Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 11/99) - The residents of a small hamlet in Nunavik are grieving and trying to pick up the pieces of their lives after a New Year's Day avalanche left nine people dead and 25 injured.

"It could be a permanent wound. We may never forget it and we have to go through hardships yet," said Maggie Emudluk, the mayor of Kangiqsualujjuaq.

Located to the south of Baffin Island across the Hudson Strait in Ungava Bay, Emudluk said the community's 650 residents were coping and looking for ways to begin healing. Part of that process includes coming to terms with the suddenness of the disaster that affected the community.

Emudluk said that New Year's Eve started out like it usually did, with hundreds of people gathering in the Satuumavik school for traditional games and dancing. Approximately one hour after celebrating the arrival of 1999, a buildup of snow and ice on the mountain above the school came crashing through the wall of the gymnasium.

"I was there with all my family, all my relatives, celebrating the new year. The only way I can describe it is the snow came in, the avalanche happened in seconds," said Emudluk.

She explained that at first, it seemed like it was happening in a movie.

"It was as if it was not real. There's no words to describe the shock."

Once people realized what had happened, Emudluk said they began to try to locate people buried under the snow by digging with their bare hands. Due to the quick response, many were rescued and because the lights of the gymnasium stayed on, the survivors were able to prevent additional friends and family from suffocating.

More than 25 children and adults sustained broken bones during the incident and a total of nine lives were claimed by the snow. The deceased are Bobby Baron, 18 months, Sivanay Rochefort, 23 months old, Betty Etok, four, Suzanna Annanack, five, Jessie Maggie Baron, eight, Charlie Etok Jr., 20, Joshua Etok, 34, Louisa Annanack, 36, and Silas Annanack, 40.

Because of a blizzard, the funeral services for the group were delayed for several days but when they were finally held last Wednesday morning, many dignitaries, including Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Jane Stewart, were in attendance. Emudluk said that an additional 500 other people also flew into Kangiqsualujjuaq for the services.

She said that planes carrying mourners also brought in countless donations of food, clothing and money.

"I can't describe the words, how much we're appreciating the help we're getting from all over the place. Down south, Nunavut, the different communities around here ... it's incredible support."

Peter Ernerk and Simon Awa were two of the first Nunavut residents to respond to the tragedy by establishing the Kangiqsualujjuaq Disaster Fund. By last Monday afternoon, they had set up an account at the Royal Bank in Iqaluit and were asking residents to donate money to the Northern Quebec hamlet.

Ernerk said the pair felt compelled to help their fellow Inuit and thought a financial donation would best help people replace the items that had been lost.

"It comes out of our hearts and Inuit have always helped each other for many, many thousands of years."

Officials with the Ikaarguit Society in Kimmirut also took it upon themselves to raise money but went one step further by faxing a press release around Nunavut asking communities to do what they could to help out.

"Every person cried a little bit when they heard about it or saw it on the news," said Kowisa Arlooktoo, one of the organizers of the drive.

Dan Leaman, Resolute Bay's senior administrative officer, received Arlooktoo's fax and said that collections around the community were taking place.

"It's just the right thing to do. We're lucky in this hamlet. We have little need here and we're pretty fortunate," said Leaman. He added that many of the donations were in the form of money, although some people were sending clothing.

Members of Bishop Paul Idlout's Anglican diocese, which extends from Iqaluit to Kangiqsualujjuaq, joined in and spent most of last week collecting close to $5,000 and about 34 boxes of food.

"Yesterday, we sent 28 boxes of country food, caribou and char, and other local folks also donated southern food as well," said Frank Pearce, a warden of the Anglican church.

He explained that parishioners met on Saturday evening to plan their relief drive and decided to put Sunday's offerings into the fund.

"It's a very sad thing to have happen. I just hope they're able to heal well and carry on with their lives," said Pearce.

Meeka Kilabuk helped pack all those boxes of food and also came up with the idea of contacting First Air and requesting a discount on freight.

"I got approval right away," said Kilabuk, adding that First Air's president, Bob Davis, said he was pleased to extend the offer of free cargo shipment until Jan. 11.

Adamee Itorcheak, a First Air board member, said the Inuit-owned corporation felt it was necessary to help however possible. Speaking from Pangnirtung, Itorcheak said that hunters around Nunavut were putting donations of country food on planes headed to Northern Quebec, and he added that in Pangnirtung alone, the community had managed to raise over $7,000 to date.

Emudluk said all of the donations would be put to good use, especially in light of the fact that many of the buildings located under the mountain have been evacuated and ordered closed. She said the most important thing right now was just to get people's lives back to normal before they started the public inquiry into the incident.

"Everybody's part of the healing process. As mayor, for sure I have a role to play but so do many people. It's going to take a long time ... we're trying to get the community normal again."

Relief drives have been established in many communities around the NWT. For more information, contact local hamlet offices or banks.