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‘ᐊᑕᐅᓰᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᖢᒍ ᖁᑭᖅᑕᖓ’

ᐃᐳᕈᓪ ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ ᖁᑭᖅᓯᔪᖅ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᓇᓄᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ, ᓇᓐᓄᒍᑎᒃᓴᖅ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᖑᑉᓗᓂ ᐅᑭᐅᖑᔪᖅ
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April Wadland, right, poses with brother Randy Eecherk and her first – and last – polar bear. Photo courtesy of April Wadland ᐃᐳᕈ ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ, ᑕᓕᖅᐱᕐᒦᑦᑐᖅ, ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᔫᒃ ᐊᓂᓂᓗ ᕋᓐᑎ ᐃᑦᓯᖅ ᐊᔾᔨᒦᑦᑐᖅᑕᐅᖅ ᓇᓐᓄᒋᐅᕈᑎᒋᓯᒪᔭᖓ – ᓇᓐᓄᒍᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᖅ.

ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᐃᐳᕈᓪ ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᔭᐅᖏᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ‘ᐊᑕᐅᓰᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᖢᓂ ᖁᑭᖅᓯᑉᓗᓂ’ ᓇᓐᓄᒃᓯᒪᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᓇᓐᓄᒋᐅᕈᑎᒋᔭᖓᓂᒃ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᖑᑉᓗᓂᓗ ᓇᓐᓄᒍᑎᒃᓴᖅ.

“ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᑕᐅᓰᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓗᒍ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑦᑐᓕᕆᔾᔪᑎᒋᓂᐊᖅᑕᕋ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ. “ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᔪᖓ ᓇᓐᓄᒃᓯᒪᓕᕐᓂᕋᓄᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓇᓐᓄᒃᑲᓐᓂᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᒪᙱᑦᑐᖓ.”

ᐃᒻᒪᖄ ᖁᓕᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᑦ ᖄᖏᖅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᓇᓐᓄᒐᓱᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔫᒐᓗᐊᖅ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐱᑕᖅᓯᔪᓐᓇᓚᐅᙱᑦᑐᖅ, ᑕᐃᒪᐃᒻᒪᑦ ᐱᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᓯᒪᓇᓂ. ᐅᑭᐊᒃᓵᖅ, ᐅᐃᖓᑕ ᐊᑎᓂ ᐊᑎᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᑎᖦᖢᓂᐅᒃ ᐅᑐᐱᕆ 31-ᒥ ᐃᓱᓕᕝᕕᖕᒥ ᓇᓐᓄᒍᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᒍᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ.

ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᓇᓐᓄᒍᑎᒃᓴᒥᒃ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᓯᒪᑉᓗᓂ, ᓇᓐᓄᒐᓱᒋᐊᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᖢᓂ ᒫᑦᓯ 14-ᒥ 17-ᒧᑦ.

ᐊᓂᓂ, ᕋᓐᑎ ᐃᑦᓯᖅ, ᓯᑭᑑᒃᑯᑦ ᑎᑭᕋᕐᔪᐊᕐᒧᑦ ᑐᕌᖃᑎᒋᑉᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᒫᒃᓯ 15-ᒥ, ᑕᑯᑉᓗᑎᒃ ᓇᓄᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᒪᐅᑉ ᖃᓂᒋᔭᖓᓂᒃ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐱᑕᕆᐊᕈᓐᓇᕐᓇᒍ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ, ᐊᖏᕐᕋᐅᑐᐃᓐᓇᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᑯᓂ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᐅᑉᓗᕐᒥ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᖅᑳᖅᖢᑎᒃ – ᐃᒻᒪᖄ 215 ᑭᓛᒥᑕᓂᒃ ᑲᑎᖢᒋᑦ.

ᖃᐅᖕᒪᑦ ᐅᑉᓛᒃᑯᑦ, “ᑕᖃᓯᒪᑉᓗᖓ, ᖁᕕᐊᓱᓗᐊᕐᓇᖓ, ᐱᔾᔮᙱᓐᓂᕋᓕᖅᖢᖓ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ, ᒪᑭᑦᑐᒪᓇᖓᓘᓐᓃᑦ.

ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᑎᑦᑎᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᕕᐱᐊᓐ ᑕᑎᒥᒃ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᐅᑉᓗᕐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᓕᕋᒥᒃ ᐅᖅᓱᕆᐊᓄᑦ ᑐᕌᖔᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᐅᑉ ᖃᓂᒋᔭᖓᓂᒃ, ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᒋᓪᓚᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᖓ, ᓯᓈᓄᙵᐅᔪᒪᙱᓐᓇᒥ.

“ᐅᖃᐅᑎᑉᓗᒍ ᐊᓂᒐ, ‘ᓇᓗᖕᓂᕐᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᓇᓗᔪᖓ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ.

ᑕᐃᑲᓂ, ᐅᔾᔨᕈᓱᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓇᓅᑉ ᑐᒥᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓇᑦᓯᕋᓱᒃᑐᕕᓂᕐᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᑉᓗᑎᒡᓗ ᖃᓂᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᓇᓄᖃᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ.

“ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ, ᑲᑉᐱᐊᓱᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᕿᐊᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᖓᓗ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ. “ᐅᖓᓯᒃᓯᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᓪᓗᑕ ᓄᓇᒥ, ᖃᓂᓪᓕᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᓪᓗᑕ ᐅᖅᓱᕆᐊᓄᑦ, ᕿᐊᕙᓪᓕᐊᖏᓐᓇᖅᖢᖓ ᐃᒪᓐᓇᓗ ᐅᖃᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᖓ, ‘ᒎᑏ ᓱᓕᔪᖓ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖓ ᓇᓐᓄᒍᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᒃᑲᓐᓂᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔾᔮᙱᓐᓇᒪ. ᐅᖅᓱᕆᐊᓄᑦ ᑎᑭᑎᑦᑕᐃᓕᙵ.”

ᒪᓖᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓇᓅᑉ ᑎᒥᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᑯᑉᓗᒍ ᓇᓄᖅ, ᐊᕐᓇᓪᓗᖅ ᐊᖏᔪᐊᓗᒃ ᐅᖓᓯᒃᑐᒥ.

ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ ᑎᒍᓯᑉᓗᓂ ᐅᐃᖓᑕ ᖁᑭᐅᑎᖓᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓂᒥᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᒋᐊᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᒪᓐᓈᖅᑐᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᕋᒥ – ᐃᓱᒪᓕᐅᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᓂᖓ ᖃᓂᓪᓕᒃᑲᓐᓂᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓱᒃᑲᓴᒃᑲᓐᓂᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᓯᑭᑑᒃᑯᑦ.

“ᓄᖅᑲᖁᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ, ᐃᓱᒪᒋᑉᓗᒍ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᓗᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᓯᓚᐅᕐᒪᖔᑦ. ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᑕᐅᓰᓐᓇᖅ ᒪᐃᓕ ᑎᑭᑦᑕᕆᐊᖃᖅᑕᖅᐳᑦ. ᐊᓂᒐ ᓱᒃᑲᓴᐅᔾᔪᐊᖅᑎᐅᖕᒪᑦ ᓯᑭᑑᒃᑯᑦ, ᑲᑉᐱᐊᑦᑕᐃᖅᑐᖅ. ᑎᒍᒥᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᓕᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ ᐃᓅᔪᒪᑉᓗᖓ ᑕᒡᕙᓗ ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂᒃ ᖁᑭᐅᑎᓂᒃ ᑎᒍᒥᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᓱᒃᑲᓵᓗᒃᖢᓂ.”

ᓄᖅᑲᕋᒥᒃ ᖁᑭᕆᐊᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᑉᓗᓂ, ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ ᐃᒪᓐᓈᖅᑐᖅᑕᐅᒐᒥ ᒪᓕᒃᖢᓂ ᐃᒪᓐᓈᖅᑐᖅᑕᐅᔾᔪᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᖁᑭᐅᑎᓂ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᖢᒍ ᓯᑭᑑᖓᑕ ᐃᒐᓛᖓᓄᑦ.

“(ᐃᑦᓯᖅ) ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑕᑯᑐᐊᕈᖕᓂ ᓇᓄᖅ ᖁᑭᕆᐊᕐᓂᐊᖅᐳᑎᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᔪᖅ ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ. “ᓂᑉᓕᙱᑦᑐᖓᓘᓐᓃᑦ. ᓇᓄᖅ ᑕᑯᒐᑉᑯ ᖁᑭᕆᐊᖅᑐᖓ. ᕿᐊᓕᑲᐅᑎᒋᑉᓗᖓ, ᐅᐊᑲᓪᓚᖔ, ᖁᑭᖅᓯᔪᖓ ᓇᓄᕐᒥᒃ. ᐅᖃᐅᑎᑉᓗᒍᓗ ᐊᓂᒐ ᖁᑭᐅᑎᒥᒃ ᑎᒍᓯᖁᑉᓗᒍ, ᐃᒡᓚᑐᐃᓐᓇᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᓂᒐ. ᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ, ‘ᐊᑕᐅᓰᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᖢᒍ ᖁᑭᕆᐊᕋᕕᑦ ᖁᑭᖅᑕᐃᑦ! ᐊᑕᐅᓰᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᖢᒍ ᖁᑭᖅᑕᐃᑦ!”

ᕿᐊᑉᓗᓂᓗ ᐃᓗᒃᑯᓪᓗ ᐱᒋᐊᓪᓚᒃᓯᒪᑉᓗᓂ, ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᓂᓂ ᐃᕆᐊᓪᓚᖕᒪᑦ ᐃᒪᓐᓇ “ᐊᑕᐅᓰᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᖢᒍ ᖁᑭᖅᑕᐃᑦ!” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᐃᓐᓇᓕᖅᖢᓂ.

ᐋᒃᑐᖅᑳᖅᖢᒍ ᓄᓇᒥ – ᑎᑭᑦᑐᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᓯᖓᓂᒃ ᓇᓄᕐᒥᒃ ᕿᒫᑎᑦᑕᕆᐊᖃᓚᐅᖅᖢᒍ – ᐊᖏᕐᕋᐅᔾᔨᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ 9–ᓂᒃ foot-ᓂᒃ ᑕᑭᓂᓕᖕᒥᒃ ᓇᓄᕋᕐᒥ ᐊᕐᓇᓪᓗᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕿᑐᓕᓴᖅᑕᐅᔪᒫᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐸᕐᓇᓕᖅᖢᒍ. ᐊᑕᐅᓯᕐᒥᖃᐃ ᐅᑭᐅᒥ ᐅᑕᖅᑭᔭᕆᐊᖃᕈᒫᖅᑐᑦ ᓇᑎᐊᓗᒃᑖᕆᔪᒫᕐᓗᒍ.

ᐅᐊᑦᓚᓐ ᑐᙵᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒍᓱᓪᓚᕆᓚᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᓐᓄᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᔪᒪᙱᑦᑐᖅ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᓇᓐᓄᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ.

“ᐅᖃᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᖁᔭᓈᑐᐃᓐᓇᓚᐅᕐᓂᕈᑉᑕ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᐅᑉᓗᕐᒥ, ᓇᓐᓄᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᓇᔭᙱᑦᑐᖓ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ.

“ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓂᒐᓗ ᐅᕙᒍᒃ, ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᖁᕕᐊᓇᕐᓂᖅᐹᖑᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᒃᓯᒪᓂᑉᑎᓐᓄᑦ.”