Awards presented

Rankin Inlet

Three Kivalliqniut received an annual Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) award during the ITK's annual general meeting in Rankin Inlet this past week.

Kukik Baker accepted ITK's Advancement of Youth award for Arviat's Young HunterSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s program.

The community-based project designed to develop sustainable harvesting practices in youth between the ages of eight and 18 first began in 2012.

Participants gain skills and knowledge through time spent with experienced elders and instructors.

Daisy Panika of the Kivalliq Inuit Association in Rankin Inlet was presented with the Advancement of Women award for her work running the SomebodySA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s Daughter program for a number of years.

SomebodySA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s Daughter supports all women, fosters traditional knowledge and healing, and has become well-known throughout Nunavut.

Krista Zawadski of Rankin Inlet was presented with the Inuit Cultural Repatriation award for her efforts in demonstrating leadership in recognizing and respecting Inuit cultural rights and working to overcome the misappropriation of Inuit cultural heritage. Zawadski has devoted herself to Inuit art, archeology, curation, heritage centres and Inuit artifact repatriation.

A former curator of Inuit art for the Government of Nunavut, she is currently working full time to attain her PhD in Anthropology.

She plays an active role in the Inuit Art Centre at the Winnipeg Art Gallery and has advocated for a museum in Nunavut, as well as heritage centres.

In and out of hot water

Arviat Whale/Arviat

The hamlet of Whale Cove finally had its boil water advisory lifted on Aug. 30.

Whale had been under the advisory since Dec. 13, 2018.

While Whale was set free from the boil water advisory, another Kivalliq community quickly took its place holding the kettle when Arviat was placed under an advisory on Sept. 9.

Arviat residents are being told to boil their water for at least one full minute before drinking, brushing their teeth, cooking, washing fruit and vegetables, preparing baby formulas or making juice or ice cubes.

As of press time, the community was under the boil water advisory until further notice.

Derby winner

Arviat

John William Tugak proved himself the top fisher in this year's Arviat Trout and Pike Derby earlier this month, claiming the top prize of $5000 for his catch which measured out at 98 centimeters.

Stable condition

Nunavut

Nunavut Senator Dennis Patterson was medevaced to Ottawa from Iqaluit this past Thursday, Sept. 12.

As of press time, Patterson remained in hospital and was listed as being in stable condition and in good spirits.

The reason for his medevac and hospital stay has not been released.