Angutiit Makigiangninga (Men Rising Up) held its largest meeting to date when 35 men from all seven Kivalliq communities attending its healing circle in Coral Harbour earlier this month.
- photo courtesy of Noel Kaludjak |
Rising ever higher
Coral Harbour hosts largest gathering of men's healing group to date
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, October 22, 2014
CORAL HARBOUR
The fifth regional gathering of Angutiit Makigiangninga (Men Rising Up) was held in Coral Harbour earlier this month.
Mike Panika gives Paulusie Nakoolak an appreciative hug as Evano Aggark and Mark Kinniksie, from right to left, wait to move forward during the Angutiit Makigiangninga (Men Rising Up) healing circle in Coral Harbour earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Noel Kaludjak |
A total of 35 men from all seven Kivalliq communities attended the healing-circle gathering from Oct. 9 to 11.
Noel Kaludjak, group co-founder and executive director for Kivalliq Counselling and Support Service (KCSS) through the Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre, said the 2014 gathering represents one of the most successful events he's ever held.
He said this was the biggest group of men Angutiit Makigiangninga has brought together to date.
"A lot of the men knew what they were coming into this year, and everyone knew exactly what to do for this gathering," said Kaludjak.
"Experience is always good at our gatherings.
"About half the men who attended this year had good experience with the program, another quarter of them knew exactly what was going on, and about one-quarter of those who came were brand new to everything.
"It worked out really, really well."
Kaludjak said the registrations for the gathering were co-ordinated through the Rankin office of KSCC, which flew the participants to Coral with funding help from Health Canada.
He said the Coral community was, once again, very welcoming of the group.
"We were overwhelmed with billet offers and the community, which is always welcoming, made everyone feel at home.
"Everyone had a place to stay, lots of country food to eat and a place to meet by the Anglican Church.
"Even though we're a non-denominational healing circle, the Anglican Church always provides a meeting spot if we can't find anywhere else.
"The community really pulled together to help us out with the entire event."
Men Rising Up usually purchases snacks from the local Northern store and Co-op when they meet.
But, this time out, a different approach was taken.
Instead of store-bought goods, the ingredients to make bannock were bought.
Kaludjak said the ingredients were then given to female elders and other women in the community who were happy to help.
He said that made the women feel really involved.
"They were happy to do it for us and the men really enjoyed fresh, locally-made bannock during our breaks.
"Coral bannock is one of the best in the Kivalliq.
"There were always people asking what they could do to help and we can't thank them enough for that."
Kaludjak said he was happy to see a lot of healing, forgiveness and reconciliation take place at the gathering.
He said it's rewarding to see participants take steps toward resolving conflicts they've had in their lives.
"They won't get healed overnight, but down the road, I'm sure everything will fall into place for the men who came to Coral to participate.
"Dr. Bruce Handley, provided to us by Health Canada at no cost, came along to help us again.
"He's a psychologist with 40-plus years of experience in his field, and he's been to each of our events since we began receiving funds from Health Canada in 2012.
"He told me the Coral gathering was one of the best events he's been to, and asked me to notify him when we hold the next one."
Although focused on healing, Men Rising Up gatherings can be intense.
Front-line members like Kaludjak are trained to handle the stress brought on by the intensity, so they don't burn out or take what they hear home with them.
Kaludjak said he was trained by Dr. Clare Schnupp to never let issues get personal.
He said you can't blur the line of supporting someone by inserting yourself into their world.
"It's not my story, nor is it my event or my pain.
"I'm there as an ear and I never, ever, take it home with me.
"Everyone in the group understands what they hear at a meeting stays there.
"We're there for support, not to take the issues home with us."
Kaludjak said, basically, the members of the group who listen do so as a friend and/or a caring person.
He said everyone who attends a meeting signs a confidentiality agreement.
"I cannot stress enough the importance of what is said during our meetings is not repeated outside of them.
"No member will go to court, gossip, or talk about in any way what they hear at our meetings.
"Angutiit Makigiangninga has held 14 total meetings now, and I have never received a single complaint of anyone repeating what they heard at a meeting.
"We've been to Arviat twice, and a few people asked the group to return because we haven't been there in about three years now, so our next step is to raise the money to go there next."
