RANKIN INLET
A commemorative gathering for former students of residential schools was held in Rankin Inlet earlier this month.
The event was sponsored by the Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre and ran in Rankin from March 4 to 10.
Event co-ordinator Karen Tutanuak said the gathering was something those who work at the Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre had been wanting to do for the past few years.
She said the centre put together a proposed agenda for the gathering and then hired her as its co-ordinator this past November.
"The week began with a special day of welcoming by Rankin Mayor Robert Janes, our MLAs, Tagak Curley and Lorne Kusugak, and our Nunavut MP, Leona Aglukkaq," said Tutanuak.
"We invited four guest speakers to the event, who are all former residential school students.
"Our guest speakers were Levinia Brown, Peter Irniq, Jack Anawak and Andre Tautu of Chesterfield Inlet.
"They all said a few words at our welcoming and were very well received by everyone there."
Tutanuak said the friendship centre hired a group of elders and helpers to build a large iglu near Area 6.
She said they wanted the iglu built as a traditional venue to hold various activities and, more importantly, a familiar setting for the former residential school students and friendship centre staff members to attend for talks and healing circles.
"We notified our local schools about the iglu so the students could come out and learn how to build one, and, also, so they could sit in on some of the talks and learn more about residential schools.
"We were very happy to see a lot of students from Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik come out and be part of this.
"The students from the other schools had also shown interest in attending, but it was just too cold for the younger kids."
Tutanuak said a number of sharing and healing circles were held during the week, which were well attended.
She said the circles were held for former residential school students who wanted to talk about what happened to them during their time at school, away from their homes and families.
"The friendship centre brought in its staff members from across the Kivalliq region to help us co-ordinate these important sessions.
"There were, I'd say, between 15 to 20 people who came to each healing, or sharing, session to talk about residential school.
"Including the students who came during the week, I'd say about 200 people took part in this commemorative event."
Tutanuak said she did receive positive feedback concerning the gathering.
She said she was happy to hear many people say a lot of the former students who attended the healing circles were able to really open up about what happened to them at residential school.
"Many people who spoke at the circles seemed to be able to open up and talk more about residential school in an informal setting such as this.
"Anyone who wanted to talk could talk, and there was no limit on the amount of time they could take to talk about their experiences.
"That approach seemed to work very well.
"A few people also told me they enjoyed the activities we held during the week, mostly in the evening, like the drum dancing and square dancing."
Tutanuak said, overall, she's very happy with how the commemorative gathering went.
She said she was kept very busy during the week, but still really enjoyed the gathering.
"Everything about this was planned and done by the friendship centre.
"We had one person come from Health Canada to act as a support-staff person during the week.
"The friendship centre also funded the event, and we received a donation from each of the local stores to help with prizes during the evening activities we held.
"The community really stepped up and I was very happy with the contributions we received."
