photo courtesy Winnie Seeteenak
Matthew Kunangnat loves to get out on the land when he can, and his family obliges.
One spring day in 2018, Winnie Seeteenak snapped a photo of her SA国际影视传媒渃ool dadSA国际影视传媒� doing what he loves SA国际影视传媒� which that day was ice fishing out at Big Hips Island outside Baker Lake.
SA国际影视传媒淗e loved to fish and hunt. When the weather warms up and when itSA国际影视传媒檚 not too slushy, and when weSA国际影视传媒檙e all able to help each other, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 when we like to take him out,SA国际影视传媒� said Seeteenak.
photo courtesy Winnie Seeteenak
Moments after Kunangnat caught his first fish, his wife Mercy cooked it up right there on the ice for lunch.
SeeteenakSA国际影视传媒檚 image won the March 18 Nunavut News Amazing On The Land photo contest, and itSA国际影视传媒檚 been seen by almost 11,000 Facebook users, liked by 658, and shared by 98.
When Seeteenak received the $100 for the most-liked story the week she submitted it, she gave the money to her father and sent that photo to Nunavut News, as well.
SA国际影视传媒淗ere he is surprised,SA国际影视传媒� stated Seeteenak. SA国际影视传媒淥nce again, thank you for liking his fishing picture. Love my cool dad Matthew Kunangnat.SA国际影视传媒�
photo courtesy Winnie Seeteenak
She says she gave him the money SA国际影视传媒渂ecause heSA国际影视传媒檚 always needing this and that.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淗e doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 go out anymore. He sends either me or his grandkids to go out to buy this and that because heSA国际影视传媒檚 very elderly now.SA国际影视传媒�
Kunangnat has five children, including his eldest Seeteenak, a dozen grandchildren, and seven or eight great-grandchildren.
SA国际影视传媒淗e works around, outside the house. But he doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 go shopping anymore unless we take him out. And he loves to have his Copenhagen, his snuff,SA国际影视传媒� said Seeteenak.
SA国际影视传媒淎nything to ease his mind, and what not. HeSA国际影视传媒檚 always on the go, but everything slowed down when he got blind.SA国际影视传媒�
What Nunavut News readers couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 know is that 80-year-old Kunangnat caught the most fish the day the winning photo was taken. Not a surprise considering he was the familySA国际影视传媒檚 provider until he was blinded in a welding accident more than 30 years ago.
photo courtesy Annie Owingayak
SA国际影视传媒淗e used to be on the search-and-rescue, and he used to be a carpenter and he loves the outdoors,SA国际影视传媒� said Seeteenak.
Despite KunangnatSA国际影视传媒檚 blindness, his skills were still sought out by the community.
SA国际影视传媒淪ometimes the search party, even though heSA国际影视传媒檚 blind now, they used to come to him to double-check where they should go. They would get some pointers from him,SA国际影视传媒� said Seeteenak, adding heSA国际影视传媒檚 a well-respected elder.
She calls him her SA国际影视传媒渃ool dadSA国际影视传媒� because of her own respect for him.
SA国际影视传媒淚 try to do my best for him,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
Since the Amazing On the Land photo contest launched in December 2017, there have been 65 weekly winners of $100.
SA国际影视传媒淭he Amazing On the Land Contest has given readers an incredible window into the lives of Nunavummiut, doing what people in Arctic love to do, getting out on to the land and sharing their stories with each other,SA国际影视传媒� said managing editor Mike W. Bryant.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 been a big hit and ISA国际影视传媒檓 always wondering what amazing photos will show up in our inbox next. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e honoured that we can help spread peopleSA国际影视传媒檚 passion for the land for others to enjoy.SA国际影视传媒�
Photos can be submitted via the by private message.
