Boo on the Bay
Halloween still a popular event among Naujaat youths
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, November 19, 2014
REPULSE BAY
Students had the chance to win a few prizes and enjoy a day of spooky activities at Tusarvik School in Repulse Bay (Naujaat) this past month.
Grade 4 students Mary Chantal Nanordluk, Shauna Siusangnark and Rick Iyyiraq, from left, proudly display their homemade masks at Tusarvik School in Repulse Bay on Oct. 31. - photo courtesy of Julia MacPherson |
The community held its annual Halloween celebrations a few days early this year due to concerns of polar bears near the hamlet.
Tusarvik's Halloween celebrations are open to the community, with a classroom converted into a haunted house always being a popular draw.
The morning of the festivities saw more than 400 school-made cupcakes divided among the classes at 10 a.m.
Vice-principal Julia MacPherson said the students also received treats from their teachers along with the cupcakes, before everyone headed to the gym for the costume contest.
She said afternoon activities included face painting, archery, darts, pin the nose on the witch and a mock jail to help raise funds for student council.
"We had two RCMP officers, our shop-culture teacher and Mayor Solomon Malliki judge the costumes," said MacPherson. "We did the contest grade by grade, with each grade doing a little parade around the gym for the judges.
"The top three costumes were then selected, with the winning students receiving a healthy treat bag."
A special project was held in the Grade 4 class, which saw the students create some impressive homemade masks.
While Halloween's popularity has been reportedly ebbing in some Kivalliq communities, MacPherson said that's not the case in Naujaat.
She said Halloween remains very popular in Naujaat, with the kids actually holding a countdown in the days leading up to the festivities.
"They get nearly as excited for Halloween as they do for Christmas. I had more than 400 trick-or-treaters at my house this year. The kids here like scary stories, getting dressed up and playing tricks that aren't mean at Halloween.
"They'll come to the door with their faces heavily covered or disguised and ask you to guess their names, and, if you can't guess correctly, it can go on for awhile before they tell you who they are."
