Kelly said she's happy to grow old and won't leave her job until it's time to join the elders' circle herself.

News/North: How did you get the job working at the elders centre?

Lizzie Kelly: I worked at the elders home, where many of them live, before this. I was

there for a home care course for maybe two or three years. I quit and the lady that ran things here asked if I could help on Thursdays. I started volunteering but only once a week. She asked if I could work with pay and I said sure. Then, they decided it would be better to have it open Monday to Friday. It used to be open only on Thursdays. That's how it started.

N/N: It must have been an easy move to make?

LK: The elders are easy to please. They're really good, kind people.

N/N: How many people work with you?

LK: There's only me. It's an easy job. I shouldn't say only me, the attendants from next door will come over and bring food. They'll help me do the dishes.

N/N: How have things changed now that the centre is open five days a week?

LK: Thursdays, they had country food when I was volunteering. People would donate food. Hunters would bring country food. Now

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday the elders home cooks hot meals for them. They

pay $2 for that food. Thursdays, there's still nice, kind people who volunteer and cook for them.

N/N: Do the elders appreciate the services offered to them?

LK: It's really good for them. They say so many times they can't wait for the next day to

come. A lot of them live alone. This is where they meet each other, play games, and talk

about the old times.

N/N: Do other people come down to the centre to be with the elders?

LK: Their favourite is Nick Newbery's class from Inuksuk high school. The students come

down and sing along to the elders. They are coming on Dec. 12 for a Christmas party. The elders also play a lot of games. Their favourite is Frustration. They play Chinese checkers. The card game we play is an old time game their mothers used to play. In Inuktitut, it's Joker. On Valentine's Day, we put all these hearts and stuff on the window and exchange cards. Every Halloween, they have a great time. They all dress up in home-made costumes. We have prizes for the best ones, even St. Patrick's Day. They don't know anything about St. Patrick, but we tell them. They try to wear green, that always works well. Thanksgiving Day, they have a big nice turkey.

N/N: What have you learned from working with the elders besides this card game?

LK: A lot of things. When they talk about long before the qallunaat came, it's really interesting. I learn a lot of things almost every day.

N/N: Any specific stories you remember?

LK: They told me about when they were hungry and the people had no food. People died and that's a really sad story. When you think about it today, we're not hungry but there's lots of food wasted.They talk like that and it really makes you think.

N/N: Are all the elders from Iqaluit?

LK: A lot of the elders that come aren't from here. A lot of them came in the late 1950s and 1960s. They made their homes here. Not very many of the elders are from Iqaluit. None of them speak English.

N/N: Do you think life is easier now for Inuit?

LK: I think so, yes. I think we are lucky that we were brought up with no food shortages and stuff like that. Compared to them, it was easy for me to grow up. They had a hard time.

N/N: Where did you grow up?

LK: I grew up here. I was born in Iqaluit.

N/N: So you must have seen a lot of changes, too? What surprises you the most?

LK: I've seen many changes -- like when Iqaluit became the capital of Nunavut. In the

summer time, when I was growing up our parents used to put a tent up. We would stay in the tent all summer until fall and then move back into the house. Now we don't do that. There's no room or too much noise. I'd be afraid to be in a tent in the summer.

N/N: Are you glad Iqaluit became the capital?

LK: In a way, yes. It's just life.

N/N: From listening to the elders, do you get a sense that they are afraid Inuit culture is disappearing?

LK: No, they're not afraid. I don't see them afraid. They see lots of changes, we've all seen

lots of changes. I don't hear them being afraid that it's going to be lost or it's going to be gone because there's a lot of people helping to not lose the Inuit culture. They have confidence in them.

N/N: Why do you think you are so happy at your job?

LK: When I was growing up I had a grandmother, Nuijaut, who was a very amazing

women. She died of old age. She must have been in her 90s when she died. She used to tell stories.

It was always interesting. She told me how she witnessed the shaman people. It was interesting when she told me this. I didn't really believe it because I was just a little girl. But when the elders today start telling me the same stories it comes back to me. I remember.

N/N: Have you travelled to many other communities?

LK: I've been to a lot of communities. Every August, the elders have gatherings in Nunavut and Nunavik. This last August, we were down at Puvirnituq (in Nunavik). Next year, it's going to be held in Iqaluit. It goes Nunavut,

Nunavik, Nunavut, Nunavik.

N/N: Has your experience made you confident about growing old?

LK: Oh yes. I'm not afraid at all.

N/N: Do you plan on working at the elder's centre for a while still?

LK: Until I'm too old to work I guess. Until I'm sitting down with them and somebody is looking after me.