Hay River (Feb 13/06) - To say that Shirley Lamalice is active in her community is a bit of an understatement.

Lamalice is involved in just about every community event on the Hay River Reserve.

Shirley Lamalice flips through the binder in which she keeps track of her tasks as K'amba Carnival chairperson. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

These days she is chairperson of the 23rd annual K'amba Carnival, set for March 2-5.

Lamalice says she has been involved in the carnival in some way or another for almost all of its 23 years, except for the very beginning when she was living in Vancouver.

"I just want to give back to the community," she says.

Lamalice started as a carnival volunteer in the 1980s and was chairperson for almost 10 years from the late 1980s into the 1990s. She stepped aside for a few years before returning to the position two years ago. "I missed it, so I came back."

As chairperson, there is pressure to ensure everything runs smoothly.

"But I have fun," she says, explaining she finds some time to enjoy herself between activities.

Lamalice says the carnival is good for the reserve.

"I think it gives our community pride to host a large event like that," she explains. "It's good for our young people to see that."

Lamalice adds it's also a way to promote sobriety. "You can have lots of fun with sobriety."

However, she says the main thing she enjoys about the K'amba Carnival is the gathering of people from other communities.

"I think when you have a big gathering you have a lot of humour and laughter," she says.

Her community involvement is part of a family tradition, she says, noting she was brought up in the household of her grandfather, Chief John Lamalice.

Her grandfather's big house in the Old Village was a centre of the community, she recalls. "Everything revolved around it."

While looking after the details of this year's carnival, Lamalice is also looking to the future.

Among the changes she would like to see are singing in aboriginal languages and square-dancing. "It's going to take time to have those happen."

She also hopes more young people will get involved to acquire hands-on experience in running the carnival.

Aside from her volunteer efforts, Lamalice - a former band councillor and former band manager - works as director of recreation and sports, culture, youth and justice with K'atlodeeche First Nation.

That means she is involved with such events as Aboriginal Day, Treaty Day and many other cultural activities.