YELLOWKNIFE - This week, the North's creative element is making its presence known at the Canada Winter Games.

Held in Whitehorse this year, the Games - which opened Friday - will feature dozens of Northern artists and musicians, joining hundreds of athletes, coaches and youth representatives.

Cambridge Bay's Tanya Tagaq Gillis will bring her unique throat singing back to Whitehorse for the Canada Games this week. One of many Northern performers, athletes and representatives at the Games, Gillis will perform at the closing ceremonies and throughout the Games' cultural festival. - photo courtesy of Tanya Tagaq Gillis

Northern performers will make a significant impact on both the closing and opening ceremonies of the Games.

Cambridge's Bay's Tanya Tagaq Gillis will close off two weeks of competition and culture, performing at the Games' closing ceremonies.

"It's an honour, of course," Gillis said from Calgary. "It's really important."

She will also appear throughout the Games' cultural festival, performing Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3.

Gillis said she would be performing with Michael Edwards (aka DJ Michael Red), who is producing her upcoming album.

"There's going to be a lot more music on the album," she said. "Just don't expect Britney Spears."

Other performers at the cultural festival include Gerald Antoine, Pat Braden and the Paulatuk Moonlight Drummers.

Tackling the opening ceremonies was Yellowknife's Aaron "Godson" Hernandez, performing his song Freezing Point from his recent album of the same name.

His performance was set to take place just before athlete's march.

"Oh, I'm so stoked to do it," he said beforehand. "I've always wanted to do an opening ceremonies of some sort."

The ceremonies also marked the opening of the Games' Burning Cold National Exhibition. The gallery showing was set to feature select artists from around the country, including representatives from Nunavut and the NWT.

Fort Simpson's John Sabourin said he is bringing a special piece to the Games, a 60 cm-tall black stone sculpture, depicting two ravens fighting over a necklace.

"I'm just hoping it will get my name out there," Sabourin said of joining the exhibition.

"I'm just looking forward to opening night I guess, and to meeting everyone."

Another anticipated guest was Cape Dorset printmaker Annie Pootoogook, the winner of the $30,000 Sobey Art Prize.

Curator Scott Marsden said he was excited to see Pootoogook join a stellar cast of artists.

"We chose these artists two years ago," he said. "Since then, (Pootoogook's) career has taken off like a rocket."

She will be joined by fellow Cape Dorset artist Shuvinai Ashoona, as well as Paulatuk's Floyd Kuptana.

"The idea behind this is to host in a Northern fashion," said Games representative Sunny Patch.

"We're putting our money where our mouth is."