IQALUIT - International Women's Day was also Women's Day at the Nunavut legislature.

The Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council used the occasion to present the first annual Wise Woman Award, honouring Meeka Alivaktuk from Pangnirtung.

Meet the first wise woman of the year. On March 8, the Qulliit Council for the Nunavut Status of Women honoured Meeka Alivaktuk, right, from Pangnirtung for her community work. Joining Alivaktuk is her cousin and friend Rebecca Veevee. - Kent Driscoll/NNSL photo

Alivaktuk is well known for her work in Pangnirtung.

Along with her day job as a school and community counsellor, she helps with the local suicide prevention initiative, she is a board member with a group that helps residential school victims, and she helped establish a retreat cabin on the Cumberland Sound.

The centre of attention at the March 8 ceremony, Alivaktuk was cracking jokes about being Nunavut's first "wise woman."

"I'm a guinea pig," she said. "I'm happy and surprised I wasn't expecting to receive anything."

Her cousin Rebecca Veevee was on hand to support Alivaktuk and to sing her praises.

"She deserves this 1,000 per cent," said Veevee. "We had grandmas who taught us to be strong and to be good people. She is nice, and we need to have nice, friendly people."

Qulliit Council president Kathy Hanson was thrilled to present the award.

"We know the amount of work women do in their community, and that should be recognized," said Hanson.

Her group received five applications for the honour.

Alivaktuk was humble in receiving the award, and has this bit of wisdom for her fellow Nunavummiut.

"Just be good to people," she said.