INUVIK
After 31 years, Inuvik's community concert is going strong and drawing crowds.

Louie Goose performs O Holy Night at the community Christmas concert at the Igloo Church on Dec. 13. - Sarah Ladik/NNSL photo

"For me, this is Christmas," said organizer Miki O'Kane.

"Regardless of religion, of whether you believe in God at all, everyone coming together for this is event - that's Christmas for me."

A whopping 16 different groups and individual acts took the stage at the Igloo Church Dec. 13 in front of a packed house, singing old favourites as well as songs many in the audience wouldn't have known, in at least five languages, including Filipino.

"It always starts out with only a few," said O'Kane, adding that performers always flood in at the end, even adding impromptu songs to their acts on the fly.

"We had that little girl who brought her flute who wasn't in the program, but of course we're going to have her play. I should just know by now that it will always come together."

Singers and musicians travelled from other communities to attend, including the Tsiigehtchic Tsiingers, and mistress of ceremonies Grace Blake.

Blake spoke about living outside of Tsiigehtchic as a girl and only going into the community for Christmas. She said it wasn't about the presents then.

"There was nothing about commercialization, nothing like that," she said.

"My grandmother was very strong in her faith, we all were, most of us were raised like that . That was what Christmas was about."

Children from East Three Elementary School, the Gwich'in Choir and the Inuvialuit Choir sang songs in Gwich'in and Inuvialuktun, while members of the Association des Francophones du Delta du Mackenzie performed in French.

"Tonight all this beautiful music, all of us coming together . how wonderful is that?" said Blake. "It's a gift we're giving one another tonight . and it's free, probably the only thing that's free today."

O'Kane said the concert began as an effort on the part of the Inuvik Choral Society 31 years ago and morphed into the event the community now knows and loves.

She said the concert is usually standing room only, even with extra chairs set up around the back of the pews.

"Every year I get in a snit about it and worry," she said, laughing.

"And every year when it's over, I think it's good that I did it after all."

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