Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (May 08/01) - The 2002 edition of Pakallak Tyme in Rankin Inlet was one of the more successful hamlet celebrations in recent memory.

Many people from around the Kivalliq made the trek to Rankin to take part in the snowmobile races and various games, dances and fun filled activities.

Hamlet recreation co-ordinator Johnny Tucktoo says Old Man Winter was in the same mood this year and he was last -- cold, cranky and blowing off a lot of steam.

"During our 2001 Pakallak Tyme, we had one really bad day of wind which tore our tent down at Johnson's Cove," says Tucktoo.

"The wind wasn't quite that bad this year, but we did have a couple of days cold and windy enough to keep our number of participants down."

Other than some windy days and cool temperatures, Tucktoo says the Pakallak Tyme events ran smoothly.

And, once the warmer weather settled in later in the week, people started coming out in droves.

The large number of people in Rankin from other communities pushed the event numbers even higher.

"There were many unfamiliar faces in town and that's great to see when they're participating in the events, coming up to get tickets or what have you. During the Pakallak Tyme giant bingo, the hall was packed," says Tucktoo.

"That may have been one of the biggest crowds I've ever seen here at a bingo game."

Tucktoo says the 2002 edition of Pakallak Tyme was so popular, many people were asking for a few extra nights of games to be added to the schedule.

The hamlet couldn't oblige with the extra games, but an additional square dance was held at the community hall.

"Everything just seemed to run smoother this year. We could have used a few more volunteers, but that's always the case," Tucktoo says.

"We made do with who we had and they worked very hard to help everything run well. It was, pretty much, a job well done by everybody involved."