Inuttitut Speak-Off Update

The 7th Annual Inuttitut Speak-Off will be held in Nain tomorrow February 23rd 2010 at the school gym at 7pm.

We spoke to Joan Dicker, the Inuttitut teacher for grades 4-12 at the Jens Haven Memorial School in Nain.

Dicker says there will be ten students who will participate in this event. Two students from Rigolet, Postville, Makkovik, Hopedale and Nain.

She says this is the second time that it will be held in Nain and says this event is getting bigger over the years.

Dicker says they encourage the students to take part as to maintain such a vital part of our cultural and our language.

They have a ceremony planned. The Nain brass band will be playing and they will have the Nunatsiavut anthem at the opening ceremony as well.

She says Mr. Karrie Obed will be the MC. The guest speakers will be AngajukKak Sarah Erickson and Frances Williams.

She says there will three judges, John Jararuse and Frances Williams of Nain and Bertha Ford from Makkovik.

Dicker adds children under the ages of ten will not be permitted at the gym. The age restriction is to prevent any disruptions to both speakers and judges, as noise levels in the gymnasium, as we all know, can at times be challenging.