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Elder connected to her community Arctic Bay's oldest resident celebrates 93rd birthday
Myles Dolphin
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 17, 2013
IKPIARJUK/ARCTIC BAY
Arctic Bay's oldest elder quietly celebrated her 93rd birthday on June 11.
Qapik Attagutsiak, from Arctic Bay, celebrated her 93rd birthday on June 11. - photo courtesy of Aapak Allurut |
Qapik Attagutsiak was born outside Resolute Bay in 1920 and grew up in Pond Inlet and Iglulik. She moved to Arctic Bay with her family in 1947 at the age of 27.
This year, her special day was a calm affair as people in the hamlet simply didn't realize it was her birthday, according to one of her granddaughters, Aapak Allurut.
More than 75 people turned up at the community hall for her milestone 90th birthday party in 2010.
Attagutsiak remembers and cherishes a time when there was no alcohol in the community and people helped each other out.
"Families were closer back then because parents paid more attention to their children," she said through a translator.
Attagutsiak had 14 children of her own: nine sons and five daughters. She mostly worked as a midwife and homemaker and continues to sew, one of her favourite hobbies. Five generations of the family reside in the community.
She remains connected to the community by going to church twice a week, attending a women's sewing group and going to birthday parties and other special events.
Despite her ATV breaking down recently, she manages to run her errands by asking for rides around town.
When asked about the secret to her longevity, she said she reads the Bible a lot and always followed her parents' advice. In fact, she wishes more parents were more involved in their children's lives.
Allurut, whose father was Attagutsiak's oldest son, said her grandmother is still energetic and a very giving person.
"She still teaches us a lot about life and how to raise our children," she said. "She means the world to me and I love her very much."
Another Arctic Bay resident, Clare Kines, has known Attagutsiak for more than 14 years. He said she lives a traditional life and always has a smile on her face.
"She's probably contributed knowledge to most community consultations that take place here," he said. "She travelled regularly to the south to offer medical researchers knowledge on traditional Inuit midwifery. She is quite simply a joy and a treasure."
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