Northern fiddling legend Colin Adjun died on Dec. 3 but his legacy will live on in his home community of Kugluktuk in many ways.

Kugluktuk Hamlet Council has decided to name the local community hall after Adjun and also chose to award him the honorary key to the community shortly before his death, said Simon Kuliktana, the communitySA国际影视传媒檚 mayor and a fellow musician who performed with Adjun on numerous occasions.

In the coming months, a day will be set aside to pay tribute to the beloved entertainer, he added.

SA国际影视传媒淚t is a big loss to our community,SA国际影视传媒� Kuliktana said.

Adjun, 77, was known as the Fiddler of the Arctic. With multiple albums recorded, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for his contributions as a musical artist.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne thing about Kugluktuk, they love to dance, they love to jig, they love to square dance, and you can see that right from the toddlers, theySA国际影视传媒檙e trying to jig,SA国际影视传媒� said Kuliktana. SA国际影视传媒淚 was telling Mavis (AdjunSA国际影视传媒檚 wife) that Colin had created a cultureSA国际影视传媒� I think thatSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be his legacy in Kugluktuk. He has created the love of dance, the love of square dance and the love of jigging. He has left that impact within our community, but not only in our community, in the Kitikmeot and right across the North.SA国际影视传媒�

Yellowknife fiddler Lee Mandeville witnessed AdjunSA国际影视传媒檚 love of dance in addition to absorbing his mentorship as a violin player.

SA国际影视传媒淗is stamina was amazing. HeSA国际影视传媒檇 be on stage entertaining everybody and then when somebody else picks up the fiddle, heSA国际影视传媒檇 go on the dance floor and grab a partner. He just loved it,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 think ISA国际影视传媒檝e met anybody that loves square dancing as much as him.SA国际影视传媒�

Mandeville was just nine years old when he first saw Adjun in action close to 35 years ago.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was intrigued by him because the way he interacted with the audience was pretty uniqueSA国际影视传媒� people were dancing pretty lively. It just put a bug in me, I wanted to do something like that,SA国际影视传媒� he remembered. SA国际影视传媒淗e was a charismatic character.SA国际影视传媒�

And Mandeville did just that four years later, pursuing his love affair with the musical instrument at age 13, with a helping hand from Adjun.

SA国际影视传媒淗e encouraged me all the way through. He was a really positive guy, generous. He shared his music. He taught me a few songs. I really liked Faded Love and Red River Jig,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

They would go on to combine their talents on stage many times over the next few decades, just as Adjun did with his son, Gustin.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou look at his son and he looks just like him, and heSA国际影视传媒檚 got a big smile like his dad,SA国际影视传媒� Mandeville said. SA国际影视传媒淚 hope (Gustin) carries on with (fiddling).SA国际影视传媒�

Kuliktana started playing with Adjun in the mid-1990s. A few years later they toured together, landing in Fort McPherson for the Midway Music Festival.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was amazed at how many different walks of life knew him. It just showed me that (through) his musical talent, he had a lot of connections,SA国际影视传媒� he recalled, adding that his parents also listened to AdjunSA国际影视传媒檚 music, as do his children and grandchildren. SA国际影视传媒淗e would never refuse if he was asked to play, that was Colin.SA国际影视传媒�