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NEWS BRIEFS: Rallies around Kiv, elder honoured in Baker Lake

Rallies and duds

Kivalliq

A number of pep rallies were held in schools across the region to give Kivalliq athletes competing in the Arctic Winter Games (AWG) in Hay River and Fort Smith, NWT, a memorable sendoff.

This past week also saw the unveiling of the new Team Nunavut colours being sported at the games.

The jerseys were sponsored by Hockey Nunavut, while the bags were sponsored by Cody Dean of Canadrill and the helmets and gloves by Harry Flaherty of Qikitaaluk Logistics.

Elder honoured

Baker Lake

The Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers was presented to Baker Lake elder Winnie Owingayak during Nunavut Commissioner Nellie Kusugak's visit to the community on March 1.

The Governor General-issued medal was bestowed upon Owingayak, a respected language advocate, for her work in developing Tuhaalruuqtut, Ancestral Sounds, an interactive exhibit of Inuit songs, legends and photographs on display at the Inuit Heritage Centre in Baker Lake.
Kusugak presented 18 additional medals for volunteer work, bravery and community service to Baker residents during her visit to the community.

Spotlight shines

Arviat

The national spotlight shone in Arviat's direction this past week thanks to a documentary about the community. The documentary, called Dancing Towards the Light, earned Kitra Cahana and Ed Ou a Canadian Screen Award for Best Photography in a News or Information Program, Series or Segment.

The documentary explores how the community embraced the healing power of dance after a number of suicides. It focuses on Arviat's annual Sila Rainbow Dance Competition and how it helps those affected by suicide to heal.

Cahana and Ou are Canadian journalists and visual storytellers whose work has appeared in the New York Times, National Geographic and the CBC.

The Arviat Film Society also enjoyed a little time in the spotlight when it was mentioned in the Time for Kids booklet, Wifi Around the World, while a story on the John Arnalukjuak Drama Club, Bright Lights and Blue Steps, written by Keith J. Collier was published in the Newfoundland Quarterly publication.

Hockey action in Baker

Baker Lake/Arviat

The Arviat senior men's hockey team travelled to Baker Lake to compete in the Islander's Cup hockey tournament this past weekend. The tournament featured five local teams in addition to the Arviat squad.

Final results were not known as of press time.