Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 29/00) - A year's work came to fruition for Elisapee Karetak earlier this month with the first public screening of the Kikkik documentary in Rankin Inlet.

A good crowd gathered for the screening, which was well received in the community. Karetak held a previous private screening for family members, and says discussions held after the screening made the evening a success for her.

"I was disappointed there weren't more elders there because I wanted more input into what the actual trial was like," says Karetak.

"I was quite surprised by how many people told me they have gone through similar experiences and I wasn't really prepared for that."

Kikkik, who was Karetak's mother, was trying to walk from Henik Lake to Pedlei Post during the great starvation of 1957. She had five children with her and her husband had been murdered along the way. She made the decision to leave two of the children behind so the others could live. One of the children was found alive by the RCMP.

Kikkik was charged with abandonment and murdering the man who killed her husband. She was tried and found not guilty.

Karetak openly admits she is still having trouble dealing with her mother's past.

Although she has made significant emotional gains, her healing process is not yet complete.

"So many tell me, 'ah, forgive, forgive, forgive,' but I'm not ready to forgive.

"I'm stubborn and I'll forgive when I'm ready."

Karetak says she struggles to watch Kikkik because the film represents a time in her life when she was in a deep depression.

She no longer suffers from such depression and finds it hard to think about how depressed she was.

Karetak does, however, feel some tremendous good has been accomplished by the film.

"I find the film has opened some windows of emotion, where people are saying we can't be afraid to talk about our depression, abuse or anger.

"People have been silent for too long and this documentary has opened avenues for them to face their anger and other emotions."

Kikkik will air on the Women's Television Network on April 6, at 9 p.m. EST.

Karetak also travelled to Ottawa to do a screening for Nancy Karetak-Lindell and other cabinet members on March 28.

Supreme Court representatives attended, as well as APTN, the cast and crew of Kikkik and Canadian writer Farley Mowatt.

As happy as Karetak is with the reception to Kikkik, she says her mind is totally occupied by a sickness in the family right now.

"My little grand niece had pneumonia and is on life support in intensive care.

"She's only three years old. We can't think of anything else other than her healing and waking up.

"Our prayers go out to her."