 | Home page |  | Text size |  | E-mail this page |
News Briefs: Monday, October 17, 2011
Open house for exhibit
An open house will be held on Oct. 27 at the museum in Fort Smith for an exhibit of photography celebrating the 45th anniversary of the town's incorporation.
The exhibit - Then and Now - is featured at Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre throughout October. It features historic photos paired with present-day photos to show how Fort Smith has changed.
The open house will be from 7-9 p.m. on Oct. 27.
- Paul Bickford
Recreation Leaders Day
Oct. 17, is NWT Recreation Leaders Day, according to the NWT Recreation and Parks Association. The day is meant to honour those who promote healthy lifestyles in communities throughout the NWT. Events are co-ordinated with community councils to celebrate recreation leaders and volunteers.
"Recreation is an essential service for our communities," executive director of NWT Recreation and Parks stated in a press release. "Recreation leaders work hard to provide recreation services and opportunities for communities to enjoy and we need to recognize their efforts."
There is no formal event scheduled to honour the day, but thank you cards have been sent out to all recreation leaders in the NWT, said Sheena Tremblay, active communities co-ordinator for NWT Recreation and Parks. "So we're just really kind of celebrating and recognizing recreation leaders and asking community councils and community members to just be thankful for all the work they do."
- Laura Busch
Lights, action in Res
On Oct. 13, the Fort Resolution Airport became the setting for filming scenes for the new CBC-TV show 'Arctic Air'.
A film crew and actors, including star Adam Beach, spent the day at the airport, and attracted the attention of some curious community residents. The drama centres on the adventures of a pilot who returns to his hometown of Yellowknife to fly for a small Northern airline.
- Paul Bickford
Dettah is on broadband
NorthwesTel is celebrating its newest broadband internet community with a bannock and moose stew dinner in Dettah on Oct. 19 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Chief Drygeese Centre.
"It is our goal to provide the best possible service throughout our operating area," stated NorthwesTel vice president, consumer and small business, Curtis Shaw in a press release.
Other Northern communities recently connected to broadband internet include Tulita, Tsiigehtchic and Whati.
- Laura Busch
Halloween in Wood Buffalo
Thebacha/Fort Smith
A Halloween-themed afternoon of fun is returning to Wood Buffalo National Park for the second year in a row.
The Oct. 22 event - at the Salt River day-use area, about 24 km south of Fort Smith in the northern Alberta section of the park - will feature a Creepy Crawly hike, a haunted cabin, costumes, a fog machine, games and much more.
On the hike of the trail in the area, participants will learn more about garter snakes, owls and bats.
Last year's event was a definite hit as dozens of parents and their children - many dressed in Halloween costumes - showed up to enjoy the fun.
This year's activities will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 22.
- Paul Bickford
Lots to be thankful for
Tuktoyaktuk
More than one-quarter of the population of Tuktoyaktuk were in attendance at the community Thanksgiving dinner at Kitti Hall on Oct. 9. Two hundred and fifty people were treated to a free meal, followed by a square dance.
"It was a lot of fun," said recreation co-ordinator Charo Lloret. "The elders square dancing was amazing. I would have probably broken something if I danced like that."
Many volunteers came out to help make the event a success - and likely had guests leaving feeling quite thankful, in the spirit of the holiday.
Lloret, who moved to Tuk one month ago, said she is loving her new job and her new home, though she had to make some adjustments to her expectations.
"Initially it can be very challenging, but once you get used to working with what you have, it can be very rewarding," she said.
- Laura Busch
Deline public meeting
Deline/Fort Franklin
The Deline First Nation is holding a general public meeting on Monday, Oct. 17. The event will be hosted at the cultural centre and gets underway at 7 p.m.
The meeting will focus on land co-operation, First Nation issues, and any topics brought to the floor.
Also, with upcoming band and land corporation board elections in November, community politics is likely to be a hot topic. These elections take place every four years in Deline.
- Laura Busch
Elders in broadcasting
Deline/Fort Franklin
A radio station in Deline is running an elders radio program for three weeks, ending on Oct. 21. The program has been funded by the federal and territorial governments. Four community elders are participating - learning about radio broadcasting, interviewing and how to cover community events.
"It's pretty good," said participant Dolphus Tutcho, 62. "It's a new field for me, anyways. I think they're just doing it for job creation for people who are older, for the elderly people to be active in their community."
The participating elders have been conducting radio interviews for CKLB about self-government, hosting morning shows and giving community news and updates. Most broadcasting is done in the North Slavey language.
- Laura Busch
Artists, craftspeople invited
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Fort Smith's Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre is inviting artists and craftspeople to participate in next month's annual Christmas sale.
The MAX! Christmas Arts and Crafts Sale, which is sponsored by the museum, is set for Nov. 26 from 1 to 4 p.m.
in the Aurora College foyer.
Artists and craftspeople can contact the museum to rent a table for $20 on which to sell their creations.
- Paul Bickford
A good time for a serious issue
Radilih Koe'/Fort Good Hope
Family Violence Awareness Week wrapped up with fireworks and a bonfire in Fort Good Hope last week.
"It was pretty good. We had things going every day," said Doris Manuel, who works in victims services at the drop-in centre and helped organize the week of activities.
Events began Monday, Oct. 3 with a church service followed by a walk from the church to the band hall, finishing with a community breakfast. Many events were held throughout the week, including multiple radio shows, where listeners were invited to call in to answer questions like 'what is emotional abuse?' These programs created good dialogue about family violence and being aware of abuse, said Manuel.
The main message was how to prevent abuse, what family violence is about, and how to confront the taboos of talking about these issues.
- Laura Busch
AGM at Dene Cultural Institute
K'atlodeeche/Hay River Reserve
The Yamozha K'ue Society - also known as the Dene Cultural Institute - will hold its annual general meeting this month.
The meeting will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 23 at the society's headquarters on the Hay River Reserve.
The Yamozha K'ue Society is a non-profit organization incorporated under the Territorial Societies Act.
It has representation from the five regions of Denendeh with the goal of promoting and protecting all aspects of Dene culture.
- Paul Bickford
Thanksgiving hampers
Taloyoak/Spence Bay
About 25 elders and their families in Taloyoak received Thanksgiving hampers filled with turkeys and other food thanks to the students of Netsilik School.
The hampers, which also contained canned food, flour and rice, were delivered by the student council on Oct. 6, said Cathryn Trull, the school's student council staff advisor. This is the third year the school has delivered hampers.
"There are a lot of needy families in the community," said Trull. "By addressing the needs of the elders, who are the most important members of the community, we are also helping out others as well."
Grade 6 students won a turkey dinner as they brought in the most donations for the hampers - 93 items.
Student council is always motivated by the project every time the school does it, said Trull.
"Everyone in the student council is always excited about helping out, (from putting) the hampers together to delivering them to the elders and seeing how much excitement that creates in the community," said Trull. "The elders of the community are just so thankful for our efforts and I think it just makes everybody feel really good."
- Jeanne Gagnon
Firefighters teach fire safety
Iglulik
As part of Fire Prevention Week from Oct. 9 to 15, Iglulik's fire chief and a number of firefighters will talk to Ataguttaaluk Elementary School students about fire safety.
Jeela Allurut, principal of Ataguttaaluk Elementary School
"A lot of the students really like firemen and they seem to respect the firemen and the things they do," said principal Jeela Allurut. "They are going to be talking about the responsibilities of their job and also how to be more aware of the safety for a fire hazardous environment and to be able to take care of themselves."
As part of Literacy Week last month, elders told stories to students and the school had different activities, such as a bingo.
"It was a lot of fun for the kids. It was well-received and students were happy," said Allurut.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Elders meal
Taloyoak/Spence Bay
About 50 elders will be served turkey and country foods including char, caribou and muskox, as part of a feast on Oct. 14.
Senior administrative officer Chris Dickson said the elders and youth committee, as well as a handful of Nunavut Arctic College students, will prepare the meal.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Beluga season is starting in Kimmirut
Kimmirut/Lake Harbour
Hunters in Kimmirut are getting ready to hunt for beluga whales, Mayukalik Hunters and Trappers Organization office manager Mary Akavak says.
Last year's catch was between 20 and 30 whales.
"A lot of the hunters still work together and share the meat with the community," she said. "This October, I'm sure there will be quite a few going."
Sometimes belugas come right into the harbour in the summer, but the fall and spring are better for hunting, she said.
- Casey Lessard
School awaits furniture, supplies
Sanikiluaq
The final sealift of the season is set to bring in all of the new furniture for Paatsaali High School in Sanikiluaq, which opened in September.
For now, principal Tim Hoyt said, "We're borrowing old tables and chairs from the old school, and as soon as the new stuff gets here, we'll be moving all the brand new stuff in."
Everything from desks, chairs, filing cabinets, and shelving for the library are expected to arrive by the end of October.
- Casey Lessard
Grise Fiord waits for freeze
Ausuittuq/Grise Fiord
It's still boating season in Canada's northernmost civilian community, Grise Fiord, where most years the freeze-up would have already occurred by mid-October, hamlet recreation co-ordinator Melissa Patey said.
Hunters are still hunting by boat; most years, snowmobiles would be the main mode of transport by this time of year, Patey said.
"We're slowly starting to freeze up, just the top of the water at night," she said, noting temperatures have been cold, but not freezing, and winds have been strong.
- Casey Lessard
| 
News desk 
