TUKTOYAKTUK - Tuktoyaktuk's five-day celebration of the Inuvialuit land claim final agreement made many residents wish they could have a 25th anniversary party every year.

Robin Felix, Rebecca Pokiak and Edward Pokiak-Felix show off their duds at the traditional dress contest. - photos courtesy of Donna Bernhardt

The community celebration marked 25 years since the first comprehensive Northern land claim agreement was signed on June 5, 1984. The celebratory events, held July 15 to 19, included youth games, traditional competitions – best traditional dress, Inuvialuit-themed bike decorating – sports and cookouts.

The opening ceremonies on July 17 included the presentation of final agreement recognition awards to past negotiators and the current chair of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Nellie Cournoyea, as well as a re-enactment of the signing by local youth.

"It was important not only to commemorate what the Inuvialuit have done in the last 25 years by putting us on the national and international stage, but it was also important to let people know that we still have a lot of work to do before we achieve our goals, and that would be in terms of the cultural and language aspects of it." said Robert B. Gruben, chair of Tuk Community Corporation, which organized the events.

Gruben said the sponsors and volunteers really came together with visitors from other Inuvialuit settlement regions during the celebration.

"A lot of the comments from people – we're still getting them – a lot of them are saying… 'Tuk Community Corporation started something. Are we going to do it again next year?' And that's still up for discussion."