Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

POND INLET (Nov 01/99) - Tapisa Pitseolak is six months old today.

Born at the Baffin Regional Hospital under a starry sky full of celebratory fireworks, Tapisa made history at precisely 12:18 a.m. on April 1 and earned herself the honoured title of the Nunavut baby.

"She's doing very well," said mother Mona Enooagak Pitseolak, 20, from her home in Pond Inlet.

Singing her somewhat famous daughter's praises, Pitseolak said Tapisa now has two teeth and has no trouble saying anaana, the Inuktitut word for mother.

"She's healthy, she tries to play with her toys. It's all very exciting," said Pitseolak.

And just as Tapisa must learn to crawl before she takes those first few baby steps, so must the territory of Nunavut wobble a little in order to find its footing.

"It's been a challenge, but it's gone quite well," said Premier Paul Okalik, referring to the work the government has done in getting the fledgling territory off the ground.

"It's quite an accomplishment. On April 1 when we started, we didn't even have a government."

A mere 214 days later, the territory's regional health and education boards are on their way to being abolished, a single time zone came into effect just yesterday and significant work has been done to beef up the territory's mineral industry.

Finance Minister Kelvin Ng told the house on Thursday afternoon that the government was still operating on a balanced budget and that revenues were $1.7 million higher than originally anticipated and departmental expenditures would be an estimated $10.3 million less than budgeted.

So even taking the necessary growing pains into account, it sounds like everything is coming up roses. But is that the perception of the average Nunavut resident?

You bet, said Pitseolak, at least in her world.

"I think there's a better future for Tapisa now that we have Nunavut."

But what about in a community that isn't likely to see many benefits from decentralization or increased territorial population?

Peachy keen, said Mina Appaqaq, a lifelong resident of Sanikiluaq and an office clerk at the Mitiq Co-op.

"It's been pretty good so far. I've been here my whole life. The hamlet is trying to get things running well and they're trying to get more stuff for us," said Appaqaq.

The words of praise don't stop there. The mother of three said that she hadn't heard any words of criticism for the government from her community members and everyone was strongly behind MLA Peter Kattuk.

Perhaps most importantly, Appaqaq said her children's perceptions of what lies ahead for their futures has improved since the birth of the territory.

"Before Nunavut even came they were talking about it and they said it was going to get better. They're trying to do their best and we try to help them."

On the other hand, Pelly Bay's Alexandro Inutuinaq said he hadn't really noticed any changes yet -- other than the switch to a unified time zone.

Realizing that the honeymoon was over and that it was going to take hard work to keep the marriage together, Inutuinaq said he had still faith in the dream.

"Ordinary people were hoping that it would change in a couple of days or overnight, but now they know."