Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Aug 04/00) - The 12th annual Great Northern Arts Festival (GNAF) wrapped up Sunday in fine style.

"What a way to start out the new millennium," observed festival co-ordinator Marilyn Dzaman.

An emotional Dzaman said the entire festival had been terrific, displaying "a tremendous base in traditional artists and elderly artists who are here, and the younger generation that's coming up."

"Thank you volunteers, thank you visitors, thank you God," Dzaman said. "Nearly every single one of my dreams has happened."

The large audience was treated to three a cappella performances in a row. Erin Murray of Whitehorse, Karen Gelderman of Hay River and Tanya Tagaq Gillis of Cambridge Bay sang.

Karen Balanuik and Elaine Zimmer, who have both volunteered at five festivals, got to carry out the whalebone, thus closing the 2000 event.

"It was a huge honour," Balanuik said.

Zimmer said, "It's a good thing they told us ahead of time, or we would have been unable."

For her part, Gillis -- who captured an Emerging Artist Award for two-dimensional works -- said the GNAF was really exciting.

"Coming to the festival was one of the most enriching things that ever happened to me, because just being around all the other artists, and how well it was put together, the feeling was really good," Gillis said.

"Being around this many artists, I didn't even know there were this many in the North. I always feel kind of lonely for artists, but here I felt good."

During the festival Gillis conducted a workshop on throat singing, and she led her students in an impromptu performance during the closing ceremonies.

"We just kind of thought of it right before the show," she said with a laugh.