Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Mar 24/99) - People in Rankin Inlet rallied to rebuild the igloo set to be a centrepiece of Nunavut Day celebrations which vandals destroyed a week ago this past Sunday.

Gwen Thirwall, executive director of the Community Wellness Centre, said the threat of the igloo being smashed had been considered by organizers and was why it was built in a hidden place with no road leading to it.

"There are a lot of angry and disappointed people in the community right now, especially since the igloo was going to be the centre of our Nunavut Day celebrations," said Thirwall. "The igloo had just been completely finished. We kind of dragged out building it because there were a lot of kids who wanted to be involved with its construction.

"We were ready to start the new phase last Monday and have kids go out and learn some traditional knowledge while spending some time with some elders."

The Wellness Centre was backing the effort, which was begun late in February by a group of elders who wanted to build the igloo for Nunavut Day.

"We found them a bit of gas money, some funds to pay them a little bit, did some intercommunications like talking to the schools, that type of thing. They were also planning to hold Inuit games during celebrations, so we went around and found out who might be able to donate some prizes to us.

"The silver cloud is that some people have volunteered to rebuild it and keep a close eye on it until Nunavut Day. Students from Maani Ulujuk middle school are rebuilding the igloo in a new location with the help of the school's land instructor, Jack Kavitok, and elder Tuma Saumik."

Therseie Tungilik is helping to organize Nunavut Day celebrations in Rankin and says the igloo was meant to play a significant part in those celebrations. She says the igloo being smashed was almost expected.

"Whoever did this has no respect for the community and the amount of work that went into the igloo and the reason why it was being built," says Tungilik. "It's a very important part of Nunavut Day celebrations to have an igloo because most of us born in the 1950s were born in igloos and lived in igloos.

"These were the only homes we had and it was a very mobile home. If you didn't like it anymore you just moved to another spot where you found good snow and rebuilt. It was using part of Mother Nature to your own advantage and it kept you warm."

As well as its cultural significance, Tungilik says the igloo still has a viable role to play in today's society.

"I'd like to see an igloo-building program in place. Young people will always have the tendency to want to go out hunting and I think it is most important they know how to build a shelter or an igloo for themselves. We lost so many men this year to the cold weather and a proper igloo will save your life."