Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (July 16/01) - It was as if the elements conspired to make Nunavut Day perfect. The sun was shining, people were beaming, and communities were glowing with pride as July 9 finally arrived.

Inuit and non-Inuit alike gathered in all 26 of the territory's communities to mark the eighth anniversary of the day the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement became a part of Canadian law.

Eva Alainga expressed her pride by hopping onto centre stage in Iqaluit and whipping several hundred of her friends and family into a frenzy of excitement.

Part of the Nunavut Day celebrations committee for the capital city, Alainga was nervous when her cohorts first selected her to emcee the event. She spent two weeks fretting about the big day, but when July 9 dawned, Alainga's worries melted away.

"I wasn't nervous at all." said Alainga. "I had a great time, a wonderful time. I'd do it again if I was asked," she said.

Heading north on Baffin Island, Lazarus Arreak celebrated in Clyde River with a cook-out of seal meat, frozen char and hotdogs. Happy to have a day off as the hamlet's tenant relations officer, Arreak said the beautiful weather drew more than 200 people out to the games and barbecue.

"The weather helped. It was plus 17 (degrees Celsius). It was just fantastic," said Arreak.

In Rankin Inlet, John Hickes reflected on the birth of the territory and the hard work it took to get there. Personally part of the land claims' negotiating process, Hickes said Nunavummiut have a lot to be thankful for -- particularly when compared with the economic and social circumstances of other cultures around the world.

"I think people don't appreciate enough what they have in Nunavut," said Hickes.

After participating in the local events, fixing his Honda, picking up his canoe and feeding all 40 of his dogs, Hickes said he realized the true significance of the day.

"When I see what we have and people are happy, celebrating with songs and feasting, it's significant that it's Nunavut Day," he said. "We're celebrating forming our own identity as Inuit and having our homeland."

Arctic Islands Lodge manager Rhonda O'Brien commemorated the day by serving up a huge cake to 250 residents of Cambridge Bay. Spending the two days prior to Nunavut Day building the sweet stuff (it took six cakes), O'Brien said the monster-sized treat went over extremely well.

"We didn't get to try it because it had to go out un-cut," said O'Brien. "But as far as I know, it was really good."