Holman (Sep 27/04) - Well-worn and sparse equipment at CKHI in Holman is making work difficult for the radio station's announcers.

"We have to use one microphone for both speaking into and playing the music," Noah Akhiatak said of the outdated equipment he and fellow announcer Annie Joss must use.

Faith Gordon of Aklavik answers the very first caller to the language contest held by the radio station. - photo courtesy of Marie Jacobson

"It makes it a lot of work to keep switching back and forth," he said.

That switch, he said, results in lost air time.

The community radio station has become a vital link in keeping the Inuinnaqtun language vibrant, said Emily Kudlak, supervisor at the station.

"Everybody is so used to listening to the radio in both languages. But the equipment is so old that it is difficult to use," Kudlak said.

Through word translation games, the station promotes the use of the traditional language by its faithful listeners.

Akhiatak said the community is responding to the contests.

"We recently had a winner who was just four years old," he said.

"This radio station is really helping the community. And they are trying very hard with the language."

Radio's importance

Pat Winfield, co-ordinator of the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre in Inuvik, said there is no denying the importance of community radio in bringing residents together, be it for entertainment or learning.

"You can still hear the language being spoken in Holman. And we want to encourage the children to speak Inuktitut," Winfield said.

A similar Inuvialuktun language learning program was started in Aklavik, said its host, Faith Gordon.

But a lack of station volunteers, not a lack of interest in the language, has put the show on hold for now, Gordon noted.

"People liked the call-in show. It is mostly elders who speak the language now," she said.