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Gobbling up the atmosphere Elders help make Calm Air feast true community event
Darrell Greer
Calm Air brought its annual Christmas feast to Tusarvik for the second time since the airline started its rotating holiday extravaganza in the Kivalliq 11 years ago. Inuglak School in Whale Cove will host in 2013. Calm Air staff members Rebecca Condon, John Friess, Brock Weir, Brent Sutherland, Tanya Dnistransky and Karen Yip made the trip to Repulse. The special guests in attendance were Mayor Hugh Haqpi, SAO Steve Mapsalak, former mayor Donat Milortok, RCMP officers, local district education authority members and many others. Manitoba artist Gerald Kuehl also attended, and he added to the festivities by presenting nine pencil portraits to local elders. Twelve of Kuehl's stunning elder portraits are displayed at the school. Tusarvik principal Aubrey Bolt said the feast was well-organized and everyone enjoyed themselves immensely. He said in addition to the wonderful meal, the prizes and presents given out were the highlights of the event for the younger students. But, he said, the gathering was made extra-special by the elder portrait presentations. "Seven of the nine were presented to the elders they depicted, while family members accepted two of the elders who had passed away," said Bolt. "People were touched by the presentations. "Some tears were obvious among the audience as the artist (Kuehl) presented the portraits. "It was a very moving, emotional kind of experience." Bolt said Tusarvik staff cooked 20 turkeys in preparation for the feast, as well as helping to set up the tables, serve the guests and clean up afterwards. He said the students were excited to host the event, and were also pleased so many elders were in attendance. "The elders are held in pretty high esteem here, and every elder who normally comes into the school to work with the kids attended. "The elders come in to talk to the classes, do group or individual counselling with students, or go out on the land with them during our various programs. "The students appreciated having the elders here to share this meal with. "It was, certainly, a very nice event for the students and staff, and, with so many people in our community being related, it was a family type of affair for most people." Bolt said the community was pumped for this year's event because everyone knew of the portrait presentations to the elders. He said the annual feast is a great public relations for Calm Air, and the airline deserves full credit for the effort it puts into the event. "This feast has become an important community event that draws everyone together. "It's a little extra-special for us here at Tusarvik, because the prominence of our elders within the education system is important to us. "The cultural connection the elders bring to the school is important, particularly for the younger kids, so that makes a gathering like this fairly significant in our eyes."
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