Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Mar 17/99) - Rankin Inlet's Jeff Tabvahtah says he's a little nervous and a whole lot excited about taking part in an elaborate theatrical production in Iqaluit to celebrate Nunavut Day on April 1.

Tabvahtah says the Nunavut Implementation Commission wanted to put on an April 1 play to illustrate how far the Inuit culture has progressed over time. The giant show will feature about 60 Inuit performers and Tabvahtah's troupe will take to the stage between performers to tell the Inuit tale.

"There will be artists from all over the North and, in between performers, we'll be doing a miniature play illustrating Inuit culture, clothing, stories, stuff like that," says Tabvahtah.

"They've tried to ensure representation from every region and there's myself and Vinnie Karetak taking part from the Keewatin."

Tabvahtah has been involved with theatre through traditional and contemporary dance and has spent a couple of summers at the Banff Centre for the Arts studying dance forms as part of the aboriginal arts program.

The program attracts natives from all over Canada who rehearse every day for four weeks and then perform a week-long show during the Banff Arts Festival.

Tabvahtah got his start in theatre while in Ottawa to take the Nunavut Sivuniksavut Training program. The Pauktuutit Inuit Women's Association was having a fashion show at the Museum of Civilization highlighting Inuit women designers in the Arctic and Tabvahtah found himself involved.

"It started off as a fashion show where we'd just walk on stage and show off clothes. It snowballed into a theatrical show and the next thing you know we're in Toronto at the CNE doing a choreographed fashion show."

Tabvahtah joined his troupe in Iqaluit this week and says it's going to be a busy month for the performers, who will rehearse every day from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. until the April 1 show.

"I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I've only acted once before and I was just an extra in the back. I'm a little nervous about performing in front of the prime minister and the Governor General. I hope I don't forget my lines."

The show will be held in an airport army hangar with seating for 400. Tabvantah says the huge stage will be a showcase for almost every form of performing Inuit artist.

"There will be just about everything, the Delta Drum Dancers, throat singers, all the famous Inuit singers and artists will be there. There will be storytellers during the whole show above the stage looking down on the audience. It's pretty elaborate. We've seen the model and it's quite impressive."

Like so many before him, on the eve of his big show, Tabvahtah says there is one special person who has made everything possible for him -- his mom.

"If it wasn't for my mom, who has made all my clothes for me to do this, I wouldn't be able to take part in these events. She's made my clothing for every new show and I owe her so much thanks."