Kerry McCluskey and Maria Canton
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 03/00) - Get that giant cake into the oven -- Nunavut turned one-year old over the weekend.

And while the territory's official celebration won't take place until July 9 -- Nunavut Day -- we thought it appropriate to at least mark the one-year anniversary of the birth of the territory with a few memories.

What follows are the tributes and some of the musings of Nunavummiut .

Babah Kalluk - Resolute Bay

A greater sense of awareness regarding his surroundings is what Resolute Bay's Babah Kalluk finds since the birth of Nunavut.

"I don't know if it's all due to Nunavut, but when I'm looking around, I understand a whole lot better," said Kalluk, 19.

"Things that I couldn't grasp with my mind before, now I can," he added.

That heightened awareness will do the Qarmartalik school student well when he heads off to Ottawa this fall to improve his artistic skills at college, but until then, he said he'll remain contented to participate in the increased feelings of belonging that have permeated the High Arctic community over the last year.

"Things have been looking up, I guess. I feel like I'm more involved around town and the councils and things like that are asking a whole bunch of young people to go out and get a feel for organizing stuff," said Kalluk.

"I think it has been better."

Doris Nancy - Kugluktuk

Her pride is found in knowing that Nunavut is something that the elders have been trying to achieve for many, many years.

"Nunavut is a step that our elders have been trying to take for a long time," said Doris Nancy, a student at Nunavut Arctic College.

"And now I see that the elders are very happy."

For Nancy, the year has gone very fast and she likes most of the changes being made, although she says there are more forms to fill out now.

"I think things are kind of the same, but now we need separate papers for everything.

"Nunavut is one big step and only the first step, we still have a lot to learn."

Stanley Adjuk - Whale Cove

The mayor of Whale Cove says Nunavut's first year has passed by very quickly.

"I can't believe a year has passed since it happened," said Stanley Adjuk.

"It's gone too fast. I don't think too much change has happened yet, but it is very exciting."

The hamlet won't be hosting any celebrations to rival last year's community feast, iglu building, games and unveiling of the flag, but Adjuk says they may host activities in July.

"We are still waiting to see what we are going to do. Last year, the elders did most of the planning for the celebrations and the younger people helped set everything up.

"This year we don't know if we will celebrate on July 9 or not because changing Nunavut Day just happened."

Jonah Kelly - Iqaluit

It's the learning curve that sticks in Jonah Kelly's mind when he thinks about the events that transpired during Nunavut's first year of life.

"We're in the process of learning how to govern our own territory," said Kelly, an almost lifelong resident of Iqaluit.

"All in all, I think it has been very interesting."

An employee of CBC North for more than three decades, Kelly said he'd particularly enjoyed watching how Nunavut had been received by the public. He added that he was especially pleased to see that things hadn't backfired.

"It's something that turned around over the last 40 to 50 years and it's still working for us and not against us, especially the Inuit," said Kelly.

Highlights that stick out in Kelly's mind over the last 365 days include last year's tremendous birth celebrations, the passing of the millennium and the growth and experiences that have taken place in his own family.

"Of course, my family is number one. And not just part of it, but all of it, my whole family and my friends as well. All the people who have welcomed me with open arms and also the openness of Nunavut," said Kelly.

And not one to be shy, Kelly also offered up a few criticisms and kudos to the governing body of the territory. He dislikes their excuse that money issues are always to blame, but Kelly was quick to commend the GN, and especially Premier Paul Okalik, for the job its done in unifying the territory.

"They've done very well. They made a connection between Nunavummiut and Inuit," he said.

As for how he planned to mark the birth of Nunavut, Kelly said like the GN and the elders, he'd wait for July 9, but sunshine permitting, he had his own special plans in order.

"If the weather is favourable, I'll be going out to celebrate on my land."

Johnny Ningeongan - Coral Harbour

Nunavut hasn't been a bed of roses as far as all the territory's residents are concerned.

That holds true for Johnny Ningeongan, the mayor of Coral Harbour.

Frustrated as he watches programs and capital dollars regularly get cut because of the politicians' poor planning, Ningeongan said he was impatient for things to turn around.

"Strictly from observing things from a small community perspective, I've realized that the government's intention to reach people hasn't exactly bloomed yet," said Ningeongan.

"There have been a number of decisions made by the government without consulting the people of Nunavut. If that was to start, it should have started April 1," he said.

Those decisions run the gamut of January's fuel hike to the time change and to monies being diverted from one social program to pay for another. That, he said, just kept negatively impacting Nunavummiut.

"Nobody has really taken on a proper study prior to implementing these things," he said.

"The government seems to put the dollars where the priorities are, but they create problems elsewhere. That's what I've observed as the leader of this community," he said.

Ningeongan also said he'd noticed most of the GN's money was spent in the capital -- to the detriment of the other hamlets -- and that he hoped to see things turn around over the next few years.

"Hopefully, the government will settle in and start being more efficient in serving its people."

Michael Angotittauruq Sr. - Gjoa Haven

Things have definitely looked up in Gjoa Haven since the creation of Nunavut, said Michael Angotittauruq Sr., the hamlet's mayor.

Saying that he could actually feel the change and the progress, Angotittauruq remarked that the biggest indicator was what people had to say on the community's local radio station.

"From what I hear, the comments are about Nunavut and how they should proceed in the future and the present," said Angotittauruq.

"There is more self-reliance and more requests to be involved," he added.

Problems arise however, when the GN's shortage of funds come into play. But given the new-found motivation of the people in the territory, he said the only answer was to keep pushing forward.

And as for his plans for the birthday celebration, Angotittauruq said he was sorry the GN had chosen to celebrate later this summer, but he still planned to hold a private party.

"Last year I did my own little ceremony. I went out on a hunt with my dog-team. People say this is our land so I went out to celebrate and I was thinking of my parents. That was more like a real celebration," he said.

"That's what I'm planning to do this year."

Timoon Toonoo - Cape Dorset

He says the idea of Nunavut is still very strong and positive in his community and the plans to celebrate the territory's birthday are included as part of Cape Dorset's Hamlet Days.

As the senior administrative officer at the hamlet during the first year of Nunavut's existence, Timoon Toonoo says things were a little difficult at first, but have definitely improved.

"Everything and everyone was going through so many changes -- I think things will get better from now on and the GN is closer and timing is always critical," he said.

"Everyone still has a very strong and positive attitude towards Nunavut."

The hamlet is planning on celebrating Nunavut's birthday with Hamlet Days on April 7.

Sandi Gillis - Cambridge Bay

The secretary-manager of the Cambridge Bay Hunters and Trappers Organization says the creation of Nunavut was an astounding event.

"I think we were all a little amazed and found it hard to believe that we were part of the creation of a territory," said Sandi Gillis.

"It's something that will only happen once in your life."

Community celebrations were the order of the day last April, and Gillis says she joined in some of them, got together with friends and watched the fireworks.

"People were very excited at last year's celebrations and very proud."

And as far as work is concerned, Gillis said, from a secretary-manager's point of view, not too much has changed at the HTA.

John Jamieson - Sanikiluaq

As the school principal, a councillor, member of the housing association and much more, John Jamieson says Sanikiluaq is slowly getting used to the extra power they have been given since the birth of Nunavut.

"There was a lot of excitement in the community at having more control," he said.

"There is still a little reluctance to change, but we're slowly moving into it."

Last year, Nunavut's most southerly community celebrated the territorial birthday with a nine-foot cake, a flag raising, community feasts, dances and games.

This April, however, the community has agreed to wait until July 9 to celebrate Nunavut Day.

"I think the people in the community consider the signing of the land claim to be the most monumental moment for Nunavut. We still know the importance of April 1, but we will wait until July 9 for celebrations."

Isabelle Benoit - Iqaluit

Coffee shop owner Isabelle Benoit said she has noticed over the last year that the pride of her fellow Nunavummiut has increased since the birth of the territory.

"I see that a lot of Inuit people are proud of their territory. There is a real sense of that happiness. They've got their own little corner of the world," said Benoit, the owner of Fantasy Palace in Iqaluit.

While the first birthday of Nunavut will leave her feeling more than a little sentimental -- particularly when she brings last year's events to mind -- because of her hectic work day, her own personal celebration will have to take place right in the coffee shop.

"I will definitely have some sort of decorations. I will make the atmosphere feel like Nunavut," she said.

"Maybe I'll even have a special drink or a coffee and I'll dress up in the colours of Nunavut. That's my way of celebrating."