Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

KIVALLIQ - It was a time to celebrate family, history and a shared love of the land.

After a year of planning, this summer's "Sukuluk and Ungalak" family reunion brought relatives from all over the Kivalliq region and Baffin Island to Southampton Island.

For many of the descendants of Sukuluk, Naaktaat, Naulajuq, Ungalaq and Quluaq-Ungaalaaq, it was their first time meeting.

"We were just awed. In many ways, we were so alike," said Coral Harbour resident Noel Kaludjak. "We had so much fun together and our attitudes were pretty much the same - our way of thinking, our appetites were so similar."

In August, about 70 people travelled from Iglulik, Hall Beach, Iqaluit, Arviat, Whale Cove and Rankin Inlet to Coral Harbour and Aqiarurnaq (Duke of York Bay) to see the old camping grounds of their ancestors.

Games were held at the Coral community hall to greet the planeload from Iglulik. The following day everyone took off on the land.

"My dad has been all over the region with his dog teams, so we didn't cover a lot of where his brothers and sisters camped, but we're planning to go out again next year to see the rest," said daughter Silu Connelly.

At the centre of it all was 88-year-old Arcene Panniuq, the elder of the group.

"It was amazing to see how well my dad was respected, and how well he was treated by all the family. I'm just so glad he had his chance to share his information, his knowledge," Connelly said. "Where he was staying, there he was always surrounded by people - his nieces, nephews, grandchildren and children."

The idea for the event came about after a visit to the McCord Museum of Canadian History, according to Connelly.

"I was researching some history on Southampton Island and it was by accident. I came across this picture and I almost jumped, the face, he just looked like my dad," she said.

Sukuluk was a well known hunter in the region, who died when he fell out of his boat at the floe edge. His life's story has been featured in a number of history books.

His death was said to have been caused by a shaman, according to Connelly.