Barney Tootoo had a lot to look back upon as he blew out the candles to celebrate his 76th birthday on May 14.

Tootoo has lived in three different Kivalliq communities during his life: Baker Lake, Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove. And, with the obvious creation of Nunavut as its own territory, heSA国际影视传媒檚 seen a lot of change in three-quarters of a century.

He said the biggest change heSA国际影视传媒檚 seen in Rankin Inlet over the years is the different nationalities of people who are moving to the community and staying longer.

He said for many years, people would just come into Rankin to work for the summer and then they were gone.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have people from all over living here now full time and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 been good to see,SA国际影视传媒� said Tootoo.

SA国际影视传媒淩ankin Inlet is the type of town where people get along with each other, no matter what race or nationality they are.SA国际影视传媒�

Tootoo said thereSA国际影视传媒檚 been, of course, many changes in lifestyle over the years.

He said some changes make him smile when he thinks back to the way things used to be years ago.

SA国际影视传媒淵ears ago, we never really used to go by time. Today you have to bide your time with everything youSA国际影视传媒檙e doing. In years past, youSA国际影视传媒檇 just take your time with something and, if you didnSA国际影视传媒檛 finish it today, you always had tomorrow to finish it.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut, nowadays, you have to finish what youSA国际影视传媒檙e doing right now because something else is coming up right behind it.

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 really find todaySA国际影视传媒檚 lifestyle to be all that good for Inuit in some ways. All the technology people brought up here seems to be making things harder for some of the younger kids. I donSA国际影视传媒檛 have a cell phone or anything like that, so it doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 bother me, but ISA国际影视传媒檝e seen younger kids struggling with it all a bit.SA国际影视传媒�

When it comes to the introduction of alcohol, Tootoo said heSA国际影视传媒檚 enjoyed a cold beer since heSA国际影视传媒檚 been in his teens and still enjoys having the odd cold one with friends.

He said some Inuit have really struggled with the introduction of alcohol and seem to always go to extremes with it.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat always going to extremes with it is what makes it hard on everyone, especially when families are affected by it.

SA国际影视传媒淚 still enjoy getting the boys together every now and then to have a couple. For me, itSA国际影视传媒檚 still a fun thing to do, just to get together and shoot the breeze.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut, itSA国际影视传媒檚 like a lot of things these days when the behavior of some ruin it for everyone. And what I find, is that, often, when something serious happens in Rankin, itSA国际影视传媒檚 out-of-towners who go overboard with booze and cause it.SA国际影视传媒�

Tootoo said he sees Nunavut as doing alright so far.

He said overall, the government has done a pretty good job with the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 development.

SA国际影视传媒淚n some ways weSA国际影视传媒檙e trying to keep up with the Joneses and I think weSA国际影视传媒檙e doing OK. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e looking at things like modern power lines, fiber optics and all this modern stuff so who knows SA国际影视传媒� maybe weSA国际影视传媒檒l be where we want to be sooner rather than later and catch up to everyone in the south.

SA国际影视传媒淭he older generation isnSA国际影视传媒檛 into all this modern stuff, theySA国际影视传媒檇 rather it the way it was in the old days, but, if we go back to that, weSA国际影视传媒檒l be left behind and be back in the cave days.

SA国际影视传媒淔or me, I still love to go out on the land. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 my main thing, going out on the land, and I still do it as much as I can. I just spent four days out on the land hunting and sleeping under the stars.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 always different every time you go out and thatSA国际影视传媒檚, hopefully, something that will never change. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 beautiful country out there and you never get tired of it.SA国际影视传媒�