Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services

Yellowknife ( Mar 03/00) - In just two days, athletes from all over the North will gather together for the opening ceremony of the Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon.

In recognition of the games, the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre will also hold a celebration.

"This Sunday is a celebration kicking off the year 2000 Arctic Winter Games," says Barbara Cameron, curator of education and extension services at the centre.

"This is a way that the museum is recognizing the games. Instead of doing a presentation on the Arctic Winter Games, we've picked arctic sports. It's always a crowd-pleaser at the games."

The museum will have athletes coming in from the Yellowknife Correctional Centre.

"They often participate in the community, doing demonstration," says Cameron.

"YCC has always helped us out with either school programs or public programs. They're really quite good at working with the public through their recreation program. The guys show their stuff."

Cameron explains that a group from YCC will be set up at various stations.

"It will be fairly informal," she says.

"The public can come in and just basically try their hand at some of the sports. So it's an interactive activity."

The demonstrators are not only there to show the public how it's done, they will also ensure that the games are played safely. Games could prove unsafe if done improperly.

"Some of the games are actually quite difficult, some of the actual skills involved. One foot high kick isn't too bad. You have to have co-ordination but we can lower the skill level by lowering the kick."

Cameron lists some of the possibilities for Sunday, besides the one foot high kick, such as the knee jump, pulling games and the muskox push.

"The idea is to have fun. To get some exposure for the games," says Cameron.

"We'll have a co-ordinator for the day because I'll be at the games myself. Pam Dunbar is coming to facilitate the event."

The arctic sports have been played by Inuit for a very long time.

"We could have done a whole range of other things, like Dene games, but we're focusing on these crowd- pleasers."

So, come down to the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre and get into that game spirit. Amazing Sundays will run from 2 to 4 p.m, March 5, at the museum's auditorium.