End of Semester (2020)

Inuujaq School had to cancel its Christmas concert for 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.  The community hall was unavailable and the gym isn’t large enough to accommodate the stage, performers, and audience.  Social distancing would be impossible.  Of course, as I mentioned in previous posts, the community hall isn’t large enough to seat everyone either.  The hall was built in the late 2000s and the community has already outgrown it.  Arctic Bay needs a hall that’s 2 – 3 times larger.

My drummers & I were disappointed by the concert’s cancellation, but we knew it could happen.  I had thought about filming our music and then posting the videos to Facebook, but final exams & report cards got in the way.  There’s always next year.

The cancelled concert didn’t stop the school from being decorated with Christmas decorations.  The majority of decorations were on display at the Main Office & central hallway.  A Christmas tree with presents was placed in a corner at one end of the central hallway.  The large windows next to it were decorated with red & green stockings, and small green pine trees.  Each stocking had the name of a staff member.  The centre read, “Merry Christmas from the Staff of Inuujaq School”.  (These were all cardboard paper cut-outs).  There was a similar display near the Main Office.   

There was a lot of activity happening in the Home Ec room on the morning of December 17.  The school hired a local chef to prepare a Christmas lunch for the entire student body.  Several of his children assisted.  I walked into the Home Ec room to see the chef & one of his sons peeling potatoes.  I asked them if they needed help and they said they would be fine.  The chef started preparing in the early morning.  I could see he had already made significant progress.

One sink & three large pots were filled with potatoes.  And there were still two large bags that needed to be cut!  There were also many bags of carrots that needed to be cleaned & cut into thick slices.  A large metal bin & three large pots were already full of cut carrots.  Two aluminum bins were filled with stuffing and a large number of turkeys had been cooked.  The gravy still had to be prepared.  Everyone was going to be dining like royalty later in the day.

We did dine like royalty later in the day.  The food was loaded onto carts and distributed to the students & teachers in their classrooms.  The food tasted great!  Leftovers were returned to the Home Ec room and I think they were claimed by anyone who wanted them.

Not much happened on the last day of school.  Classrooms were cleaned and report cards were picked up.  We all wished each other a safe & healthy Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, travel restrictions, and isolation requirements have forced many southern teachers to cancel their trips down south for the Christmas holidays.  The Nunavut Government still requires people to isolate down south for 14 days before returning to the territory.  Since teachers only get 2 weeks off at Christmas, we would have to go directly to the designated hotels after stepping off the plane.  Not being able to travel this time is disappointing, but it’s also a blessing in disguise.  I’ll finally be able to experience dark season during the Christmas holidays.  I can already tell you it’s really dark & cold outside.  I have more than enough Vitamin D pills to cope.

The Hamlet Office has organized a series of Christmas themed activities for the next two weeks.  They’re outdoors or over the local radio because the community hall is still closed to large gatherings.  They begin on December 23 and will end on January 2.  I might participate or watch.  I just have to dress warmly. 

Speaking of the ongoing pandemic, I read a CBC news article at the beginning of the month that left me surprised, shocked, and disappointed.  Apparently, the Government of Canada has so far spent $240 billion dollars fighting COVID-19!  $240 billion dollars!  The article details how the money was spent.  Although it’s great that Canada is doing whatever it can to keep its population safe from the virus, what gets me is that the same government & provincial governments continue to underfund & support the country’s Aboriginal populations.  There was & is money to spare if $240 billion can be spent fighting a virus. 

Nunavut, for example, has been suffering a severe housing shortage for many years and needs about 3,000 units to meet demand for a cost of $1 billion.  (It’s probably a little more than that due to inflation).  Unfortunately, the territorial government is always told there isn’t enough money and/or they receive just a couple of millions of dollars spread out over a few years to address the crisis.  Well, the not-enough-money reason is a lie.  If Canada has that much money to spare in an emergency, then it has the money to address Nunavut’s housing crisis.  It also has the money to address all of Nunavut’s problems as well as all of the problems plaguing First Nations, Metis, and Aboriginal Peoples.  The status quo needs to change.  

That’s my rant and I’m not apologizing for it.  The inequality, apathy, and racism needs to be pointed out and eliminated. 

I’m going to be taking a short break from my blogging duties to rest & relax over the break.  I can’t believe the year 2020 is almost over.  I’m sure many of us can’t wait for the year to be over because of the ongoing pandemic.  COVID-19 defined this year.  Hopefully, it will be gone next year. 

See you all in 2021!             

Grads of 2020

The high school graduates of 2020 finally got their graduation ceremony before the end of the year.  No other delays and/or lockdowns were announced prior to December 11, so the ceremony was cleared to proceed.  The graduates and everyone involved were ecstatic.  We’ve been waiting since June.

The Hamlet Office gave permission to use the community hall for the ceremony.  We just had to follow COVID-19 restrictions.  The event had to be limited to 50 people, including the 11 graduates.  The Graduation Committee created a guest list and it was to be strictly followed.  Even though COVID-19 is not in the community, we couldn’t take any chances.  The disease is in the territory and continues to spread all over the world.  You never know when & where it will surface.

The graduates and a small army of volunteers decorated the community hall on December 10 & 11.  Frank lent one of his pickup trucks to the school so that we could transport the decorations and dinnerware.  It always amazes me just how heavy dinner plates, bowls, cups, and cutlery can be.  By midday December 11, the hall was ready for the celebration.

I arrived at 5:30pm wearing a suit.  There were people already inside.  The local caterers were in the kitchen getting the food ready.  I found a safe place to store my outer clothing and put on my dress shoes.  I took out my digital camera and began photographing the hall. 

The stage was decorated with stars, balloons, and gold drapes.  The names of the eleven graduates were pasted on the back wall and the year 2020, made with balloons, was proudly displayed above the stage.  Eleven chairs sat in the centre.  The speaker’s podium was draped in a silver white cloth.  In front of the stage to the left sat the Elder’s chair & table, also wrapped in silver white.  On the small table sat a large qulliq lamp.  A long red carpet, lined with small electric lights, stretched from the stage to the back of the hall.  Balloons hung everywhere.  A large balloon arch was erected over the red carpet at the back of the hall for the graduates to walk underneath.  In front of that was another arch but this one was made of metal and covered in stars.  One wall was turned into a backdrop for photographs.  A large star decorated table was placed here for the graduation cake.  Everyone did an excellent job.

More people on the guest list began showing up and I put my camera away to help the caterers bring out the food.  We placed everything on tables that sat against the right wall.  There was a lot of food and I assumed there would be leftovers.  The graduates and guests wore formal attire.  The dinner began at 6:00pm.

Grade 1 Teacher.

The Principal welcomed everyone and asked the Grade 1 teacher to bless the food.  (She was on the guest list because her daughter was a graduate).  The graduates lined up first, followed by their parents & guardians.  I got in line last.  There was still plenty of food for me to take.  The menu consisted of various meats, salads, rice, desserts, and beverages.  I’ll let my photographs provide the descriptions.  Soft music played over loudspeakers while everyone dined like royalty.  Quite a few people, including myself, went back for seconds.  We didn’t have to wear masks or social distance.  The dinner lasted an hour.

The leftover food was moved back to the kitchen.  In previous years, the table decorations & tables would be removed, and the chairs would be rearranged for a large audience.  We didn’t have to do that this year because of the limit of guests.  Instead, the tables & chairs near the red carpet were moved further apart.  Everything would be taken down at the end of the ceremony.

The graduates put on their graduation gowns.  The large graduation cake was brought out and placed on the star decorated table.  The cake maker did an excellent job.  I quickly, but carefully, took a picture of cake before the graduates lined up around it.  The hired photographer took several pictures of the graduates holding a large cutting knife.  I stood back & took my own photos.  The cake was cut into many equal pieces and eaten by the graduates and guests.  It was delicious.

The ceremony began at 8pm.  Everyone stood up and lit light sparklers as Fearless Soul’s “Believe” was played over loudspeakers.  The emcee welcomed everyone as the community’s two RCMP officers marched in, beginning the procession.  The officers stood at both ends of the stage.  Each graduate entered the hall individually, walking along the red lit carpet towards the stage.  Their names were called and applauded.  The graduates took their seats on stage and the music stopped.  Everyone remained standing for the opening prayer.  The prayer was followed by the Lighting of the Qulliq. 

Elder Qapik Attagutsiak lit the ceremonial qulliq.  As the flames slowly took shape, she gave a brief speech about the importance & significance of the qulliq in Inuit culture.

Everyone sat as the Principal continued the ceremony with the Student Address & Diploma Presentation.  In his speech, he praised the students for completing high school & encouraged them to continue on to post-secondary education.  He also encouraged them to consider becoming teachers because the territory needs more Inuit teachers.  He finished his speech by thanking the parents & guardians for supporting their children.  The Principal called each graduate to receive their diploma and pose for a photograph.  They were all smiling.

Jeremy Tunraluk.

The Graduation Committee had invited Nunavut MLA David Akeeagok to speak at the ceremony, but he was unable to attend due to other commitments.  Instead, he sent Jeremy Tunraluk to speak to the graduates & everyone on his behalf.  The speech touched on the same themes of pursuing post-secondary education and seeking employment in the territory. 

DEA Chair

The next speaker was the head of the local District Education Authority (DEA).  She continued the accolades to the graduates and thanked the parents & guardians for encouraging their children to finish high school.  She finished her speech by presenting specially made rings to the grads. 

Four awards were given out at the ceremony: Governor General, Hamlet of Arctic Bay, Volunteer Achievement, and Athletic Achievement.  I had the honour of presenting the Volunteer Achievement Award.  The winners received certificates.  The winner of the Governor General (GG) Award also received a GG’s coin.

The graduates were given a chance to speak, but only four did.  Some find the moment a little overwhelming and don’t know what to say.  Or, they want to say something, but their emotions get the best of them.  (When I graduated high school, I wasn’t allowed to address the audience.  My graduated class had to select a valedictorian).  The grads who did speak thanked family, friends, and teachers for never giving up on them.  They spoke in Inuktitut & English. 

Parents & guardians were also given the chance to speak.  Nine of them took up the offer.  They spoke in both languages, congratulating their children, and thanking the school for helping them complete the curriculum.

The ceremony concluded with the graduates throwing their caps into the air and then walking off the stage while festive music played over loud speakers.  The audience applauded one last time as the graduates exited the hall.

One of the grads convinced me to
take a selfie with him.

The grads actually came back for more photographs.  The teachers & Hamlet staff began putting away decorations, tables, and chairs.  The graduates changed out of their graduation gowns and helped with the cleaning after their photos were taken.  All school owned stuff was loaded onto Frank’s truck.  The leftover food was divided, wrapped, and taken home.  Several teachers & I drove to the school and carried all the stuff into the school.  Everything was placed in the kitchen and would be sorted & put away at a later date.  Frank told me to hold onto the truck for the night and return it the following day.

Congratulations to the 11 graduates of 2020!  You’re now free to do whatever you like.    

Laptops & Candy

The 2-week territory-wide lockdown came to an end on December 2.  Classes resumed on Thursday, December 3.  Was the lockdown necessary in Arctic Bay?  Well, at first the answer appears to be “no” because no cases were reported in the community.  The same could be said in other communities.  However, more cases were reported in Arviat, Rankin Inlet, Whale Cove, and Sanikiluaq.  Additionally, Rankin Inlet serves as a major transportation hub in the Keewatin Region, and offers a direct route to Iqaluit, the other major transportation hub in Nunavut.  So yes, I guess, overall, a territory lockdown was necessary.  Hopefully, Iqaluit will not see an outbreak because that will put all the communities in the Baffin Region at risk.

It was business as usual when classes resumed.  Unfortunately, the teachers wouldn’t be able to get through the rest of their curriculums because of the lockdown.  We just have to make due with the time we have left.  The possibility of a Christmas concert later in the month is looking unlikely.  No official decision has been made, so my drummers & I are practicing as if there is going to be a concert.  My Grade 10 English students will finish the semester with a feature film study.  The Grade 10 Social Studies students will complete the Residential Schools unit and the Grade 11 Social Studies students will complete the unit on Canada’s involvement in the First World War.  Then it’s review, review, review for final exams!

Eleven high school students will be graduating from Inuujaq School this year!  They were finished in June, but we couldn’t hold a graduation ceremony because of the pandemic.  The ceremony was rescheduled to late November, but then the territory-wide lockdown happened.  The ceremony has been moved to December 11 and it’s happening.  The graduates have been waiting too long.  Everyone is keeping their fingers crossed so that another postponement doesn’t happen.  (More on the ceremony in a future post).

A special afternoon presentation for the high school graduates was held on December 8.  The graduates received new laptops from Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation (BIMC).  BIMC has been doing this for quite some time now, at least as far back as 2013, when I first came to the community.  I think BIMC also does this in Pond Inlet and other communities directly affected by the Mary River Mine operation on Baffin Island.  The company has the money to spend.  The laptops reward the students for their hard work and will assist them in pursuing post-secondary education.

The graduates arrived & changed into their burgundy grad gowns.  The hoods are made of sealskin.  The grads looked excited.  I took several photographs of the happy group in the main office. 

The presentation began at 3pm.  All classes were instructed to assemble along the main hallway.  The Principal and a Student Support Assistant (SSA) spoke over the public address system in English & Inuktitut.  They announced the names of the graduates, handed them a box containing a laptop, and then instructed them to line up outside the main office.  When each graduate emerged from the main office, they received an applause from onlookers.  Parents & guardians of the graduates took many pictures with their cell phones.  I filmed the presentation while standing on a table at the end of hallway on the middle school side.

A Graduation Walk followed the presentation.  This is where graduates walk from one end of the main hallway to the other while onlookers clap, cheer, photograph, film, and shake the graduates’ hands.  It’s a good way to show appreciation and inspire the younger students to finish school.  It was really easy to see the graduates appreciating the adulations.  The grads returned to the main office and school was dismissed.  Two graduates, unfortunately, couldn’t make it.  They would receive their laptops at a later date.

December 9 was the last day of cadets for 2020.  I had wanted to hold a Parents Night Parade on December 2, but Nunavut was still in lockdown.  The cadets came to the gym in civilian clothes and played sports & games.  To finish the night, I held a candy toss. 

The cadets used blue fold-out mattresses to create a large square.  They each received an extra-large plastic bag and were instructed to stand around the square.  Shoes needed to be removed to avoid injuries.  I went upstairs to the mezzanine level where a bucket & cardboard box were waiting for me.  I asked the cadets if they were ready.  They shouted, “Yes!”  I picked up the bucket full of candy, and dumped all the contents onto the mattresses below.  The cadets charged into the centre.  I then picked up the boxed and dumped the small bags of chips down below.  It only took a few minutes for all the junk food to be claimed.  My leftover Halloween candy was gone.

The cadets helped me put away the mattresses.  I wished everyone a safe & healthy Christmas & a happy new year.  Cadets would start in early January.