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INUVIK
An Inuvik resident who helps revitalize and teach Inuvialuit traditions to the younger generations has received an award recognizing his contributions.

Abel Tingmiak, right, receives the Minister's Cultural Circle Award in the elder category for his contributions as a teacher and ambassador of Inuvialuit culture and traditions from Jackson Lafferty, minister of Education, Culture and Employment. - photo courtesy of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment

Abel Tingmiak, 66, received the Minister's Cultural Circle Award on Aug. 22, alongside four other NWT residents. Tingmiak, who moved to Inuvik from Aklavik at age 10, played a larger role in the revitalization of Inuvialuit games and drum dancing. He teaches and demonstrates the culture and traditions of the Inuvialuit in the community and at local schools.

"It feels really good. I didn't expect it when they phoned me," Tingmiak said about hearing he won the award. "(The students) really want to learn. Every time they see me on the street they say 'What time is the next drum dancing?'"

Tingmiak won in the elder category, which recognizes elders for their contributions and hands-on participation in art, culture, heritage and language. This past year Tingmiak taught students at Sir Alexander Mackenzie School drum dancing skills and songs and Grade 5 students how to make Inuvialuit drums.

Ten years ago, he started teaching in schools due to popular demand.

"He has been one of the vital keys to keeping Inuvialuit cultures and traditions alive in our school," said Jason Dayman, vice-principal at Sir Alexander Mackenzie School. "Abel has worked well with the students and has shared many aspects of his knowledge and skills with our students. SAMS students are very lucky to have someone like Abel work with them."

Tingmiak also teaches Northern games, hunting, trapping and how to live traditionally on the land. He learned the Northern games from his brother, but hunting and trapping from his father. As he ages, it's more difficult for him to participate in the Northern games.

"I do it just in my head," Tingmiak laughed.

He helped restart drum dancing in 1989, when the community recognized, it would be lost alongside the elders who were dying. Since then, an average of 30 people come out to their Monday night practices.

"It grew and now we even teach it in the schools, to kindergartners," Tingmiak said. "They sure know how to dance."

Over the past 50 years, Inuvik has changed fast. When Tingmiak and his family first moved to "this side," they all lived in tents for the first year. After a year back in Aklavik, they've stayed ever since.

Despite the changing, Tingmiak believes it's important to continue living with Inuvialuit culture and tradition.

"It's hard because of all the other games, like on the computer," he said.

"But they should learn because it's their way of life. We have to keep the traditions because it's hard to revive it again."

Tingmiak thinks that for traditions and culture to continue, the government should take steps to ensure every school has included them in the curriculum.

"The government has enough money to pay to the school, to pay people to come in and teach how to set traps and rabbit snares, teach hunting and trapping," Tingmiak said.

His next teaching will be at Reindeer Station, where he will teach around eight students how to make fish hooks and how to play napachuk.

Other winners of the Minister's Cultural Circle Award included Evan Tordiff from Fort Smith, Ben Nind from Yellowknife, the Aklavik Delta Drummers and Dancers and Chief Jimmy Bruneau School from Behchoko.

This is the first year for the award.

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