UQSUQTUUQ/GJOA HAVEN
For Jacob Keanik, chair of the Nattilik Heritage Society, the year went by so quickly he didn't even realize it was time to celebrate the first anniversary of the new heritage centre's opening.

A crowd gathers, listening to George Kamookak tell a story at the first anniversary open house for the Nattilik Heritage Centre in Gjoa Haven on Oct. 18. - photo courtesy of Tone Wang

"And I didn't expect that many people," said Keanik about the Oct. 30 open house celebrating the anniversary. "There were a lot of elders, teacher, young people, other people. We had a good gathering, a variety of people. It was great."

There were traditional games, led by elders George Kamookak and Alice Aglukkaq who explained each game and how to play.

Elders Martha Akkitchook, Salomie Qitsualik demonstrated throatsinging and its meaning.

There were prize draws, tea, coffee and snacks.

Thinking back over the passage of the year, Keanik acknowledge that the society and staff, with the help of Tone Wang, a researcher with the Oslo Museum of Cultural History in Norway, have been very busy.

The centre has five staff - a part-time manager, a tourism co-ordinator, an arts co-ordinator and two employees who deliver the educational component.

"We had some staff changes but everything is working fine, now."

Working with the elders, bringing them to the centre to help out with the artifacts, is one challenge that Keanik notes. He personally found it challenging working as the translator - because the elders speak Inuktitut and interpreting was required into the English language for visitors, with questions returned by the interpreter in Inuktitut to the elders.

"And a lot of time we have to ask the elders to open up more. If you don't ask them questions, they won't give you any answers."

But the work has been well worth it, with the centre busy all day and becoming a hub of activity in the community.

The community's schools take full advantage of the learning opportunities.

"According to the students that come to me or to our staff, the students say the Tuesday nights are the best storytelling they've ever heard."

Tuesday night events are well-attended and focus on elders recounting legends and stories of their own childhoods. They also discuss the changes they've seen.

"They're teaching lots to our younger generation, which is wonderful. I'm very proud of that," Keanik said.

Looking ahead, Keanik feels some nervousness about the tourist season when several cruise ships are expected, with the potential of hundreds of visitors streaming through. The centre had a taste of the potential for visitors past summer, because of the discovery of the HMS Erebus nearby, but only a fraction of the number of people who are expected in the future.

"The town of Gjoa Haven needs to get prepared for that, that's my biggest worry right now. People in Gjoa Haven aren't prepared for it."

That's the work which must be accomplished over the coming months.

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