Christmas 2025

Dark season is in full swing in December.  Night rules the skies, but there is a short period of sunlight in the middle of the day.  However, it’s more like dusk or sunset, with the physical sun nowhere to be seen.  I take vitamin D pills and eat foods containing vitamin D to make up for the lack of sunlight.  Arctic marine animals and fish are good choices too.  The Inuit have relied on these food sources for vitamin d for millennia.

Another way for the people of Arctic Bay to take their minds off dark season is getting ready for the Christmas holidays and New Years.  Inuujaq School’s hallways were decorated by staff & students.  They also made decorations for the Christmas concert.

Planning the school’s annual Christmas concert began in late November.  The committee booked the local community hall, invited classes to make decorations, and placed a sign-up list in the main office.  The list would be turned into a program.  Classes practiced their planned performances in the lead up to the dress rehearsal.  My drummers & I worked hard preparing our set.

The dress rehearsal was held at the community hall the day before the concert.  Students & teachers headed over after lunch with their props.  I borrowed a pickup truck and transported the drums & equipment.  My students helped me.  Every class went on stage and practiced their prepared acts to the delight of the student body.  Students were dismissed from the hall.  I left the drums & hardware at the hall but brought back the sticks & music. Classes reviewed & practiced their performances again the next day at school.  Everyone was excited for the concert later that evening.

Doors opened at the community hall 30 minutes before the start of the concert.  People arrived wearing formal clothes.  The hall was decorated and filled with chairs.  The seats quickly filled and anticipation was in the air. 

The concert began at 7pm with the principal & I welcoming everyone.  We then invited the Kindergarteners to begin the festivities with their performance of Jingle Bells.  Grade 1 sang The Little Drummer Boy.  Grade 2 did a song and dance routine.  Grades 3, 4, & 5 also did Christmas themed dance numbers.  Grade 6 took it a step further with their dance performance by having one of the students dress up as Santa Claus.  Grade 7 students dance to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You”. 

My drummers & I set up our drums in the main foyer during the Grade 7 set so that everything would be ready when it was our turn.  You don’t want to keep the audience waiting. 

Grade 8 did a short Nativity Scene play and Grade 9 danced to the song “You Raise Me Up”.  The moment had finally come.  The high school drumline was next.  The drummers & I carried our drums on stage and set up behind the closed curtains.  I gave a quick pep talk once everything was ready.  I stood behind my drum and gave the signal to draw the curtains.  We were greeted by a packed hall.  I raised my sticks, clicked 4 times, and the first drum piece began. 

My drummers & I played 3 pieces as a group.  Each piece was a minute or less long.  The snare drummers played with snares off to keep the volume down.  A few drummers & I then entertained the audience with short solos.  Each performance was applauded.  And just like that, our set was over.  Five minutes had come & gone.  We bowed and the curtains closed.  We quickly got everything off stage so that the final act could proceed.

The last group to perform was the staff of Inuujaq School.  They sang a Christmas song in Inuktitut.  They wished everyone a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year at the end of their performance.

Overall, the school’s Christmas concert was a success.  The audience enjoyed the performances and the students & teachers had fun. 

December 18 was the last day of school before the Christmas break.  It was an easy day for everyone.  Santa came to visit with his elves in the afternoon to give out presents to all the students.  A corner of the gym was turned into a photo area for Santa.  Classes were called down, starting from kindergarten.  Parents & guardians were invited to attend & take photos of their children with Santa.  Students were dismissed after receiving their gifts.  School Administration thanked Santa for taking the time out of his busy schedule to bring joy to the students in Inuujaq School.  We also thanked his elves for assisting him.  (Don’t tell the students, but Santa was a local resident, and the elves were staff members).

I’ll be taking a short break from my blogging duties for the remainder of 2025.  Happy Holidays, New Year, and see you all in 2026!

Parents Night Parade – December 2025

3045 Army Cadet Corps held its second Parents Night Parade of the 2025-2026 training year on December 10.  I began preparations the week before, purchasing snacks for reception, assembling badges & awards, and printing programs.

The cadets & I arrived an hour early to set up the school gym.  We brought out tables, chairs, flags, snacks, beverages, and awards.  Community members began arriving about 15 minutes before the start of the parade and found seats.  The cadet platoon commander formed up the cadets, took roll call, and sized them.  The cadets remembered their places and were dismissed for a few minutes.  When the audience was seated, I gave the signal for the parade to begin.

The parade began with the cadet flag party marching out with the Canadian & cadet flags and placing them in front of the awards table.  They marched out of the gym and joined the cadet platoon.  The cadet parade commander marched the platoon to the centre of the gym.  I escorted the reviewing officer (RO) into the gym.  The parade commander did the General Salute, followed by the playing of O Canada.  The RO was escorted through the ranks to inspect the cadets on parade.  The cadets then did a march past for the reviewing officer & audience, showcasing their ability to march in unison. 

The RO addressed the cadets, thanking them for putting on a good show, and encouraged them to stay in the program until the very end.  He addressed audience, thanking them for supporting the local cadet corps and encouraging the cadets to become leaders.

The RO assisted me in handing out awards & badges.  I started with the physical training (PT) badges, awarding bronze level to one cadet and gold level to two cadets.  Next came marksmanship, with one cadet earning Level 1, one cadet achieving Level 2, and one cadet being awarded Level 4, the highest level.  The cadet marksmanship program focuses on accuracy, focus, and self-discipline.  Staying on the topic of marksmanship, I called out the cadets who got the highest scores at the Stage 1 Marksmanship competition and announced they would form the corps marksmanship team.

I then announced the winners of the Fall Biathlon competition in October.  The three winners received t-shirts.  The last award given was a promotion to the rank of Sergeant.  The cadet additionally received a red sash to wear with their dress uniform. 

The parade concluded with an Advance in Review Order and a General Salute.  I escorted the RO out of the gym and the cadets were dismissed.  The cadets & I posed for group photos before heading to the reception table.  The audience & cadets enjoyed snacks for a while.  I thanked the RO for volunteering their time & they thanked me for the opportunity.  Cadets began cleaning the gym and putting everything away after parents, guardians, and community members left.  This lasted around 20 minutes.

I formed up the cadets for a quick debriefing.  I congratulated them for a successful parade and informed them what would be happening on the weekend.  The cadets were then dismissed for the remainder of the evening.

 

S1M & Staff Xmas Dinner 2025

I held a Stage 1 Marksmanship competition for the army cadets of 3045 Corps on November 29.  Stage 1 is a formal way of saying team tryouts.  Marksmanship is one of many activities offered by the Canadian Cadet program.  The corps’ total enrollment dictates how many teams it can put forward.  For 3045, it’s one team of five cadets.  Participation in Stage 1 is voluntary.

We used the school’s gym for the competition.  We arrived early Saturday morning to set up.  Turning the gym into an air rifle range requires backboards, tables, chairs, spotting scopes, shooting mats, air rifles, competition targets, and lead pellets.

I held a briefing with the participating cadets.  They would be given a few practice relays to “zero-in” their rifles and then shoot the competition targets I set aside “for real”.  They need to shoot three targets; two prone & one standing.  They were allowed to shoot them in any order.  The cadets with the highest scores would make the team.

The practice relays lasted the entire morning.  I thought a few cadets would do their real shoots before noon.  The cadets went home for lunch and came back after an hour.  The real competition began in the afternoon.

The cadets were really focused, taking their time hitting their targets.  It’s all about accuracy, not speed.  Shooting while standing is more challenging because you can’t rest your arms & elbows on a table or stand.  You must rely on your posture & muscles.  Cadets were instructed at the end of each relay to carefully collect their competition targets and hand them to me.  They were allowed to look first.  I placed the targets in a large envelope and would score them later.

We spent 20 minutes putting everything away and cleaning the gym.  I debriefed the participating cadets, thanking them for their time & effort, and said they would find out the results at the next training night.  The cadets were dismissed for the remainder of the day.

The staff of Inuujaq School & District Education Authority members enjoyed an evening Christmas dinner on December 5.  The event was planned by the school’s Events Committee and catered by the local hotel.  The event was a fun way to forget about dark season, enjoy good food, take a break from teaching, and celebrate the upcoming end of 2025.

Staff set up the gym with tables, chairs, white tablecloths, flower centre pieces, Christmas tree, and speaker system after school.  We returned later that evening in casual attire.  People were allowed to bring a guest.  The hotel caterers set out the trays of food they prepared on a line of tables against a wall.  The drinks and desserts were placed on a separate table.

The dinner began with a welcome address by the principal.  A high school teacher assisted with Inuktitut translation.  Her granddaughter then said a prayer to bless the food.  People stood up and lined up to be served food by the caterers.  The menu consisted of turkey, roast, macaroni, vegetables, stuffing, gravy, salad with a variety of toppings, cookies, and desserts.  Beverages consisted of tea, coffee, water, juice, and soft drinks.  There were plenty of choices.  The food was delicious.  I enjoyed two plates.  I was glad I only had a snack for lunch.

The event transitioned to exchange of gifts and games.  Staff members who signed up for Secret Santa exchanged their final gifts with the people they selected.  They had been exchanging small gifts in secret a week before the Christmas dinner.  Staff members & invited guests played a few Inuit games for prizes.

Leftovers were offered to everyone.  Takeout containers & disposable utensils were provided.

Several staff members assisted with cleaning the gym and putting away the tables, chairs, cloths, and decorations. 

 

Remembrance Day 2025

Every year, on November 11, “former countries of the British Empire, and current Commonwealth member states” observe Remembrance Day, “also known as Poppy Day, […] to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.”  November 11 is in reference to the end of the First World War (1914 – 1918), when hostilities stopped “at the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month.”  There are similar commemoration days all over the world, like Veterans Day in the USA, and ANZAC Day in Australia & New Zealand.

There is no school on Remembrance Day because it’s a statutory holiday in Nunavut.  However, Inuujaq School held a Remembrance Day assembly on November 10, a Monday this year.  The planning of the event was handled by the Events Committee.  The committee followed the 2023 program but made a few changes. 

The assembly began with Opening Remarks from the school principal & chair of the District Education Authority (DEA), welcoming everyone, and explaining the purpose of Remembrance Day.  The Grade 1 teacher lit a ceremonial qulliq lamp.  Everyone stood for the playing of O Canada.  I played a trilingual recording made by the Inuksuk Drum Dancers from Iqaluit.  A student read the famous poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae.  I projected the poem on the gym wall for the audience to follow.

Everyone stood for the playing of “Last Post”, and One Minute of Silence.  The moment of silence is to reflect on those who served in times of conflict and the ones who did not return home.  Everyone sat down and I played a video from the YouTube channel Simple History on the poppy and why we wear it.

The ceremony acknowledged Indigenous veterans and their important contributions & sacrifices in war.  Continuing this theme, a teacher and DEA chair, recited the poem “Bones for the Brave” referencing the Inuit who collected animal bones & carcasses during the Second World War.  The bones and carcasses were shipped to ammunition factories in southern Canada.  I played an APTN news story about Parks Canada & the Canadian Armed Forces honouring the late Qapik Attagutsiak in early 2020 for her participation in this effort.

The local RCMP escorted students carrying wreaths to the front of the gym and helped them tape the wreaths to the wall.  The wreaths were prepared by students.

The principal & DEA Chair did the Closing Remarks, thanking everyone for attending & participating.  The ceremony came to an end and students & teachers returned to class.  Several high school classes stayed behind to help with cleanup.

The army cadets of 3045 & I arrived at the local community hall on the morning of November 11 to get ready for the community Remembrance Day ceremony.  We spent several weeks reviewing drill, working on our uniforms & parade boots, and held a dress rehearsal at the community hall.  We were more than ready.  I borrowed a truck from the former commanding officer and transported equipment to the hall a few days in advance.

The recreation staff at the community hall set up chairs & tables in advance.  Thank you!  The cadets & I decorated the hall.  I set up my tablet computer & the school’s keyboard in front of the stage and plugged them into the sound system.  Community members began arriving and finding seats at 10:30am.  The cadet platoon commander formed up the cadets in the main foyer and took roll call.  I gave a final quick good luck speech to the assembled cadets.  Two cadets then stepped out, retrieved flags, and took position inside the hall at the back.  Once everyone was seated and the time on my watch read 10:45am, I signaled the Flag Party to begin.

The Flag Party marched to the left of the main stage and planted the Canadian & cadet flags in round brass stands.  Then they took positions as Left Markers.  The platoon commander marched in the remaining cadets and halted them next to the Left Markers.  The platoon was given a Left Dress followed by an Eyes Front.  The platoon commander then faced the front.

A local minister did an opening prayer.  I welcomed everyone to the ceremony and briefly explained why we take time out of our busy lives to remember the people who served in conflicts so that we may live in peace.  I also hoped current conflicts will be justly resolved, and humanity continues moving forward together.  Everyone then stood for the playing of O Canada.

The audience took their seats as volunteers came to the podium to do the first Bible reading.  I then sat at the keyboard and provided the instrumental accompaniment to the hymn Abide With Me.  I was glad there were a few strong & confident singers in the audience because I don’t sing.  Everyone remained standing for the playing of Last Post, Minute of Silence, Piper’s Lament, and Reveille.  This section of the parade is the most challenging for cadets because they must stand at attention for six minutes. 

The audience took their seats as several cadets walked up to the podium to deliver the Act of Remembrance and Commitment to Remember in Inuktitut & English.  These were followed by a second Bible reading.  An Elder continued the ceremony by talking about their thoughts on Remembrance Day and what it means to them. 

A cadet spoke about the poppy and the reason why we wear them.  Another cadet talked about the life of Lt. Col. John McCrae and what inspired him to write the poem In Flanders Fields.  Three cadets then recited the famous poem. 

I sat at the keyboard again and provided instrumental accompaniment to the hymn O God Our Help In Ages Past.  A cadet, Ranger, RCMP constable, and mayor placed wreaths at the front.  Everyone then stood for the playing of God Save The King and then remained standing for the closing prayer. 

I did the Closing Remarks once everyone was seated.  I thanked everyone for attending, the people who volunteered to be part of the program, and the cadets for being uniform.  The cadets then marched out of the hall.  The ceremony had come to an end. 

The cadets & I posed for a group photo.  We rested for some time and then helped the recreation staff clean up the hall.  The cadets then helped me pack up all the stuff that belonged to the corps and place it in a truck I borrowed for the day.  A few cadets came with me to the school gym to put everything away.  I then drove them home.   

Lest We Forget.

 

International Inuit Day 2025

Warning: The following post contains images that some readers may find graphic. Viewer discretion is advised.

“The Inuit Circumpolar Council [ICC] created [International Inuit Day] in 2006” to recognize, celebrate, and promote “Inuit culture, history, and languages across the Arctic” and the world.  The day is observed on November 7 and was also created “to remember [the council’s] founder, Eben Hopson Sr.”

Inuujaq School’s Events Committee began planning for the day in late October.  The meetings were busy because the committee was also working on Halloween activities.  The program was like last year.  Everyone was encouraged to wear traditional Inuit clothing, there would be an afternoon assembly, followed by a community feast.  The assembly would feature performances and a fashion show.

For the feast, caribou (tuktu) meat was sourced from Rankin Inlet, a teacher went out and caught a seal, and the school purchased Bannock supplies, fruit, and juice boxes from the local Northern Store.  Elders were hired to prepare the meat & Bannock.  Preparations began on November 6 and continued right up until the assembly began.  The caribou meat arrived in large pieces wrapped in plastic bags.  High school students assisted the Elders in cutting the meat.

There’s a lot you can do with caribou meat.  The Elders prepared small bite size raw pieces, tuktu stew, tuktu roast, and even jerky strips.  A few elementary classes went down to the Home Ec Room to watch & learn how to make Bannock.

November 7 was an exciting day.  I wore a sealskin vest, tie, and poppy.  The smell of cooked tuktu and Bannock was everywhere.  Several staff members helped me set up the gym for the afternoon assembly.  High school students assisted us in moving the food, juice boxes, plates, and cutlery from the Home Ec Room to the gym.  Parents, guardians, Elders, and community members began arriving at 1:30pm.  Classes were called down to the gym.  Many people wore traditional Inuit clothing.  The assembly began at 1:45pm.

An Inuk teacher & I were the emcees.  We welcomed everyone to the assembly and briefly talked about Inuit history and the importance of preserving, promoting, and practicing Inuit culture, language, & history.  An Elder then lit a ceremonial qulliq to officially open the assembly.

Two local throat singers performed several songs to the delight of the audience.  This was followed by the fashion show.  Just like the Halloween costume contest, classes, staff, and parents & guardians were called up to walk around the centre of the gym, showcasing their traditional Inuit outfits.  A panel of three judges selected the 6 best dressed and awarded them Co-op gift cards.

The last part of the assembly was the community feast.  The Grade 1 teacher said a prayer to bless the food and then two lines formed.  Elders went first.  The teacher who caught a seal placed it on large, flattened cardboard boxes, and began cutting it open.  Several students watched the harvest and took pieces of meat when allowed.  The seal was a female, and the teacher was surprised to find a small baby fetus inside.  Everyone was surprised.

I indulged in small pieces of tuktu, Bannock, and raw seal meat.  There were a few leftovers.  I expected the entire seal to be consumed but that didn’t happen.  I guess everyone was craving tuktu.  The remaining pieces of seal meat were placed in a large black bin.  The teacher told me he was going to keep some of it for his family and then share the rest with extended family.

Students were dismissed early after the end of the assembly because it was Friday.  Holding a celebration & feast is the perfect way to finish the school week.  Staff stayed behind to clean up the gym and put everything away.