Melting, Running, Celebrating

I guess "Old Man Winter" was playing a joke on everyone in Arctic Bay.  Just when it was starting to look like all the snow was here to stay, the weather suddenly turned warm.  The snow began to melt, revealing all the hidden rocks and erasing the newly created skidoo trails.  The roads once again turned to mud and all the local skidoo enthusiasts, me included, were forced to leave their machines at home.  Even though the forecast called for more snow to fall, the sun was out and shining brightly.  I reluctantly accepted this change in weather and reverted back to walking to work and around town.

            

New Health Centre: almost done.

The morning of Saturday, September 24, was very bright and picturesque.  I was walking to school, wanting to catch up on marking & prepare lessons, when I decided to stop and take photos of the town.  I know I've already taken hundreds of photos of Arctic Bay for the last three years, but I believe I am capturing history on camera with every photo I take.  The sun was in the right spot and the rays of sunlight were reflecting off the ground, water, and buildings.  I took pictures of the boats behind the breakwater pier, the new health centre, and the three new flags flapping in the wind above the Hamlet Office.  The flags were of Canada, Nunavut, and the Hamlet of Arctic Bay. 

            

The CCGS Terry Fox sailed into Arctic Bay on Sunday, September 25.  The Terry Fox is a heavy icebreaker built in 1983 and operates in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and in the Canadian Eastern Arctic.  The Terry Fox escorts various large vessels through thick ice and can act as a tugboat.

           

The CCGS Terry Fox remained anchored in the bay until Friday, September 30th.  Inuujaq School's Events Committee felt very lucky by this news because they had organized a Terry Fox Run on Thursday, September 29th.  The Captain of the Terry Fox was contacted and he agreed to attend the afternoon school event.      

            

Terry Fox cupcakes.

Terry Fox was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist.  He is remembered for the Marathon of Hope of 1980, when he ran from St. John's, Newfoundland, to Thunder Bay, Ontario, a distance of 5,373 kilometres, in 143 days.  His original plan was to run across Canada, but he was forced to stop when cancer spread to his lungs.  The cancer claimed his life on June 28, 1981.  He was 20 years old when he began his trek across the country and only had one good leg.  His right leg had to be amputated in 1977 because of cancer.  He ran up to 42km a day, made many public appearances, and inspired a generation.  His original goal of raising a million dollars was surpassed and just before his death, Canadians raised $23 million for cancer research, almost one dollar for every Canadian.

            

JF & Sarah set up the sound equipment.

The School Events Committee prepared a binder full of Terry Fox related activities for teachers to use in the run up to the assembly on the 29th.  We also watched the tv movie Terry. 

            

Crew of the CCGS Terry Fox.

The assembly began at 2:30pm.  A large table sat at the front of the gym, filled with red, white, and purple cupcakes.  The cupcakes, prepared by JF, were arranged in the shape of the Canadian flag, except the maple leaf was replaced with the face of Terry Fox.  The captain of the CCGS Terry Fox and most of his crew stood alongside a wall and watched as all the teachers & students filed into the gym.  Piuyuq & Sarah gave a short presentation about the life of Terry Fox and showed pictures of him running across Canada.  Piuyuq teaches Grade 1 & Sarah teaches Grade 9.  The captain of the Terry Fox was then invited to say a few words.  After his short speech, pictures were taken of the crew & students. 

            

Everyone proceeded outside to take part in the Terry Fox Run.  The K-5 students ran / walked around the eastside of town while 6 - 12 students ran / walked through the uptown neighbourhood and back to school.  The coast guard members followed the K-5 group.  I took photographs of the students & teachers walking and of the Terry Fox in the bay.  When we returned to school, we were allowed to take a cupcake.

            

Inuujaq School's Terry Fox Run raised $367 for cancer research!

A community feast was held at the community centre on the evening of September 29.  The people of Arctic Bay were celebrating the 40^th anniversary of becoming a hamlet.  Naturally, country food, tea, and coffee was served.  I was running a little late that night, so I hastily packed an ulu, a bottle of soy sauce, a paper towel roll, and several plastic bags into my backpack.  I assumed the country food would be spread out on tarps in the middle of the hall, but the Hamlet Office had decided to hand out the food from rubber boxes on stage.  JF provided cupcakes for the event.

Everyone lined up in front of the stage after the country food was blessed.  Our choices were arctic char, caribou meat, and narwhal.  I wanted to wait until the lines got shorter but I abandoned that plan when I saw that the lines were not getting shorter.  I got into a line for caribou meat with Lindsey, Katilynd’s sister.

“How do you prepare the caribou meat?” she asked.

“You just cut off a piece and eat it,” I replied.

“No, how do you cook it?”

“Why bother?  Just eat it raw!” I exclaimed.  “That’s the best way!”

“It sure is!” added an Inuk man standing in front of us.

“Of course,” I added, “you can boil it or put it in the oven as a roast.  There are probably other ways but that’s all I know.”

“Okay, I’ll give it a try.”

When all the seats are taken, you cut
country food the good old traditional
way: on the floor.

I picked two pieces of caribou meat and the tail end of an arctic char.  I went back to my seat at the back of the hall and took out my ulu.  I began cutting pieces of caribou and ate them.  I decided to be rebellious after several minutes.  I picked up the large piece of caribou meat and ate it with my hands.  I got the feeling that the Inuit were looking at me with curiosity.  They already know I eat raw meat but I guess the site of me actually consuming it is quite the spectacle.  In the past, my stomach could only tolerate a small amount of raw meat, but this time, I was able to eat the whole piece without my stomach getting sick.  I felt proud of myself.  Just a few more tries and I’ll be able to eat a whole caribou raw!