Thursday, December 31, 2009

Coastal Christmas

Today is the last day for the year of 2009, but let us remember the Christmas we had.

So, to keep in contact with the other communities on the last day of this year, we contacted each AngajukKâk from the Inuit Community Government Offices.

This was to ask about how their Christmas events in their communities were celebrated and give them the opportunity to send their New Year Greetings.

Hopedale New Year's eve Jamboree/Talent Show

Every year the Recreation Department and the Community Youth Network has been holding a New Year’s Eve Celebration in the community of Hopedale.

Doris Boase is the Recreation Director.

Boase says the New Years Eve celebration will be taking place at the Amos Comenius Memorial School from 8pm until 11pm.

Everyone is welcome to attend; refreshments such as soup and sandwiches will be available.

She says door prizes and games will also be going on throughout this celebration.

Boase adds anyone is welcome to perform on stage during this celebration; any entertaining talents such as singing, dancing, playing musical instruments and so on.

Any questions regarding the New Years Eve Jamboree/Talent Show please contact Doris Boase at the Hopedale Inuit Community Government.

Lastly, we have not been in contact with the Hopedale Fire Brigade Department to see what was being planned for the upcoming New Year’s celebration regarding the fireworks.

But local residents of Hopedale confirm that Fireworks will be taking place tonight.

Pauktuutit Update

Pauktuutit in Ottawa has new plans for 2010.

We spoke to Tracy O’Hearn who is the Executive Director for Pauktuutit.

O’Hearn says the big priority is health and abuse prevention.

She says other plans are sexual abuse, HIV and maternal.

She says Pauktuutit will have their Annual General Meeting in February, but right now a decision has not been made yet where the AGM will be held.

The board of directors will have discussions about that meeting during their tele-conference in early January.

O’Hearn says Dawn Michelin of Nunatsiavut is the board member for Pauktuuit.

She adds Pauktuutit wishes all the people a healthy, happy and safe new year.

Kirk Andersen Memorial Volleyball T ournament

The Kirk Andersen Memorial Volleyball was held on the 27th and 28th of December.

Holly Andersen is a resident of Makkovik.

Andersen, who is Kirk’s sister, gave us the details of the tournament.

She says this year there were eight teams; five female and three male.

Unfortunately, no teams from out of town played in the tournament.

The final match for the females was played by ‘Uttuasuk’ and ‘Kickin’ It Old Skool’, with ‘Kickin’ It Old School’ taking home the gold.

As for the males, the final match was played by ‘Grumpy Old Men’ and ‘Pon’s Char’; the ‘Grumpy Old Men’ won the gold.

Andersen says they also give out Most Valuable Player (MVP) & Most-Sportsmanlike Player awards, which is voted on by the athletes.

This year the MVP’s were Trent Pottle and Nina Ford, while the Most Sportsmanlike Player Awards went to Ruth Broomfield and Trent Pottle.

Andersen would like to add that the matches were very exciting and intense and is very happy with the turnout of the tournament.

Bachelor of Social Work Program Update

The Bachelor of Social Work Program will begin on January 7th, with thirty-four eager students enrolled.

Sandy Kershaw is the Inuit Bachelor of Social Work Program Coordinator for the Nunatsiavut Government.

She says the first few days will be an orientation for students, this is for them to learn the rules of the Post Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP) and the Social Work Program itself.

Then the actual classes will begin on the 11th of January.

The course, which is being taught at the College of the North Atlantic, is offered by Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN).

Kershaw adds that they couldn’t have asked for a better partnership and that MUN has bent over backwards to make this program work.

She says the course will be difficult and all the students are aware of that.

She would like to add that PSSSP and every student enrolled in the program are very, very excited for the Bachelor of Social Work Program to start.

Chris Brookes-Part II

A hundred and twenty-nine years ago, in the year 1880, a couple of families from Hebron were to taken to Europe and showcased in a zoo.

One of those Inuit showcased was Abraham Ulrikab, who during the whole time in Europe had made a diary of this trip in amazing detail.

Chris Brookes is an independant radio producer in St. John’s.

Brookes put together a two part radio documentary about Abraham Ulrikab’s diaries that was aired on CBC Radio on November 30th and December 1st.

Now, Brookes has sent this documentary to OKâlaKatiget Radio, and given us permission to use them.

We apologize that this documentary is not translated and only in English.

Christmas Volleyball Tournament

A volleyball tournament was held over the Christmas Holiday weekend in Nain.

Abby Webb & Sarah Karpik hosted this tournament.

Both Webb & Karpik are enrolled in the Sport & Leisure Management Program at the Holland College in Charlottetown, PEI.

Webb says she needed to have 80 volunteer hours for her program and thought it would be a good idea to host a volleyball tournament to earn some of those hours.

She adds that half the money raised went to Nain’s Labrador Winter Games team, and says that seven teams registered for the tournament.

The final game was played by Canes + 2 (Abby Webb, Sarah Karpik, Bernard Obed, Samuel Dicker, Patrick Harris and Donna Dicker) and HoneyNut Cheerios (David Dicker, Russell Barbour, Edward Barbour, Mary-Lou Harris, Roxanne Andersen and Robyn Martin).

Webb adds that her team (Canes +2) won the final match, they won 100, and the other 100 went the LWG’s team.

Air Inuit's Flights

The Air Inuit’s Annual Christmas flights to Nain will have its final run for this Christmas on January 3rd. The first two flights were on December 23rd and 27th.

These flights give Inuit from kuujuak, Kangidlualudjuak and Nain a chance to visit family and friends for Christmas.

The Air Inuit flight on Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 leaves kuujuak at 8:45 AM, arrives kangilualudjuak at 9:25 AM, and leaves at 9:40 AM, that is Nunavimmiut time and arrives Nain at 12:05 PM, Nunatsiavummiut time.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all the Inuit from kuujuak and kangidlualudjuak who came to Nain for Christmas from all the Inuit at Nunatsiavut and the OKalaKatiget Society staff.

Eastlink Cable



At around dinner hour on Monday, December 28th, the town of Nain witnessed yet another power outage.

On the positive side, it was only out for a few minutes, but on the negative side for those who have cable services for their televisions are still without cable since then.

A source from EastLink left a brief message yesterday after our News and Weather portion of AtjiKangitut Show saying:

A major component was damaged during the Monday’s power outage, and that the cable services will be restored when a replacement for the damaged part arrives from Goose Bay.

In the mean time, we are still making attempts in contacting Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro about the details on the power loss in Nain on that day.

Lastly, the source from EastLink says on behalf of the company, apologizes for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Christmas Draws

A lot of people took part in the Northern Store Christmas Draw in Nain this year.

Boyd Manual is the Northern Store Manager.

He says when customers purchase an item from the store they entered their name to get a chance to win either a food bank, a one year grocery plan or a Christmas stocking.

Manual says on December 21st, Lillian Blake won the first draw, which was the food bank.

He says the other two draws took place on Christmas Eve, and Elizabeth Lidd was the lucky winner of the Christmas stocking.

While Molly Shiwak was the recipient of the one year grocery plan.

Manual and the staff at the Northern Store greatly appreciate everyone who donated to the food bank.

And added saying Congratulations to the winners on behalf of the Northern Store.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

OTT Update

The Orientation Technology Training Program for women in Happy Valley Goose Bay is not going ahead in January 2010 because of a lack of applicants.

We spoke to Suzanne Charlton who is the Community Development Coordinator for Women in Resource Development.

Charlton says anyone who would like to apply for September can call the College of the North Atlantic in HVGB.

She adds that in order to get funding, you have to apply in January or February of 2010.

"Rigolet Safe House Update"

The Safe House in Rigolet is not in operation yet, but organizers are hoping to have it open by Christmas.

We spoke to Charlotte Wolfrey, the Chair Person of the Rigolet Partnership against Family Violence.

Wolfrey says they are currently in the process of getting some renovations done before they can move in.

According to Wolfrey, they received some grants from Women’s Policy and Tessiujatsoak Trust Fund to operate the shelter.

She adds the shelter was looking for a Manager, and this position has now been filled until March 31st, 2010.