and 6 chosen Igloolik youth arrived several days before the start of the race.  The Igloolik youth would be writing stories & providing photos of the race to Nunatsiaq News.  They were sponsored by QIA.  The population of Arctic Bay increased, and it felt like all of Nunavut was present.  Several pre-race events & activities were held out on the ice and at the community hall. 

The race was originally scheduled to begin on Monday, April 15, but was delayed by a day due to weather.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to attend the opening ceremony at the community hall.  The mushers & their support teams were introduced, competitor bibs were handed out, and I’m certain there were several speeches and music performances.

The weather on Tuesday, April 16, was a little better, but with overcast.  The town assembled out on the ice at 1:30pm.  Students & staff of Inuujaq School went down as well to see the departure of the support teams & mushers.  I drove out on my skidoo.  Many did the same, but there were also many ATVs & 4-wheeled vehicles.  A lot of dogs were barking, excited by the large presence of human activity.  I hopped off my skidoo, walked around, and took pictures.  There were many fully packed qamutiks (sleds), filled with gas cans & supplies. 

The supply teams began to leave at 2pm.  The crowd waved and yelled goodbye as the convoy of skidoos & qamutiks drove south towards Uluksan Point.  I originally thought the convoy would circle around Uluksan Peninsula to the west and then turn north, but instead they would continue south towards Moffet Inlet.  The first rally stop would be set up along the way.  

The racecourse this year headed south, turned east, and then proceed northeast across land towards Pond Inlet.  In 2019, when NQ was from Pond Inlet to Arctic Bay, the support teams and mushers travelled northwest, past Bylot Island, around the top of the Borden Peninsula, and then south towards Arctic Bay.  I thought it would be the reverse this year, but I was wrong.

The mushers left an hour later at 3pm.  Starting the race an hour later gave the supply teams & timekeepers a head start in reaching the first stop and setting up camp.  During that hour, people walked around, mingled, and took more photos of the mushers & their sled dogs.  Large QIA flag banners, planted into the ice, flapped vibrantly in the wind. 

An NQ timekeeper loudly counted down from 15 and then yelled “Go!” to Musher #1 to begin their relay.  People clapped and cheered as the sled dogs ran, pulling the qamutik & the musher.  This process was repeated 30 seconds later for Musher #2.  And again, for Musher #3.  This continued until all 11 mushers were on their way towards the first rest stop.  People started heading back into town when the mushers reached Uluksan Point.  Students and teachers returned to Inuujaq School and were dismissed 10 minutes later. 

The support teams & mushers will arrive in Pond Inlet in 7 days if all goes well.  The weather out on the land can change very quickly and that can cause delays.  Once again, I wish I could follow & document the race like the 6 Igloolik youth.  Maybe there is a way?  I’ll have to find out.

Update: Here’s a link to Nunatsiaq News article about the 6 Igloolik youth.