NWT - What would you do for a haircut?

Pam Noland of Aklavik cuts her daughter Andrena's hair inside her soon-to-open salon, Aklavik Klips. - photo courtesy of Carlene Koe

In remote Aklavik, where residents have gone without a proper hair salon or barbershop for 100 years, many don't bat an eyebrow at flying to nearby Inuvik for $70.

Fortunately, they'll soon have another option.

Later this month, Pam Noland, wife of Baptist pastor Larry Noland, will open the hamlet's first salon, Aklavik Klips.

A southern transplant from Jacksonville, Fla. and former stay-at-home home, Noland said the approaching opening of her salon has the town buzzing.

"Aklavik had its 100 year anniversary last year, and they've never had a beauty shop or salon. So people were really excited about the possibility of that coming to town," said Noland.

"Most people in Aklavik, if they don't already travel or have somebody that just uses clippers on them, they have to buy a plane ticket and fly to Inuvik and get their hair cut over there and then fly home."

Faye Gordon, a secretary at the hamlet, is one of them.

"Finally!" is how she summarized her feelings about the soon-to-open salon.

Noland – who received a cosmetology diploma in her home state of Missouri back when mullets were all the rage (that's the 80s, for all you kiddies) – has received $12,000 from the department of Industry, Tourism and Investment's SEED to establish her new business in a side edition to her home.

A hydraulic chair, shampoo bowl, pedicure chair and styling aids were all flown in from Edmonton.

"(Larry's) very good with construction. We've done a lot of work on our church building, so he's the one doing that," said Noland.

While she and Larry only recently obtained permanent Canadian residency, Noland has been a part of the community's fabric for years – a relationship she hopes to build on in her new role.

"We were here just on a religious workers visa so we were not allowed to work. But I had been a stay at home Mom. I've home-schooled all of my kids. I also tutored another young lady from the community here that is in college starting this year. I've kept very, very busy and of course being a pastor's wife keeps me very busy, as well."

In addition to her other duties, Noland has taught hairstyling to students at Moose Kerr School.

"We've never had actual equipment for me to use and really show them the full extent of how this works and what we do. This will open up opportunities for them, too, because we'll be able to do some of the classes from here.

"Eventually, I would love to be able to start incorporating some of these girls slowly into (the salon)."

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