HALU INUIT. HAPPY EASTER! TIKINMIYUK EESTA. HILA ALAPAAKNAIKTUK. HIKINIK KULVAYUTUK KILAMINUAK UBLANUAMI. ANIRIAMI ALIANAKHIYUK IILA. INUIN NAMAINAKTUT IKALUKTUTIAMI. AYUKNAKMAN ILAIYAGAGAT. NAMAYAVUN INUIN. INUIN AUDLALUGAKPAKTUN. KABLUNANLU TIKIHIMAYUN UMINGMAKHIUKHUTIK. IKALUKHIULIKTUT. AUDLATIYUT INUIN. ULAPKIVAKTUN IPAKHANI. NIRIVAKTUTLU. NUTAKATLU INUTUKAITLU PULAKHIMAVAKTA IKLUKPAK TAVANI. KILAUYAKTUTLU. HITUAKATAKHUTIK NUTAKAT. TEETUKHUTIKLU MUKPAUYALIUKHUTIKLU. QUANA AKHAYONUAKLU, NATETLU, AYALIKLU, MEEBOLU IKAYUKPIAKRAMIK. UNIPKAKPAKTUTLU. IILA INUIN KUVIAHUKTUT PULAKMATA TAVANI. ATIA ILIHIMAGITAGA. UPKUT ALIANAKRALUK. UMILITKUT PUALHIKHIMAYA. QUANA IILA IKAYUKPAKTUT IKALUKTUTIAMI. NAMAYAVUHI. INUTIAKPAKLUHI. PITIAKLUHILU. ANIARUVIT MAYUVAKLUHI MUNAKHIVIKMUN IKHIHIMAITUMIK. NUTAKATIT ILANUATITLU IKAYUKPAKLURIT. AYUKHALIRUVIT UNIUTIVAKLURIT ILATITLUNIN. HAPPY EESTA. IHUMALUKHIMAITUMIKLU. AVALIGITUHI.

Welcome to Cambridge Bay Tea Talk. Happy Easter, everyone!

We hope all the kids had fun hunting Easter eggs and that the Easter bunny was good to you all. The weather in Cambridge Bay has been so beautiful with signs of spring soon to be here. The sun has been rising very early. Daylight remains till quite late in the evenings. It looks like we may have a nice, warm Omingmak Frolics this year.

In the past couple of weeks we had a snow storm which left a whole pile of snow, which is nice for kids to have more places to go sliding. Yes, lately kids play outdoors more often and later now. A lot of families head out to West Arm to go sliding and Ski-Dooing on the hills. There's a beautiful ice road out to West Arm past Okina's cabin and ends at the RCMP cabin. It's a beautiful little drive with those who have vehicles and snowmobiles, families enjoy it very much. Although it's a short one, not like the ice road in Yellowknife. We here are just as happy to have our very own ice road. Koana so much to Kitnuna, for maintaining the road. The fresh, blowing snow makes it a little more work for them.

Many people are out ice fishing up at Grenier Lake, bringing home fresh lake trout. I hear there are lots of open fishing holes now for anyone to go fish jigging. So get out your jiggers and enjoy being out on the land, especially with long weekend coming up residents will be out there for sure. When I think of ice-fishing I think of my dear friend Kristine Lyall, she just loves ice-fishing.

People go caribou hunting out on mainland. There has also been a few sports hunters trophy hunting for muskox with our experienced guides from Cambridge Bay. They are going out towards Wellington Bay, Kingakyok, behind Mount Pelly and west of Cambridge Bay for the muskox.

Farewell to Cathy Aitaok, who has taken on a new career and welcome in Brenda Sitatak as the new manager of the HTO. Cathy says she enjoyed her job at HTO working with the local hunters and elders. She has met so many people from all over the world since working there and now it will be Brenda's turn. Good luck ladies on your new jobs.

Happy 10th anniversary for Nunavut. Elders and youth gathered at the elders' cabin to feast on bannock and stew, fresh tea and hot chocolate. The elders had Coleman stoves going, so everyone was kept warm and kids sliding outside. Jonathan and Jimmy Haniliak built an iglu for the event. The elders drum danced, kids throat sang, told old-time stories and other traditional games like Unnuk. While the elders were gathered they talked about how they can utilize their cabin more often.

Ten years ago Nunavut was part of the Northwest Territories. I think it is important that we dedicate this to our Inuit elders and leaders who dreamed of and worked on this important accomplishment for Canadians and especially for the Inuit. We should pay tribute to the land claim negotiators, many of whom have passed on from the Kitikmeot region like my late father Johnny Tologanak, John Maksagak, Pat Lyall, Wallace Goose and Simon Taipana. They carried out an important role to ensure that their people had a future recognizing Inuit benefits and rights on their own land. The Kitikmeot Inuit Association honoured these leaders on their 30th anniversary in 2006. God Bless them.

The flag of Nunavut was painted (using food coloring as it is safer for the environment) in the snow around the community, thanks to the Nunavut Tourism's Vicki Aitaok. A Nunavut flag, signed by all the legislative assembly members, thanks to our MLA Keith Peterson, was one of the door prizes, as well as 10 turkeys. An evening feast was held. Taking part were Mayor Michelle Gillis and Paul Emingak of the KIA with Joe Otokiak interpreting.

Koana to our cooks from the Life Management Course and Janet and Willie Nakashook for hunting caribou for the occasion. Koana also to Bobby Udlaoyak for picking up elders in the elders' van. Joe and Ashley Otokiak played music all evening. Arctic sports demonstrations were fun to watch. The cadets did a drill. Koana very much also to the HTO, who donated muktuk for the feast. It was the first time a community feast had Chinese food on the menu thanks to our recreation co-ordinator, Catherine Pak, who was so happy to share part of her culture. She said it was hard to get ingredients for Chinese food as you have to order it in from Yellowknife or down south.

Happy Easter to my family, especially those who are out of town, my son Tolok, Kingnektak, and ingutak Akana Heik, Noyakik, Kohogak and all my friends and family. May you have a blessed Easter and please take good care of each other.