Rankin Inlet (Sep 08/04) - The matriarch of an Inuit family from Whale Cove would have been proud two weekends ago, as her family gathered together for the first time in years.

Most of the people gathered at Joe Kaludjak's cabin in Rankin Inlet on Aug. 28 couldn't remember ever having so many descendants of Mary Ekwalak in the same place.

Ekwalak is no longer alive, but her framed picture watched over her descendants from Whale Cove, Chesterfield Inlet and Rankin Inlet, Saturday.

"We've really lost track of our family," said Mary Irkootee, one of the organizers about why she wanted to hold the event.

"It's very important for family to get together. This is the first time we've gotten people from out of the community," said Veronica Kaludjak, her sister.

When the sisters, who now live in Rankin Inlet, found out their brother, Paul Kaludjak, would be moving to Iqaluit for good, they realized it was time to organize a reunion. One that would double as a farewell for Kaludjak.

"It's a little bit overwhelming," said Paul Kaludjak.

"We haven't gotten together for some time since the passing of our parents," he said.

Kaludjak spent the day getting reacquainted with relatives and meeting some for the first time.

The president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. moved to Iqaluit with his family shortly after the event.

Mary-Jones Kriterdluk travelled four to five hours from Whale Cove by boat with 15 other relatives for the reunion.

"It was good to see the land between Whale Cove and Rankin Inlet," she said, while tending to meat boiling on a fire. She and a few other family members fundraised in their community for the trip. Kriterdluk wasn't going to miss the family finally getting together as a whole, she said.

Family members were treated to a feast of boiled caribou, geese, seal and muktuk Saturday. There were hotdogs for the kids, as well.

Irkootee and others planned games for after the feast. Then the entire crowd headed to a church service in Rankin, Saturday evening.

The day went smoothly, despite the misty rain that started falling early on. Irkootee simply dismissed the inclement weather as a blessing from the sea.